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B 


ACCORDING   TO 


ST    JOHN: 


WITH      INTRODUCTION     AND      NOTES 


BY   B.    F.   WESTCOTT,   D.D.,   D.C.L., 

LORD   BISHOP  OF  DURHAM. 


NINTH  THOUSAND. 

H 


LONDON: 

JOHN     MURRAY,    ALBEMARLE     STREET. 
1892 


Uniform  with  the  Present   Volume. 

THE  PSALMS  OF  DAVID.  With  Notes,  Explanatory  and 
Critical.  By  the  late  DEAN  JOHNSON,  M.A.,  and  CANON  C.  J.  ELLIOTT, 
and  Canon  F.  C.  COOK,  M.A.  Medium  8vo.,  los.  6d. 

THE  EPISTLE  TO  THE  ROMANS.  With  Notes,  Ex- 
planatory and  Critical.  By  E.  H.  GIFFORD,  D.D.,  Archdeacon  of  London. 
Medium  8vo.,  "js.  6d. 

Reprinted  from  "THE  SPEAKER'S  COMMENTARY." 


CONTENTS 


INTRODUCTION. 


I.  THE  AUTHORSHIP  OF  THE  GOSPEL. 

i.    Internal  Evidence  ......          v 

i.    Indirect  evidence v 

(/?)  The  author  was  a  Jew  .     .          v 
(£)  a  Jew  of  Palestine     ...          x 

(f)   an  eye-witness xviii 

(d)  an  Apostle xxi 

(?)  St  John xxi 

ii.    Direct  evidence xxv 

(a)  i.  14 xxv 

(£)  xix.  35 xxv 

(c)  xxi.  24 xxvii 

a.    External  Evidence xxviii 

II.  THE  COMPOSITION  OF  THE  GOSPEL. 

i.    The  Author xxxii 

a.    The  Occasion  and  Date    ....    xxxv 
3.    The  Object xl 


PACK 

4-  The  Plan xlii 

j.  The  Style 1 

6.  Historical  Exactness     ....  liii 

7.  The  Last  Discourses      ....  Ixiii 

III.  CHARACTERISTICS  OF  THE  GOSPEL. 

1.  Relation  to  the  Old  Testament      .         Ixvi 

2.  The  unfolding  of  the  Messianic  idea        Ixix 

3.  The  Characters Ixxi 

4.  Symbolism Ixxv 

IV.  RELATION  TO  THE  OTHER  APO- 
STOLIC WRITINGS. 

i.   Relation  to  the  Synoptic  Gospels    .    Ixxviii 

a.   To  the  Apocalypse Ixxxiv 

3.    To  the  Epistles  of  St  John  .     .     .  Ixxxviii 

V.  THE  HISTORY  OF  THE  GOSPEL. 

i.   The  Text Ixxxviii 

a.   The  interpretation  of  the  Gospel  ,       xciv 


ADDITIONAL  NOTES: 

On  chap,  i a8 

On  chap.  ii.  n,  24 45 

On  chap,  iii 63 

On  chap.  iv.  21 79 

On  chap.  v.  i,  3 93 

On  chap,  vi na 

On  chap.  vii.  39 125 

On  chap.  vii.  53 — viii.  ii,  and  chap, 

viii.  aj,  44 141 


ADDITIONAL  NOTES  : 

On  chap.  ix.  35 15O 

On  chap.  x.  1 6,  aa,  39 i6a 

On  chap.  xiii.  18 199 

On  chap.  xiv.  16,  a8 211 

On  chap,  xviii.       .......  a6a 

On  chap,  xix 28a 

On  chap.  xx.  21 298 

On  chap,  xxi 305 


THE  present  volume  is  reprinted  from  The  Speaker  s  Com- 
mentary. I  have  corrected  a  few  misprints,  defined  more 
exactly  a  few  references,  and  changed  two  or  three  words 
and  phrases  which  seemed  liable  to  misapprehension.  I  have 
not  however  felt  at  liberty  to  make  any  other  alterations  or 
additions. 

B.  F.  W. 


CAMBRIDGE, 

Dec.  6th,  1881. 


ST.  JOHN. 


INTRODUCTION. 


I.  THE  AUTHORSHIP  or  THE  GOSPEL. 

1.  Internal  Evidence v 

i.    Indirect  evidence v 

(<z)  The  author  was  a  Jew  .     .  v 

(b)  a  Jew  of  Palestine    ...  x 

(c)  an  eye-witness      ....  xviii 

(d)  an  Apostle xxi 

(e)  St  John xxi 

ii.   Direct  evidence xxv 

(a)  i.  14 :     .     .  xxv 

(b)  xix.  35 xxv 

(c)  xxi.  24 xxvii 

2.  External  Evidence xxviii 

II.  THE  COMPOSITION  OF  THE  GOSPEL. 

1.  The  Author xxxii 

2.  The  Occasion  and  Date    ....  xxxv 

3.  The  Object xl 

I.  THE  AUTHORSHIP  OF  THE  GOSPL-L. 

i.  Internal  Evidence. 

THE  Gospel  itself  forms  the  proper 
starting-point  for  a  satisfactory  in- 
quiry into  its  origin.  Doubts  may  be 
raised  as  to  the  early  history  of  the  book 
owing  to  the  nature  of  the  available  evi- 
dence, but  there  can  be  no  question  that 
it  is  impressed  with  an  individual  cha- 
racter, and  that  it  contains  indications 
of  the  circumstances  under  which  it  was 
composed.  These  indications,  therefore, 
must  first  be  examined :  this  character 
must  first  be  defined  so  far  as  it  illus- 
trates the  relation  of  the  writer  to  the 
religious  and  social  circumstances  of  the 
first  century ;  and  when  this  is  done,  we 
shall  be  in  a  position  to  consider  with 
a  fair  appreciation  the  value  of  the  his- 
torical testimony  in  support  of  the  uni- 
versal tradition  of  the  Early  Church 
which  assigned  the  work  to  the  Apostle 
St  John. 

What  then  is  the  evidence  which  the 

New  Test. — VOL.  II. 


4.  The  Plan xlii 

5.  The  Style 1 

6.  Historical  Exactness liii 

7.  The  Last  Discourses Ixiii 

III.  CHARACTERISTICS  OF  THE  GOSPEL. 

i.  Relation  to  the  Old  Testament  .     .       Ixvi 
a.  Tbf  unfolding  of  the  Messianic  idea      Ixix 

3.  The  Characters Ixxi 

4.  Symbolism Ixxv 

IV.  RELATION  TO  THE  OTHER  APO- 
STOLIC WRITINGS. 

1.  Relation  to  the  Synoptic  Gospels      .    Ixxvii 

2.  To  the  Apocalypse Ixxxiv 

3.  To  the  Epistles  of  St  John    .     .      Ixxxviii 

V.  THE  HISTORY  OF  THE  GOSPEL. 

1.  The  Text Ixxxviii 

2.  The  interpretation  of  the  Gospel      .      xciv 

fourth  Gospel  itself  bears  to  its  author- 
ship, first  indirectly,  and  next  directly? 
These  are  the  two  questions  which  we 
have  to  answer  before  we  can  go  further. 

i.   The  indirect  evidence  of  the  Gospel  as  to 
its  authorship. 

In  examining  the  indirect  evidence 
which  the  fourth  Gospel  furnishes  as  to 
its  authorship,  it  will  be  most  convenient, 
as  well  as  most  satisfactory,  to  consider 
the  available  materials  in  relation  to 
successive  questions  which  become  more 
and  more  definite  as  we  proceed.  How 
far  then  can  we  infer  from  the  book 
itself,  with  more  or  less  certainty,  that 
the  author  was,  or  was  not,  a  Jew,  a  Jew 
of  Palestine,  an  eye-witness,  an  Apostle, 
and,  last  of  all,  St  John,  the  son  of 
Zebedee  ? 

(a)  The  Author  of  the  Fourth  Gospel 
was  a  Jew.  A  candid  examination  of 
the  evidence  appears  to  leave  no  room 

b 


VI 


for  reasonable  doubt  on  this  point.  The 
whole  narrative  shews  that  the  author 
was  a  Jew.  He  is  familiar  with  Jewish 
opinions  and  customs,  his  composition 
is  impressed  with  Jewish  characteristics, 
he  is  penetrated  with  the  spirit  of  the 
Jewish  dispensation.  His  special  know- 
ledge, his  literary  style,  his  religious  faith, 
all  point  to  the  same  conclusion.  The 
few  arguments  which  are  urged  on  the 
other  side  derive  whatever  force  they 
have  from  the  isolation  of  particular 
phrases  which  are  considered  without 
regard  to  the  general  aspect  of  the  life 
to  which  they  belong. 

These  statements  must  be  justified  in 
detail. 

(a)  The  familiarity  of  the  author  of 
the  fourth  Gospel  with  Jewish  opinions 
is  shewn  most  strikingly  by  the  outline 
which  he  gives  of  the  contemporary  Mes- 
sianic expectations.  This  subject  will  be 
brought  before  us  more  in  detail  after- 
wards (in.  §  2).  For  the  present  it  will  be 
enough  to  refer  to  the  details  which  are 
given  or  implied  in  i.  21,  iv.'  25,  vi.  14  f., 
vii.  40  ff.,  xii.  34,  &c.  In  all  these 
cases  the  points  are  noticed  without  the 
least  effort  as  lying  within  the  natural 
circle  of  the  writer's  thoughts.  So  again 
he  mentions  casually  the  popular  esti- 
mate of  women  (iv.  27),  the  importance 
attached  to  the  religious  schools  (vii.  15), 
the  disparagement  of  "  the  Dispersion  " 
(vii.  35),  the  belief  in  the  transmitted 
punishment  of  sin  (ix.  2),  the  hostility 
of  Jews  and  Samaritans  (iv.  9),  the  su- 
percilious contempt  of  the  Pharisees  for 
"  the  people  of  the  earth  "  (vii.  49). 

The  details  of  Jewish  observances  are 
touched  upon  with  equal  precision.  Now 
it  is  the  law  of  the  sabbath  which  is 
shewn  to  be  overruled  by  the  require- 
ment of  circumcision  (vii.  22  f.):  now 
the  ceremonial  pollution  which  is  con- 
tracted by  entering  a  Gentile  court  (xviii. 
28).  The  account  of  the  visit  to  the 
Feast  of  Tabernacles  only  becomes  fully 
intelligible  when  we  supply  the  facts  at 
which  the  writer  barely  hints,  being  him- 
self filled  with  the  knowledge  of  them. 
The  pouring  of  water  from  Siloam  upon 
the  altar  of  burnt  sacrifice,  and  the 
kindling  of  the  lamps  in  the  court  of 
the  women,  explain  the  imagery  of  the 
"living  water"  (vii.  38),  and  of  "the 
light  of  the  world  "  (viii.  1 2).  And  here, 


again,  a  Jew  only  who  knew  the  festival 
would  be  likely  to  describe  "  the  last  day 
of  the  feast,"  which  was  added  to  the 
original  seven,  as  "the  great  day"  (vii. 
37).  The  same  familiar  and  decisive 
knowledge  of  the  people  is  shewn  in 
glimpses  which  are  opened  on  domestic 
life  at  the  marriage  feast  (ii.  i — 10),  and 
at  the  burial  of  Lazarus  (xi.  17—44). 
The  tumultuary  stoning  of  Stephen  (Acts 
vii.  57  ff.),  which  could  not  but  be  a 
well-known  incident  in  the  early  church, 
would  have  hindered  any  one  who  had 
not  clear  information  upon  the  point 
from  recording  the  answer  of  the  Jews 
"  It  is  not  lawful  for  us  to  put  any  one 
to  death"  (xviii.  31);  and  so  in  fact  these 
words  were  afterwards  misunderstood  by 
the  Greek  fathers. 

But,  on  the  other  hand,  it  is  said  that 
the  author  of  the  fourth  Gospel  was  so 
ignorant  of  Jewish  affairs  that  he  repre- 
sents the  high-priesthood  as  an  annual 
office  when  he  speaks  of  Caiaphas  as 
"high-priest  in  that  year"  (xi.  49,  51, 
xviii.  13).  It  would  be  sufficient  to  reply 
that  such  ignorance  could  not  be  recon- 
ciled with  the  knowledge  already  indi- 
cated ;  but  a  consideration  of  the  clause 
solemnly  repeated  three  times  shews  that 
the  supposed  conclusion  cannot  be  drawn 
from  it.  The  emphatic  reiteration  of  the 
statement  forces  the  reader  to  connect 
the  office  of  Caiaphas  with  the  part 
which  he  actually  took  in  accomplish- 
ing the  death  of  Christ.  One  yearly 
sacrifice  for  atonement  it  was  the  duty 
of  the  high-priest  to  offer.  In  that  me- 
morable year,  when  all  types  were  ful- 
filled in  the  reality,  it  fell  to  Caiaphas 
to  bring  about  unconsciously  the  one 
sacrifice  of  atonement  for  sin.  He 
was  high-priest  before  and  after,  but 
it  was  not  enough  for  the  Evangelist's 
purpose  to  mark  this.  He  was  high- 
priest  in  that  year — "the  year  of  the 
Lord"  (Luke  iv.  19), — and  so  in  the 
way  of  divine  Providence  did  his  ap- 
pointed part  in  causing  "  one  man  to  die 
for  the  people"  (xi.  50). 

(/3)  From  the  contents  of  the  fourth 
Gospel  we  tura  now  to  its  form.  And 
it  may  truly  be  affirmed  that  the  style  of 
the  narrative  alone  is  conclusive  as  to  its 
Jewish  authorship.  The  vocabulary,  the 
structure  of  the  sentences,  the  symmetry 
and  numerical  symbolism  of  the  compo- 


THE   GOSPEL   OF   ST.  JOHN. 


vit 


sition,the  expression  and  the  arrangement 
of  the  thoughts,  are  essentially  Hebrew. 
These  points  will  require  to  be  discussed 
at  greater  length  when  we  come  to  examine 
the  composition  of  the  Gospel  (n.  §  5). 
It  must  suffice  now  to  call  attention  to 
such  terms  as  "light,"  "darkness,"  "flesh," 
"spirit,"  "life,"  "this  world,"  "the  king- 
dom of  God,"  and  the  like :  to  such 
images  as  "the  shepherd,"  "the  living 
water,"  "the  woman  in  travail:"  to  the 
simplicity  of  the  connecting  particles : 
to  the  parallelism  and  symmetry  of  the 
clauses.  The  source  of  the  imagery  of 
the  narrative,  to  sum  up  all  briefly,  is  the 
Old  Testament.  The  words  are  Greek 
words,  but  the  spirit  by  which  they  live 
is  Hebrew. 

(y)  The  Old  Testament  is  no  less 
certainly  the  source  of  the  religious  life 
of  the  writer.  His  Jewish  opinions  and 
hopes  are  taken  up  into  and  transfigured 
by  his  Christian  faith ;  but  the  Jewish 
foundation  underlies  his  whole  narrative. 
The  land  of  Judaea  was  "  the  home  "  (TO 
?Sia;  comp.  xvi.  32,  xix.  27)  of  the 
Incarnate  Word,  and  the  people  of 
Judaea  were  "His  own  people"  (i.  n). 
This  was  the  judgment  of  the  Evangelist 
when  the  Messiah  had  been  rejected  by 
those  to  whom  He  came ;  and  on  the 
other  hand,  Christ,  when  He  first  en- 
tered the  Holy  City,  claimed  the  Temple 
as  being  "the  house  of  His  Father" 
(ii.  1 6).  From  first  to  last  Judaism  is 
treated  in  the  Fourth  Gospel  as  the 
divine  starting-point  of  Christianity.  It 
is  true  that  the  author  records  discourses 
in  which  the  Lord  speaks  to  the  Jews  of 
the  Law  as  being  "their  Law;"  and 
that  he  uses  the  name  "the  Jews"  to 
mark  an  anti-Christian  body;  but  even 
these  apparent  exceptions  really  illustrate 
his  main  position.  The  Pharisees  as  a 
party  strove  to  keep  "the  Law"  in  its 
widest  acceptation,  the  monument,  that 
is,  of  the  various  revelations  to  Israel  (x. 
34,  xv.  25,  notes),  for  themselves  alone, 
and  to  bar  the  progress  of  the  life  which 
it  enshrined.  In  the  process  it  became 
"  their  Law."  With  the  same  fatal  nar- 
rowness they  reduced  the  representatives 
and  bearers  of  the  ancient  revelation  to 
a  national  faction ;  and  "  the  Jews  "  em- 
bodied just  that  which  was  provisional 
and  evanescent  in  the  system  which  they 
misunderstood  (comp.  in.  §  i).  These 


two  characteristic  thoughts  of  the  Gospel 
will  become  clear  when  we  consider  the 
general  development  of  the  history. 
Meanwhile  it  must  be  noticed  that  the 
Evangelist  vindicates  both  for  the  Law 
and  for  the  people  their  just  historical 
position  in  the  divine  economy.  The 
Law  could  not  but  bear  witness  to  the 
truths  which  God  had  once  spoken 
through  it.  The  people  could  not  do  away 
with  the  promises  and  privileges  which 
they  had  inherited.  Side  by  side  with  the 
words  of  Christ  which  describe  the  Law 
as  the  special  possession  of  its  false  in- 
terpreters (viii.  17,  x.  34,  xv.  25),  other 
words  of  his  affirm  the  absolute  authority 
of  its  contents.  It  is  assumed  as  an 
axiom  that  The  Scripture  cannot  be  broken 
(x.  35;  see  v.  18,  note).  That  which  is 
written  in  the  prophets  (vi.  45;  comp.  vi. 
31)  is  taken  as  the  true  expression  of 
what  shall  be.  Moses  wrote  of  Christ  (v. 
46.  Comp.  i.  45).  The  types  of  the  Old 
Testament,  the  brazen  serpent  (iii.  14), 
the  manna  (vi.  32),  the  water  from  the 
rock  (vii.  37  f.),  perhaps  also  the  pillar 
of  fire  (viii.  12),  are  applied  by  Christ  to 
Himself  as  of  certain  and  acknowledged 
significance.  Abraham  saw  His  day 
(viii.  56).  It  was  generally  to  "the 
Scriptures "  that  Christ  appealed  as  wit- 
nessing of  Him.  Even  the  choice  of 
Judas  to  be  an  apostle  was  involved  in 
the  portraiture  of  the  divine  King  (xiii. 
1 8,  note,  that  the  Scripture  might  be  ful- 
filled;  comp.  xvii.  12);  and  the  hatred 
of  the  Jews  was  prefigured  in  the  words 
written  in  their  Law,  They  hated  me 
without  a  cause  (xv.  25). 

Such  words  of  Christ  must  be  con- 
sidered both  in  themselves  and  in  the 
consequences  which  they  necessarily 
carry  with  them,  if  we  are  to  understand 
the  relation  of  the  fourth  Gospel  to  the 
Old  Testament.  They  shew  conclusively 
that  in  this  Gospel,  no  less  than  in  the 
other  three,  He  is  represented  as  offer- 
ing Himself  to  Israel  as  the  fulfiller,  and 
not  as  the  destroyer,  of  "  the  Law."  And 
it  follows  also,  whatever  view  is  taken 
of  the  authorship  of  the  Gospel,  that 
the  Evangelist  in  setting  down  these 
sayings  of  Christ  accepts  to  the  full  the 
teaching  which  they  convey. 

Nor  is  this  all.  Just  as  the  words  of 
the  Lord  recorded  in  the  fourth  Gospel 
confirm  the  divine  authority  of  the  Old 

b  2 


vni 


INTRODUCTION   TO 


Testament,  so  also  the  Evangelist,  when 
he  writes  in  his  own  person,  emphasizes 
the  same  principle.  The  first  public  act 
of  Christ  reminded  the  disciples,  as  he 
relates,  of  a  phrase  in  the  Psalms  (ii. 
17).  The  Resurrection,  he  says,  con- 
firmed their  faith  in  the  Scripture,  and 
the  word  which  Jesus  spake,  as  if  both 
were  of  equal  weight.  In  the  light  of 
the  same  event  they  understood  at  last 
what  they  had  done  unconsciously  in 
accordance  with  prophetic  utterances 
(xii.  14  ff.).  So  again  at  the  close  of  his 
record  of  Christ's  public  ministry,  he 
points  out  how  the  apparent  failure  of 
Christ's  mission  was  part  of  the  great 
scheme  of  Providence  foreshadowed  by 
Isaiah.  The  experience,  and  the  words 
of  the  prophet,  made  such  a  result  in- 
evitable (xii.  37  ff.).  This  fulfilment  of 
the  wider  teaching  of  prophecy  is  further 
confirmed  by  examples  of  the  fulfilment 
of  its  details.  Special  incidents  of  the 
Passion  are  connected  with  the  language 
of  the  Old  Testament.  The  division  of 
the  garments,  and  the  casting  lots  for 
the  seamless  robe  (xix.  23  f.);  the  ex- 
pression of  thirst  (xix.  28),  the  limbs  left 
unbroken  (xix.  36),  the  side  pierced  (xix. 
37) — significant  parallels  with  the  treat- 
ment of  the  paschal  lamb — give  occasion 
to  quotations  from  the  Law,  the  Psalms, 
and  the  Prophets ;  and  these  fulfilments 
of  the  ancient  Scriptures  are  brought 
forward  as  solid  grounds  of  faith  (xix. 

35)- 

"  The  Law,"  in  short,  is  treated  by  the 
writer  of  the  fourth  Gospel,  both  in  his 
record  of  the  Lord's  teaching,  and,  more 
especially,  in  his  own  comments,  as  only 
a  Jew  could  have  treated  it.  It  was 
misinterpreted  by  those  to  whom  it  was 
given,  but  it  was  divine.  So  far  as  it 
was  held,  not  only  apart  from,  but  in 
opposition  to,  its  true  fulfilment,  it  lost 
its  true  character.  This  character  the 
Evangelist  unfolds.  '  The  object  with 
which  he  wrote  was  to  shew  that  Jesus 
was  not  only  the  Son  of  God,  but  also 
the  Christ,  the  promised  Messiah  of  the 
Jews  (xx.  31),  just  as  Nathanael,  the  true 
representative  of  Israel  (i.  47),  had  re- 
cognised Him  at  first  under  this  double 
title. 

The  portraiture  of  the  people  in  the 
fourth  Gospel  is  no  less  indicative  of  its 
Jewish  authorship,  whatever  false  deduc- 


tions may  have  been  popularly  drawn 
from  the  use  of  the  characteristic  title 
"the  Jews"  for  the  adversaries  of  Christi- 
anity. Writing  as  a  Christian  the  Evan- 
gelist still  records  the  central  truth,  true 
for  all  ages,  which  Christ  declared :  We 
— as  Jews — worship  that  which  we  know, 
for  the  salvation — the  salvation  promised 
to  the  world — is  from  the  Jews  (iv.  22), 
rising  by  a  divine  law  out  of  the  dispen- 
sation intrusted  to  their  keeping.  No- 
thing which  was  said  at  a  later  time 
neutralised  these  words  of  the  Lord  in 
which  He  identified  Himself  with  the  old 
people  of  God,  and  signalised  their  in- 
herent prerogatives.  The  knowledge 
which  the  Jews  had  was  the  result  of 
their  acceptance  of  the  continuous  reve- 
lation of  God  from  age  to  age;  while 
the  Samaritans  who  refused  to  advance 
beyond  the  first  stage  of  His  manifesta- 
tion, worshipped  the  true  Object  of  wor- 
ship, but  ignorantly.  They  worshipped 
that  which  they  kneiv  not  (iv.  22). 

This  was  the  rightful  position  of  the 
Jews  towards  Christ,  which  is  every- 
where presupposed  in  the  Gospel,  but 
they  failed  to  maintain  it,  and  when  the 
Evangelist  wrote  their  national  failure 
was  past  hope.  They  received  Him  not. 
But  the  sources  and  the  kinds  of  their 
unbelief  were  manifold,  and  the  narra- 
tive reflects  the  varieties  of  their  cha- 
racter. 

For  the  people  are  not,  as  is  commonly 
assumed  to  be  the  case,  a  uniform, 
colourless  mass.  On  the  contrary,  dis- 
tinct bodies  reveal  themselves  on  a  care- 
ful examination  of  the  record,  each  with 
its  own  distinctive  marks.  Two  great  divi- 
sions are  portrayed  with  marked  clear- 
ness, "  the  multitude,"  and  "  the  Jews." 
The  multitude  (o  oxA-os)  represents  the 
general  gathering  of  the  Jewish  inhabi- 
tants of  Palestine,  Galilseans  for  the  most 
part,  who  are  easily  swayed  to  and  fro, 
with  no  settled  policy,  and  no  firm 
convictions.  These,  when  they  saw  the 
signs  which  Jesus  had  wrought  at  Jeru- 
salem, received  Him  in  Galilee  (iv.  45), 
and  followed  Him,  and,  at  a  later  time, 
would  have  made  Him  King  (vi.  15). 
When  they  went  up  to  the  feasts  they 
gathered  round  Him  in  expectation  and 
doubt,  ignorant  of  the  deadly  hostility 
of  their  rulers  to  the  new  prophet  (vii. 
20),  and  inclined  to  believe  (vii.  40; 


THE   GOSPEL   OF   S.  JOHN. 


IX 


compare  the  whole  chapter).  On  the 
eve  of  the  Passion  they  brought  Him 
in  triumph  into  the  city  (xii.  12) ;  and,  in 
the  last  scene  in  which  they  are  pre- 
sented in  the  Gospel,  listen  in  dull  per- 
plexity to  Christ's  final  revelation  of 
Himself  (xii.  29,  34).  In  the  fourth 
Gospel  they  do  not  appear  in  the  narra- 
tive of  the  Trial  and  the  Crucifixion. 
They  may  have  been  used  as  instru- 
ments, but  the  guilt  of  this  issue  did  not 
belong  to  them  as  a  body. 

In  contrast  with  "the  multitude" 
stand  "the  Jews1."  Both  titles  are  ge- 
neral terms,  including  various  elements ; 
both  have  local  centres ;  both  express 
tendencies  of  religious  feeling.  Just  as 
"the  multitude"  reflect  the  spirit  of 
Galilee,  "  the  Jews "  reflect  the  spirit  of 
Jerusalem  (i.  1 9),  and  this  term  is  perhaps 
used  exclusively  of  those  who  lived  in  the 
limited  region  of  Judaea.  "  The  multi- 
tude" have  vague,  fluent,  opinions;  "the 
Jews  "  hold  fast  by  the  popular  expecta- 
tion of  a  national  Messiah,  and  a  na- 
tional sovereignty.  From  first  to  last 
they  appear  as  the  representatives  of  the 
narrow  finality  of  Judaism  (ii.  18,  xix. 
38).  They  begin  their  opposition  by  a 
charge  of  the  violation  of  the  Sabbath 
(v.  i  off.;  comp.  xix.  31).  Those  of  them 
who  are  present  at  Capernaum  give  ex- 
pression to  "murmurings"  at  the  teach- 
ing to  which  "the  multitude"  had 
apparently  listened  with  awed  respect 
(vi.  41,  52;  comp.  vi.  22 — 40).  They 
reduce  the  wavering  multitude  to  silence 
at  Jerusalem  (vii.  n — 13).  If  they  be- 
lieve Christ,  they  do  not  at  once  believe 
on  Him,  and  while  they  cling  to  their 
own  prejudices  yield  themselves  to  the 
perils  of  fatal  error  (viii.  31  ff.  note).  In 
their  zeal  for  the  Law  they  would  at 
once  stone  Christ  (viii.  59,  x.  31);  and 
to  them  generally  the  Crucifixion  is  attri- 
buted (xviii.  12,  14,  31,  36,  38,  xix.  7, 
12,  14).  Yet  even  these  are  struck  with 
wonder  (vii.  15)  and  doubt  (vii.  35,  viii. 
22);  they  are  divided  (x.  19),  and  ask 
peremptorily  for  a  clear  enunciation  of 
Christ's  claim  (x.  24);  and  the  defection 
of  many  from  among  them  to  Him 
marks  the  last  crisis  in  the  history  (xii. 
10  f. ;  comp.  xi.  45,  48,  ix.  40,  xii.  42). 

1  The  term  occurs  rarely  in  the  discourses  of 
the  Lord  :  iv.  11,  xiii.  33,  xviii.  20,  36.  See 
note  on  the  last  passage. 


"The  Jews"  thus  presented  to  a 
writer  who  looked  back  from  a  Christian 
point  of  sight1  upon  the  events  which  he 
described  the  aggregate  of  the  people 
whose  opinions  were  opposed  in  spirit 
to  the  work  of  Christ.  They  were  not, 
as  they  might  have  been,  "  true  Israel- 
ites" (i.  47;  comp.  #.31).  But  at  the 
same  time  he  does  not  fail  to  notice  that 
there  were  among  them  two  distinct 
tendencies,  which  found  their  expression 
in  the  Pharisees  and  Sadducees  respec- 
tively. The  latter  are  not  mentioned  by 
name  in  the  fourth  Gospel,  but  the 
writer  describes  them  more  character- 
istically, and  with  a  more  direct  know- 
ledge, by  their  social  position  at  the 
time.  They  were  "  the  high-priests,"  the 
faction  of  Annas  and  Caiaphas  (Acts  v. 
17),  the  reckless  hierarchy,  whose  policy 
is  sharply  distinguished  in  one  or  two 
life-like  traits  from  that  of  the  religious 
zealots,  the  Pharisees.  Several  times 
indeed  the  two  parties  appear  as  acting 
together  in  the  great  Council  (vii.  32,  45, 
xi.  47,  57,  xviii.  3;  comp.  vii.  26,  48, 
xii.  42  the  rulers),  yet  even  in  these  cases 
the  two  are  only  once  so  grouped  as  to 
form  a  single  body  (vii.  45  irpo?  roO?  dpx- 
Kal  $>ap.),  and  "the  chief  priests "  always 
stand  first  as  taking  the  lead  in  the 
designs  of  violence.  This  is  brought 
out  very  vividly  in  the  fatal  scene  in  the 
Sanhedrin  after  the  raising  of  Lazarus 
(see  xi.  47  note). 

In  other  places  when  the  two  parties 
are  mentioned  separately  the  contrast 
between  them  familiar  to  the  historian 
underlies  the  record.  The  Pharisees  are 
moved  by  the  symptoms  of  religious 
disorder :  the  high  priests  (Sadducees) 
by  the  prospect  of  ecclesiastical  danger. 
The  Pharisees  are  the  true  representa- 
tives of  "the  Jews"  (i.  19 Hi.  24,  ix.  13 1| 
ix.  1 8,  ix.  2  2  ||  xii.  42).  They  send  to 
make  inquiries  about  the  mission  of 
John  (i.  24);  they  hear,  evidently  as  of 
something  which  deeply  concerned  them, 
of  baptism  among  the  followers  of  the 
Lord  (iv.  i);  they  scornfully  reject  the 
opinion  of  the  illiterate  multitude  (vii. 
47);  they  question  the  authority  of 
Christ  (viii.  13);  they  condemn  His 
miracles  as  wrought  on  the  Sabbath  (ix. 

1  The  phrase  "the  Passover  of  the  Jews" 
evidently  implies  a  familiar  Christian  Passover : 
ii.  13  note.  Comp.  ii.  6,  v.  i,  vii.  2,  xix.  42. 


INTRODUCTION  TO 


1 3  ff.);  they  excommunicate  His  followers 
(xii.  42  ;  comp.  ix.  22);  but  at  last  they 
look  with  irresolute  helplessness  upon 
the  apparent  failure  of  their  opposition 
(xii.  19).  From  this  point  they  appear 
no  more  by  themselves.  "The  chief 
priests"  take  the  direction  of  the  end 
into  their  own  hands.  Five  times  they 
are  mentioned  alone,  and  on  each  oc- 
casion as  bent  on  carrying  out  a  purpose 
of  death  and  treason  to  the  faith  of 
Israel.  They  plotted  the  murder  of 
Lazarus  because  many  for  his  sake  be- 
lieved on  Jesus  (xii.  n).  Pilate  sees  in 
them  the  true  persecutors  of  Christ :  Thy 
nation  and  the  chief  priests  delivered  Thee 
up  to  me  (xviii.  35).  Their  voices  first 
raise  the  cry,  Crucify,  Crucify  Him  (xix. 
6).  They  make  the  unbelieving  con- 
fession, We  have  no  king  but  Cccsar  (xix. 
15),  and  utter  a  vain  protest  against  the 
title  in  which  their  condemnation  was 
written  (xix.  21,  the  chief  priests  of  the 
Jews), 

This  most  significant  fact  of  the  de- 
cisive action  of  the  Sadducsean  hierarchy 
in  compassing  the  death  of  the  Lord, 
which  is  strikingly  illustrated  by  the 
relative  attitude  of  Pharisees  and  Sad- 
ducees  to  the  early  Church  as  described 
in  the  Acts,  explains  the  prominent  posi- 
tion assigned  to  Annas  in  the  fourth 
Gospel  (xviii.  13).  Annas  was  the  head 
of  the  party.  Though  he  had  ceased  to 
be  high-priest  for  many  years,  he  swayed 
the  policy  of  his  successors.  St  Luke  in 
his  Gospel  significantly  sets  him  with 
Caiaphas  as  "high-priest"  (eV  dp^iepew? 
not  l-ir  dpx<.fpeuVi  iii-  2),  as  if  both  were 
united  in  one  person ;  and  in  the  Acts 
he,  and  not  Caiaphas  (iv.  6),  is  alone 
called  "high-priest."  The  coincidence 
is  just  one  of  those  which  reveal  the 
actual  as  distinguished  from  the  official 
state  of  things. 

One  further  remark  must  be  made. 
The  general  use  of  the  term  "  the  Jews  " 
for  the  opponents  of  Christ  not  only 
belongs  necessarily  to  the  position  of  an 
apostle  at  the  close  of  the  first  century, 
but  it  is  even  possible  to  trace  in  the 
books  of  the  New  Testament  the  gradual 
change  by  which  it  assumed  this  specific 
force.  In  the  Synoptic  Gospels  it  occurs 
only  four  times  except  in  the  title  "  king 
of  the  Jews  ;"  Matt,  xxviii.  15;  Mark  vii. 
3 ;  Luke  vii.  3,  xxiii.  5 1 ;  and  in  the 


first  of  these,  which  is  probably  the 
latest  in  date,  the  word  marks  a  position 
of  antagonism.  In  the  Acts  the  title 
oscillates  between  the  notions  of  privi- 
lege and  of  opposition,  but  the  course 
of  the  history  goes  far  to  fix  its  adverse 
meaning.  The  word  is  comparatively 
rare  in  the  Epistles  of  St  Paul.  It  occurs  ' 
most  commonly  (twelve  times  out  of 
twenty-four)  in  contrast  with  "Greek," 
both  alike  standing  in  equal  contrast 
with  the  idea  of  Christianity ;  and  for 
St  Paul,  "a  Hebrew  of  Hebrews,"  his 
countrymen,  "Jews  by  nature"  (Gal. 
ii.  15),  are  already  separated  from 
himself.  The  name  of  a  race  has  be- 
come practically  the  name  of  a  sect 
(Rom.  iii.  9;  i  Cor.  i.  22  ff.,  ix.  20,  x. 
32  ;  comp.  Gal.  ii.  13,  i.  13  f.).  The 
word  is  not  found  in  the  Catholic  epi- 
stles, but  in  the  Apocalypse  it  is  used 
twice  (ii.  9,  iii.  9),  evidently  to  describe 
those  who  insisted  on  their  literal  descent 
and  ceremonial  position,  and  claimed 
the  prerogatives  of  Israel  outside  the 
Church.  Such  false-styled  Jews  were 
the  worst  enemies  of  the  Gospel;  and  a 
Christian  writing  at  the  close  of  the  cen- 
tury could  not  but  speak  of  the  people 
generally  by  the  title  which  characterized 
them  to  his  contemporaries. 

(b]  The  Author  of  the  Fourth  Gospel 
was  a  Jew  of  Palestine.  The  facts  which 
have  just  been  noticed  carry  us  beyond 
the  conclusion  which  they  were  alleged 
to  establish.  They  shew  that  the  writer  of 
the  fourth  Gospel  was  not  only  a  Jew,  but 
a  Palestinian  Jew  of  the  first  century.  It 
is  inconceivable  that  a  Gentile,  living  at 
a  distance  from  the  scene  of  religious 
and  political  controversy  which  he  paints, 
could  have  realised,  as  the  Evangelist 
has  done,  with  vivid  and  unerring  ac- 
curacy the  relations  of  parties  and 
interests  which  ceased  to  exist  after  the 
fall  of  Jerusalem;  that  he  could  have 
marked  distinctly  the  part  which  the 
hierarchical  class — the  unnamed  Saddu- 
cees — took  in  the  crisis  of  the  Passion  ; 
that  he  could  have  caught  the  real 
points  at  issue  between  true  and  false 
Judaism,  which  in  their  first  form  had 
passed  away  when  the  Christian  society 
was  firmly  established :  that  he  could 
have  portrayed  the  growth  and  conflict 
of  opinion  as  to  the  national  hopes  of 


THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  JOHN. 


XI 


the  Messiah  side  by  side  with  the  pro- 
gress of  the  Lord's  ministry.  All  these 
phases  of  thought  and  action,  which 
would  be  ineffaceably  impressed  upon  the 
memory  of  one  who  had  lived  through 
the  events  which  the  history  records, 
belonged  to  a  state  of  things  foreign  to 
the  experience  of  an  Alexandrine,  or  an 
Asiatic,  in  the  second  century. 

For  in  estimating  the  value  of  these 
conclusions  which  we  have  gained,  it 
must  be  remembered  that  the  old  land- 
marks, material  and  moral,  were  de- 
stroyed by  the  Roman  war :  that  the 
destruction  of  the  Holy  City — a  true 
coming  of  Christ — revealed  the  essential 
differences  of  Judaism  and  Christianity, 
and  raised  a  barrier  between  them :  that 
at  the  beginning  of  the  second  century 
the  influence  of  Alexandria  was  substi- 
tuted for  that  of  the  Jewish  schools  in 
the  growing  Church. 

(a)  And  these  considerations  which 
apply  to  the  arguments  drawn  from  the 
religious  and  political  traits  of  the  his- 
tory, apply  also  in  corresponding  degrees 
to  the  more  special  indications  that  the 
author  of  the  Fourth  Gospel  was  a  Jew  of 
Palestine.  Among  these,  the  most  con- 
vincing perhaps  is  to  be  found  in  his  local 
knowledge.  He  speaks  of  places  with  an 
unaffected  precision,  as  familiar  in  every 
case  with  the  scene  which  he  wishes  to 
recall.  There  is  no  effort,  no  elaborateness 
of  description  in  his  narratives :  he  moves 
about  in  a  country  which  he  knows.  His 
mention  of  sites  is  not  limited  to  those 
which  are  found  ejsewhere  in  Scripture, 
either  in  the  Gospels  or  in  the  Old  Testa- 
ment. "Cana  of  Galilee"  (Kava  1-17?  TaXi- 
Xaias,  ii.  i,  n,  iv.  46,  xxi.  2),  thus  exactly 
distinguished,  is  not  noticed  by  any  earlier 
writer.  "  Bethany  beyond  Jordan "  (i. 
28),  a  place  already  forgotten  in  the  time 
of  Origen,  is  obviously  distinguished  from 
the  familiar  Bethany  "  near  Jerusalem," 
the  situation  of  which  is  precisely  fixed 
as  "about  fifteen  furlongs"  from  the  city 
(xi.  1 8).  Ephraim,  again,  situated  "near 
the  wilderness"  (xi.  54)  may  be  identical 
with  Ophrah  (i  Sam.  xiii.  17),  but  it  is 
not  otherwise  named  in  Scripture.  Once 
more,  ^Enon  (iii.  23)  is  not  known  from 
other  sources,  but  the  form  of  the  name ' 

1  This  is  true  whether  the  word  be  taken  as  an 
adjectival  form  "abounding  in  springs"  (comp. 
Ez.  xlvii.  17);  or  as  a  corruption  of  a  dual  form 


is  a  sure  sign  of  the  genuineness  of  the 
reference,  and  the  defining  clause,  "near 
to  Salim,"  even  if  the  identification  were 
as  difficult  now  as  it  has  been  repre- 
sented to  be,  shews  that  the  place  was 
clearly  present  to  the  writer1.  Nothing 
indeed  but  direct  acquaintance  with  the 
localities  can  account  for  the  description 
added  in  each  of  these  cases.  A  writer 
for  whom  these  spots  were  identified  with 
memorable  incidents  which  were  for  him 
turning-points  of  faith,  would  naturally 
add  the  details  which  recalled  them  to 
his  own  mind :  for  another  the  exact 
definition  could  have  no  interest.  Other 
indications  of  minute  knowledge  are  given 
in  the  implied  notice  of  the  dimensions 
of  the  lake  of  Tiberias  (vi.  1 9 ;  comp. 
Mark  vi.  47),  and  of  the  relative  posi- 
tions of  Cana  and  Capernaum  (ii.  12, 
went  doum}. 

One  name,  however,  has  caused  much 
difficulty.  Tlif  city  of  Samaria  named 
Sychar  (iv.  5)  has  been  commonly  identi- 
fied with  Shechem  (Sychem,  Acts  vii.  16), 
and  the  changed  form  has  been  confi- 
dently attributed  by  sceptical  critics  to 
the  ignorance  of  the  Evangelist.  The 
importance  of  Shechem,  a  city  with  which 
no  one  could  have  been  unacquainted 
who  possessed  the  knowledge  of  Pales- 
tine which  the  writer  of  the  fourth  Gospel 
certainly  had,  might  reasonably  dispose  of 
such  a  charge.  And  more  than  this :  the 
picture  with  which  the  name  is  connected 
is  evidently  drawn  from  life.  The  pros- 
pect of  the  corn-fields  (v.  35),  and  of  the 
heights  of  Gerizim  (v.  20),  are  details 
which  belong  to  the  knowledge  of  an 
eye-witness.  The  notice  of  the  depth 
of  the  well  (v.  n)  bears  equally  the 
stamp  of  authenticity.  If  then  there 
were  no  clue  to  the  solution  of  the  prob- 
lem offered  by  the  strange  name,  it  would 
be  right  to  acquiesce  in  the  belief  that 
Sychar  might  be  a  popular  distortion  of 
Shechem,  or  the  name  of  some  unknown 

"the  two  springs," but  it  is  doubtful  whether  it 
can  be  so  rendered.  It  is  said  that  Ainan  and 
Ainaim,  "the  two  springs,"  are  the  names  of 
several  places  in  Arabia.  The  Syriac  versions 
write  the  name  as  two  words,  "the  spring  of 
the  dove." 

1  Lieut.  Conder  in  the  Quarterly  Statement  of 
the  Palestine  Exploration  Fund  (July,  1874,  pp. 
191  f.)  identifies  it  with  'Ayniin  near  to  Salim, 
due  east  of  Nablus.  The  use  of  the  phrase  be- 
yond Jordan  (iii.  26)  implies  that  the  country 
was  on  the  West  of  the  river. 


Xll 


INTRODUCTION   TO 


village.  But  the  case  does  not  stand  so 
absolutely  without  help  towards  a  de- 
cision. The  earliest  ancient  authorities 
(4lh  cent.)  distinguish  Shechem  and 
Sychar.  Shechem  could  hardly  have 
been  described  as  near  to  the  plot  of 
ground  which  Jacob  gave  to  Joseph  (v.  5). 
There  are,  moreover,  several  references 
to  Sukra,  Sukar,  ain-Sukar  (iDD,  JTO1D 
"O1D  fW)  in  the  Talmud ;  and  a  village 
'Askar  still  remains,  which  answers  to 
the  conditions  of  the  narrative.  Some 
difficulty  has  been  felt  in  identifying 
'Askar  with  Sychar,  since  it  is  written 
at  present  with  an  initial  'Am,  but  in  a 
Samaritan  Chronicle  of  the  i2th  century, 
the  name  appears  in  a  transitional  form 
with  an  initial  Yod  COD11),  and  the  Arabic 
translation  of  the  Chronicle  gives  'Askar 
as  the  equivalent.  The  description  [of 
S.  John],  Lieut.  Conder  writes,  "  is  most 
accurately  applicable  to  'Askar.  ...  It  is 
merely  a  modern  mud  village,  with  no 
great  indications  of  antiquity,  but  there 
are  remains  of  ancient  tombs  near  the 
road  beneath  it."  (Report  of  the  Palestine 
Exploration  Fund,  1877,  pp.  149  f.,  1876, 
p.  197.) 

The  notices  of  the  topography  of  Je- 
rusalem contained  in  the  fourth  Gospel 
are  still  more  conclusive  as  to  its  author- 
ship than  the  notices  of  isolated  places 
in  Palestine.  The  desolation  of  Jeru- 
salem after  its  capture  was  complete. 
No  creative  genius  can  call  into  being 
a  lost  site.  And  the  writer  of  the  fourth 
Gospel  is  evidently  at  home  in  the  city 
as  it  was  before  its  fall.  He  knows  much 
that  we  learn  from  independent  testi- 
mony, and  he  knows  what  is  not  to  be 
found  elsewhere.  But  whether  he  men- 
tions spots  known  from  other  sources,  or 
named  only  by  himself,  he  speaks  simply 
and  certainly.  As  he  recalls  a  familiar 
scene  he  lives  again  in  the  past,  and  for- 
gets the  desolation  which  had  fallen  upon 
the  place  which  rises  before  his  eyes. 
"  There  is,"  he  writes,  "  at  Jerusalem  a 
pool  called  Bethesda"  (v.  2),  and  by  the 
form  of  the  sentence  carries  us  back  to 
the  time  when  the  incident  first  became 
history.  "  Bethesda  by  the  sheep-gate," 
"  the  pool  of  Siloam  "  (ix.  7),  "  the  brook 
Kidron"  (xviii.  i),  which  are  not  named 
by  the  other  evangelists  (yet  see  Luke 
xiii.  4),  stand  out  naturally  in  his  narra- 
tive. What  imagination  could  have  in- 


vented a  Bethesda  (or  Bethzetha)  with 
its  five  porches,  and  exact  locality  (v.  2)? 
What  except  habitual  usage  would  have 
caused  the  Kidron  to  be  described  as 
"  the  winter  torrent1"?  How  long  must 
the  name  Siloam  have  been  pondered 
over  before  the  perfectly  admissible  ren- 
dering "  Sent "  was  seen  to  carry  with  it 
a  typical  significance  ?  The  Prcetorium 
and  Golgotha  are  mentioned  by  the  other 
evangelists ;  but  even  here  the  writer  of 
the  fourth  Gospel  sees  the  localities,  if 
I  may  so  speak,  with  the  vividness  of  an 
actual  spectator.  The  Jews  crowd  round 
the  Prajtorium  which  they  will  not  enter, 
and  Pilate  goes  in  and  out  before  them 
(xviii.  28  ff.).  Golgotha  is  "nigh  to  the 
city"  where  people  pass  to  and  fro,  and 
"there  was  a  garden  there"  (xix.  17,  20, 
41).  And  the  fourth  Evangelist  alone 
notices  the  Pavement,  the  raised  plat- 
form of  judgment,  with  its  Hebrew  title, 
Gabbatha  (xix.  1 3).  The  places  Bethesda 
and  Gabbatha  are  not,  in  fact,  mentioned 
anywhere  except  in  the  fourth  Gospel, 
and  the  perfect  simplicity  with  which 
they  are  introduced  in  the  narrative,  no 
less  than  the  accuracy  of  form  in  the 
Aramaic  titles  (whatever  be  the  true 
reading  of  Bethesda),  marks  the  work 
of  a  Palestinian  Jew,  who  had  known 
Jerusalem  before  its  fall. 

The  allusions  to  the  Temple  shew  no 
less  certainly  the  familiarity  of  the  writer 
with  the  localities  in  which  he  represents 
Christ  as  teaching.  The  first  scene,  the 
cleansing  of  the  Temple,  is  in  several 
details  more  lifelike  than  the  similar 
passages  in  the  Synoptists  (ii.  14 — 16). 
It  is  described  just  as  it  would  appear  to 
an  eye-witness  in  its  separate  parts,  and 
not  as  the  similar  incident  is  summed 
up  briefly  in  the  other  narratives.  Each 
group  engaged  stands  out  distinctly,  the 
sellers  of  oxen  and  sheep,  the  money- 
changers sitting  at  their  work,  the  sellers 
of  doves  ;  and  each  group  is  dealt  with 
individually.  Then  follows,  in  the  course 
of  the  dialogue  which  ensues,  the  singu- 
larly exact  chronological  note,  "Forty 
and  six  years  was  this  Temple  in  building" 
(ii.  20). 

The  incidents  of  the  Feast  of  Taber- 

1  For  the  discussion  of  the  reading  see  note 
on  xviii.  i.  If  the  reading  "the  torrent  of  the 
Cedars"  be  adopted,  the  argument  is  not 
affected. 


THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  JOHN. 


Xlll 


nacles  (which  are  given  in  chapters  vii. 
and  viii.)  cannot  be  understood,  as  has 
been  already  noticed,  without  an  accu- 
rate acquaintance  with  the  Temple  ritual. 
The  two  symbolic  ceremonies  —  com- 
memorating the  typical  miracles  of  the 
wilderness — the  outpouring  of  water  on 
the  altar  of  sacrifice,  and  the  kindling 
the  golden  lamps  at  night,  furnish  the 
great  topics  of  discourse.  The  Evange- 
list is  familiar  with  the  facts,  but  he  does 
not  pause  to  dwell  upon  them.  Only  in 
one  short  sentence  does  he  appear  to 
call  attention  to  the  significance  of  the 
events.  "These  things"  he  says,  "Jesus 
spake  in  the  treasury,  as  he  taught  in  the 
Temple"  (viii.  20).  The  mention  of  the 
exact  spot  carried  with  it  to  minds  fa- 
miliar with  the  Herodian  Temple  a  clear 
revelation  of  what  was  in  the  Apostle's 
mind.  For  the  treasury  was  in  the  court 
of  the  women  where  the  great  candelabra 
were  placed,  looking  to  which  Christ  said, 
"/  am  the  light" — not  of  one  people,  or 
of  one  city,  but — "of  the  world."  And 
there  is  still  another  thought  suggested 
by  the  mention  of  the  place.  The  meet- 
ing-hall of  the  Sanhedrin  was  in  a  cham- 
ber adjacent  to  it.  We  can  understand 
therefore  the  hasty  attempts  of  the  chief 
priests  and  Pharisees  to  seize  Christ,  and 
the  force  of  the  words  which  are  added, 
that  even  there,  under  the  very  eyes  of 
the  popular  leaders,  "  no  man  laid  hands 
on  Him." 

The  next  visit  to  Jerusalem,  at  the 
Feast  of  Dedication,  brings  a  new  place 
before  us.  "//  was  winter"  we  read, 
"and  Jesus  was  walking  in  Solomon's 
Porch"  (x.  22),  a  part  of  the  great  eastern 
cloister  suiting  in  every  way  the  scene 
with  which  it  is  connected. 

Once  again,  as  I  believe,  we  have  a 
significant  allusion  to  the  decoration  of 
the  Temple.  On  the  eve  of  the  Passion, 
at  the  close  of  the  discourses  in  the  upper 
chamber,  the  Lord  said,  "Arise,  let  us  go 
hence"  (xiv.  31).  Some  time  after  we 
read  that  when  He  had  finished  his 
High-priestly  prayer,  He  went  forth  with 
His  disciples  over  the  brook  Kidron.  It 
seems  to  be  impossible  to  regard  this 
notice  as  the  fulfilment  of  the  former 
command.  The  house,  therefore,  must 
have  been  left  before,  as  is  clearly  im- 
plied in  the  narrative,  and  the  walk  to 
the  Mount  of  Olives  might  well  include 


a  visit  to  the  Temple ;  and  over  the  gate 
of  the  Temple  was  spread  the  great  vine 
of  gold,  which  was  reckoned  among  its 
noblest  ornaments.  Is  it  then  a  mere 
fancy  to  suppose  that  the  image  of  the 
vine  and  its  branches  was  suggested  by 
the  sight  of  this  symbolic  tracery,  lighted 
by  the  Paschal  moon,  and  that  the  High- 
priestly  prayer  was  offered  under  the 
shadow  of  the  Temple  walls  ? 

However  this  may  be,  it  is  inconceiv- 
able that  any  one,  still  more  a  Greek  or 
a  Hellenist,  writing  when  the  Temple 
was  rased  to  the  ground,  could  have 
spoken  of  it  with  the  unaffected  certainty 
which  appears  in  the  fourth  Gospel.  It 
is  monstrous  to  transfer  to  the  second 
century  the  accuracy  of  archaeological 
research  which  is  one  of  the  latest  ac- 
quirements of  modern  art.  The  Evan- 
gelist, it  may  be  safely  said,  speaks  of 
what  he  had  seen. 

(/?)  The  arguments  which  have  been 
already  drawn  from  the  political,  social, 
religious,  and  local  knowledge  of  the 
author  of  the  fourth  Gospel,  shew  beyond 
all  doubt,  as  it  appears,  that  he  was  a 
Palestinian  Jew.  A  presumption  in  favour 
of  the  same  conclusion  may  be  derived 
from  the  quotations  from  the  Old  Testa- 
ment which  are  contained  in  the  Gospel. 
These  shew  at  least  so  much  that  the 
writer  was  not  dependent  on  the  LXX. ; 
and  they  suggest  that  he  was  acquainted 
with  the  original  Hebrew. 

A  rapid  summary  of  the  facts  will  en- 
able the  student  to  estimate  the  weight 
of  this  additional  evidence. 

(i)  Quotations  by  the  Evangelist. 

ii.  17.  ...yeypa/i/xeVov  cVnV  'O  £17X0? 
TOU  OLKOV  <rov  KaTa<£ay£Tai  fjif. 

Ps.  Ixix.  (Ixviii.)  9.  Kare'^ayc  (Symm. 
Kcmji'aA.oxre).  So  Hebr (i) 

xii.    14,    15.      Ka0a>s  C'OTIV  ytyp 
M??    <£o/3ov,    dvyaTrjp  2iwv   loov 
Xcvs   o~ov  tp^erai,    Ka.6ijp.evos   CTTI 
ovov. 

Zach.  ix.  9.  Xcupe  <r<£d8pa,  6vya.Tff> 
Sicov, . . . iSov  d  /3a<riAevs  crov  £p^erai...c7ri- 
ftf(3if]K(a<;  CTTI  . . . weoXov  ve'ov.  (All  the 

Greek  versions  have  eVi/Je^Kws.  Theo- 
dotion  has  eVi  ovov  Kal  TrtSXov  vlov  ovov.) 

Hebr.  nunx-p  -virgin  •nsrr^y. 

(2) 

Xll.  38.  ... Iva.  d  Xdyos  'Hcrcuov. .  .TrX^.w^y 


XIV 


INTRODUCTION   TO 


oV    tl-n-fv    Kupie,    Tt's    eVicrTEWev    rfj    aKofj 
T/jtxdjv  ;    Kal   d   (3pa\i<i)V  Kvpiov   TIVI   at 


Is.  liii.  i  (exact)  ......................  (3) 

xii.    40.     ...  OTI     ci-jrev   'Ho-cuas   TETTJ- 


pa)o-€v  avrtJv  rr/v  Kap&tav,  iva  ftr)  iduxriv 
rots  o<j)6a\fj.ols  Kal  vor/Vcoo-iv  rfj  napBia 
Kal  (rrpa<f>w<riv,  Kal  la.arofj.aL  avrovs. 

Is.vi.IO.  fTra^vvOf]  77  KapSia  rov  XaoD 
Tovrov...Kai  TOVS  o<f>@a\p.ov<;  eKO-Hfivo-av, 
pi]  IT  ore  iSojcrt  rots  Q(j>6a\fj.oi<;  .  .  .  /cat  rfj 
KapSia  crwcocrt  *cai  tTrts'Tpej/'axri  Kai 
iuo-o/x.ai  autoes.  (The  version  of  Symm. 
uses  the  same  words  generally  as  LXX.) 
Comp.  Matt.  xiii.  13  ff.;  Mark  iv.  12. 

.........  (4) 

xix.  24.  iva  77'  ypacfrrj  irXrjpudf}  Aieyne- 
pLcravro  ra.  t/xana  /xov  eaiJTOts  Kat  em  TOK 
^uaricr/xov  /AOU  e^aXov  K\.rjpov. 

Ps.  xxii.  (xxi.)  1  8  (exact)  ..........  (5) 

xix.  36.  iva  77  ypafyf]  irXypwQfj  'Ocrrow 
oil  crwTptjSifcreTai  avrov. 

Ex.  xii.  46.  OCTTOVV  ov  (TWTptyere  O.TT 
avTov  (al.  O-WTPM//CTCU).  Num.  ix.  12.  o. 
ou  trvvrptyovcrLv  a.  ai.  (al.  crwrpti^erat). 
Cf.  Ps.  xxxiv.  (xxxiii.)  2,0  ........  .....  (6) 

xix.  37.  ercpa  ypa(j>r)  Xe'yei  "Oij/ovrai  ets 
ov  e^eKevrrja-av.  Hebr.  11pl. 

Zach.    xii.    IO.     em/3Xf\j/ovrai    Trpos   fte 
av$'    toi/    Karwp^T/cravro    (Theodot.    tis   oi/ 
Aq.     Symm.     e^eKcY 


Comp.  Rev.  i.  7 


(7) 


(2)  Quotations  in  the  Lord's  discourses. 


v.  45.  ecmv  yeypa/jijiui'oi/  e  TOIS  Trpo- 
<^>^Tais  Kat  €crovTat  Trai/res  SiSa/croi  ^toi). 

Is.  liv.  13.  Kal  (^cro))  Travras  TOI)S  vious 
crov  StSaKTovs  ^eou. 

The  words  are  not  connected  as  in 
LXX.  with  v.  12,  but  treated  as  in  the 
Hebrew,  independently  ................  (8) 

vii.  38.  Karoos  elirfv  77  ypa<f>r]  Trora/xoi 
ex  7775  KOtXtas  avrou  pwa-ovviv  vSaros 


There  is  no  exact  parallel.  The  re- 
ference is  probably  general  ..........  (9) 

X.  34.  OVK  f.(TT(.v  yeypa/x/x.€i/ov  .  .  .  'Ey  a> 
tiTra  ©eoi  co-re  ; 

Ps.  Ixxxii.  (Ixxxi.)  6  (exact)  .......  (10) 

xiii.  1  8.  iva  77  ypatyr)  TrXrjpwOfj  'O  rpw- 
ywv  fjiov  TOV  aprov  tTT^pev  CTT  e/«  TT^V 
Trrepvav  avrov. 

Ps.  xii.  (xl.)  9  (10).  ...o  «r0ia>v  aprovs 
^xou  t/icyaXvvcv  CTT'  e/xe  TrTepvwr/Aov.  (Aq. 


Symm.  Theodot.  Kare/AeyaXuV^  JU.OT;). 
Hebr.  spy  ^y  'pHSH  ...................  ^(n) 

xv.  25.  Lva  ?rX.  o  Xdyos...'E/xtcr^o-civ  /x,e 
Swpeav. 

Ps.  xxxiv.  (xxxv.)  19.  ot  /ato-ovvres  /xe 
Swpeav.  Fs.  Ixviii.  (Ixix.)  5  ..........  (12) 

(3)   Other  quotations. 

By  John  the  Baptist. 

i.  23.  eyw  <£wv?7  /Sowvros  «v  rfj  ep^V1? 
'Evdvvare  rrjv  6$ov  Kuptov. 

Is.  xl.  3.  £Toi|u,acraTe...eii$€i'as  Trotare 
Ta?  Tpi'/3ous  TOV  ^eou  T/'/XWV  (Aq.  Theodot. 
e.  Symm.  eurpeTrio-are)  ____  (13) 


By  Galilasans. 

vi.  31.  KaOws  Icrnv  yeypa/x/xei/ov  Aprov 
IK  rov  ovpavov  e'Swfcev  airots  </>ayetv. 

Ps.  Ixxviii.  (Ixxvii.)  24...  (p.dvva  ^ayeiv) 
Kat  aprov  ovpavqv  eSoJKev  avrot?.  Ex.  xvi. 
4,  15.  .  .  .  rw  .  .  .  aprous  «K  Toi5  oupavou... 
OVTOS  o  apros  ov  eSwKe  Ki;ptos  v/x,tv  ^>ayeti/. 

.........  (14) 

The  triumphal  cry  (xii.  13;  Ps.  cxvii. 
25)  can  hardly  be  treated  as  a  quotation. 
In  preserving  the  Hebrew  form  Hosanna 
St  John  agrees  with  the  Synoptic  Evan- 
gelists and  differs  from  the  LXX. 

An  examination  of  these  fourteen  cita- 
tions (i  —  7  by  the  Evangelist;  8  —  12  by 
the  Lord;  13,  14  by  others)  shews  that 
they  fall  into  the  following  groups  : 

1.  Some  agree  with  the  Hebrew  and 
LXX.,  where  these  both  agree; 

(3),  (5),  (10),  (12). 

2.  Others    agree    with    the    Hebrew 
against  the  LXX.  ; 

(7),  (8),  (n). 

3.  Others  differ  from  the  Hebrew  and 
LXX.  where  these  both  agree  ; 

«• 

4.  Others  differ  from  the  Hebrew  and 
LXX.  where  they  do  not  agree  ; 

(2),  (4). 

5.  Free  adaptations  ; 

(6),  (9),  (i3),  (14). 

But  there  is  no  case  Avhere  a  quota- 
tion agrees  with  the  LXX.  against  the 
Hebrew. 

(y)  There  is  yet  another  argument  to 
be  noticed  in  support  of  the  Palestinian 
authorship  of  the  fourth  Gospel,  which 
appears  to  be  of  great  weight,  though  it 


THE  GOSPEL   OF  ST.  JOHN. 


xv 


has  commonly  been  either  passed  over, 
or  even  regarded  as  a  difficulty.  The 
doctrine  of  the  Word,  as  it  is  presented 
in  the  Prologue,  when  taken  in  connexion 
with  the  whole  Gospel,  seems  to  shew 
clearly  that  the  writer  was  of  Palestinian 
and  not  of  Hellenistic  training. 

In  considering  St  John's  teaching  on 
the  Logos,  "  the  Word,"  it  is  obvious  to 
remark,  though  the  truth  is  very  often 
neglected  in  practice,  that  it  is  properly 
a  question  of  doctrine  and  not  of  nomen- 
clature. It  constantly  happens  in  the 
history  of  thought  that  the  same  terms 
and  phrases  are  used  by  schools  which 
have  no  direct  affinity,  in  senses  which 
are  essentially  distinct,  while  they  have  a 
superficial  likeness.  Such  terms  (e.g. 
idea]  belong  to  the  common  dialect  of 
speculation ;  and  it  is  indeed  by  the  pecu- 
liar force  which  is  assigned  to  them  that 
schools  are  in  many  cases  most  readily 
distinguished.  A  new  teacher  neces- 
sarily uses  the  heritage  which  he  has 
received  from  the  past  in  order  to  make 
his  message  readily  understood. 

It  may  then  be  assumed  that  St 
John,  when  ht  speaks  of  "  the  Word," 
"  the  Only-begotten,"  and  of  His  relations 
to  God  and  to  the  world,  and  to  man, 
employs  a  vocabulary  and  refers  to 
modes  of  thought  which  were  already 
current  when  he  wrote.  His  teaching 
would  not  have  been  intelligible  unless 
the  general  scope  of  the  language  which 
he  employed,  without  explanation  or  pre- 
paration, had  been  familiar  to  his  readers. 
When  he  declares  with  abrupt  emphasis 
that  "  the  Word  was  in  the  beginning," 
and  that  "the  Word  became  flesh,"  it 
is  evident  that  he  is  speaking  of  "a 
Word"  already  known  in  some  degree 
'by  the  title,  though  he  lays  down  new 
truths  as  to  His  being.  He  does  not 
'speak,  as  in  the  Apocalypse  (xix.  13; 
comp.  Heb.  iv.  12)  of  "the  Word  of 
God,"  but  of  "the  Word"  absolutely. 
Those  whom  he  addressed  knew  of 
Whom  he  was  speaking,  and  were  able 
to  understand  that  which  it  was  his  office 
to  make  known  about  Him.  In  this 
case,  as  in  every  other  similar  case,  the 
thoughts  of  men,  moving  in  different 
directions  under  the  action  of  those  laws 
of  natural  growth  which  are  the  expres- 
sion of  the  divine  purpose,  prepared  the 
medium  and  provided  the  appropriate 


means  for  the  revelation  which  was  to  be 
conveyed  in  the  fulness  of  time. 

In  this  respect  the  manifold  forms  of 
speculation,  Western  and  Eastern,  ful- 
filled a  function  in  respect  to  Christian 
philosophy  similar  to  that  which  was 
fulfilled  in  other  regions  of  religious  ex- 
perience by  the  LXX. ;  and  the  results 
which  were  gained  were  embodied  in 
Greek  modes  of  speech,  which  were 
ready  at  last  for  the  declaration  of  the 
divine  message. 

It  becomes  then  a  question  of  pecu- 
liar and  yet  of  subordinate  interest  to 
determine  from  what  source  St  John 
derived  his  language.  It  is  admitted  on 
all  hands  that  his  central  affirmation, 
"  the  Word  became  flesh,"  which  under- 
lies all  he  wrote,  is  absolutely  new  and 
unique.  A  Greek,  an  Alexandrine,  a 
Jewish  doctor,  would  have  equally  re- 
fused to  admit  such  a  statement  as  a 
legitimate  deduction  from  his  principles, 
or  as  reconcileable  with  them.  The  mes- 
sage completes  and  crowns  "  the  hope  of 
Israel,"  but  not  as  "  the  Jews  "  expected. 
It  gives  stability  to  the  aspirations  of 
humanity  after  fellowship  with  God, 
but  not  as  philosophers  had  supposed, 
by  "  unclothing  "  the  soul.  St  John  had 
been  enabled  to  see  what  Jesus  of  Naza- 
reth was,  "  the  Christ "  and  "  the  Son 
of  God  : "  it  remained  for  him  to  bring 
home  his  convictions  to  others  (xx.  31). 
The  Truth  was  clear  to  himself:  how 
could  he  so  present  it  as  to  shew  that  it 
gave  reality  to  the  thoughts  with  which 
his  contemporaries  were  busied  ?  The  f 
answer  is  by  using  with  necessary  modi- 
fications the  current  language  of  the 
highest  religious  speculation  to  interpret 
a  fact,  to  reveal  a  Person,  to  illuminate 
the  fulness  of  actual  life.  Accordingly 
he  transferred  to  the  region  of  history 
the  phrases  in  which  men  before  him 
had  spoken  of  "the  Logos" — "the 
Word,"  "  the  Reason  " — in  the  region  of 
metaphysics.  St  Paul  had  brought  home 
to  believers  the  divine  majesty  of  the 
glorified  Christ :  St  John  laid  open  the 
unchanged  majesty  of  "Jesus  come  in 
the  flesh." 

But  when  this  is  laid  down  it  still 
remains  to  determine  in  which  direc- 
tion we  are  to  look  for  the  immediate 
source  from  which  St  John  borrowed  the 
cardinal  term  Logos,  a  term  which  en- 


XVI 


INTRODUCTION  TO 


shrines  in  itself  large  treasures  of  theo- 
logical speculation. 

The  scantiness  of  contemporary  reli- 
gious literature  makes  the  answer  more 
difficult  than  it  might  have  been  if  the 
great  Jewish  teachers  had  not  shrunk 
from  committing  their  lessons  to  writing. 
And,  in  one  sense,  the  difficulty  is  in- 
creased by  the  fact  that  a  striking  aspect 
of  Jewish  thought  has  been  preserved  in 
the  copious  writings  of  PHILO  of  Alex- 
andria (born  c.  B.  c.  20),  who  is  naturally 
regarded  as  the  creator  of  teaching,  of 
which  he  is  in  part  only  the  representa- 
I  tive.  However  far  this  view  may  be 
from  the  truth,  the  works  of  Philo  fur- 
nish at  least  a  starting-point  for  our  in- 
quiry. This  typical  Alexandrine  Jew 
speaks  constantly  of  "  the  divine  Logos" 
(6  tfeios  Aoyos)  in  language  which  offers 
striking,  if  partial,  parallels  with  the 
epistle  to  the  Hebrews  and  St  Paul. 
The  divine  Logos  is  "Son  of  God," 
"firstborn  Son"  (irpwroyovos,  I.  4J4)> 
"  image  of  God "  (eucwv  0eov,  I.  6), 
"God"  (i.  655),  "high-priest"  (aPX"- 
pevs,  i.  653),  "  man  of  God,"  "  archetypal 
man"  (avtipwiros  Ofov,  I.  411,  o  /car' 
eiKoVa  av0pw7ros,  i.  427),  "the  head  of 
the  body"  (i.  640;  comp.  I.  121), 
"  through  whom  the  world  was  created  " 
(n.  225). 

At  first  sight  it  might  seem  that  we 
have  here  beyond  all  doubt  the  source  of 
I  St  John's  language.  But  the  ambiguity 
of  the  Greek  term  Logos,  which  means 
both  Reason  and  Word,  makes  it  neces- 
sary to  pause  before  adopting  this  con- 
clusion. When  Philo  speaks  of  "the 
divine  Logos"  his  thought  is  predomi- 
nantly of  the  divine  Reason  and  not  of 
the  divine  Word.  This  fact  is  of  deci- 
sive importance.  The  conception  of  a 
divine  Word,  that  is,  of  a  divine  Will 
sensibly  manifested  in  personal  action,  is 
not  naturally  derived  from  that  of  a 
divine  Reason,  but  is  rather  comple- 
mentary to  it,  and  characteristic  of  a 
different  school  of  thought.  Is  it  then 
possible  to  find  any  clear  traces  of  a 
doctrine  of  a  divine  Logos  elsewhere 
than  at  Alexandria  ? 

The  Targums  furnish  an  instructive 
answer  to  the  question.  These  para- 
phrases of  the  Hebrew  Scriptures  have 
preserved,  as  it  appears,  the  simplest  and 
earliest  form  in  which  the  term  "the 


Word  "  was  employed  in  connexion  with 
God.  They  were  most  probably  not 
committed  to  writing  in  the  shape  in 
which  we  now  have  them,  till  some  time 
after  the  Christian  sera;  but  all  evidence 
goes  to  shew  that  they  embody  the  in- 
terpretations which  had  been  orally  cur- 
rent from  a  much  earlier  time.  In  the 
Targum  of  Onkelos  on  the  Pentateuch, 
which  is  the  oldest  in  date,  the  action  of 
God  is  constantly  though  not  consis- 
tently referred  to  "  His  Word  "  (Memra, 
•«m  SID^D).  Thus  it  is  said  that  "  the 
Lcfrd  protected  Noah  by  His  word,  when 
he  entered  the  ark"  (Gen.  vii.  16)  : 
that  He  "made  a  covenant  between 
Abraham  and  His  word  "  (Gen.  xvii.  2) ; 
that  the  word  of  the  Lord  was  with 
Ishmael  in  the  wilderness  (xxi.  20).  At 
Bethel  Jacob  made  a  covenant  that  "  the 
Word  of  the  Lord  should  be  His  God  " 
(Gen.  xxviii.  21).  Moses  at  Sinai  "brought 
forth  the  people  to  meet  the  Word  of 
God  "  (Exod.  xix.  1 7).  And  in  Deutero- 
nomy the  Word  of  the  Lord  appears  as 
a  consuming  fire  talking  to  His  people, 
and  fighting  for  them  against  their  ene- 
mies (Deut.  iii.  2,  iv.  24). 

Such  examples  might  be  multiplied 
indefinitely ;  and  it  may  be  noticed  that 
the  term  Debura  (xim)  occurs  in  this 
sense  as  well  as  Memra.  Thus  it  is  said 
in  the  Jerusalem  Targum  on  Numb.  vii. 
89,  the  word  (anm)  was  talking  with 
him;  and  again  Gen.  xxviii.  10,  the 
word  ("i)  desired  to  talk  with  him. 

In  connexion  with  this  usage  it  must 
also  be  observed  that  "  a  man's  word  "  is 
used  as  a  periphrasis  for  "  himself."  So 
we  read  Ruth  iii.  8  ('Targ.  Jon.'), 
"between  his  word  (i.e.  himself)  and 
Michal "  (Buxtorf  and  Levy,  s.  z>.).  The 
"word."  is  in  fact  the  active  expression 
of  the  rational  character,  and  so  may 
well  stand  for  the  person  from  whom  it 
issues.  As  applied  to  God,  the  term 
was  free  from  any  rude  anthropomor- 
phism, while  it  preserved  the  reality  of  a 
divine  fellowship  for  man. 

One  striking  difference  between  the 
Aramaic  and  Greek  terms  will  have  been 
remarked.  Logos,  as  we  have  seen,  is 
ambiguous,  and  may  signify  either  reason 
or  word,  but  Memra  (Debura)  means 
word  only.  If  now  we  return  to  Philo, 
the  importance  of  this  fact  becomes  ob- 
vious. With  Philo  the  Palestinian  sense 


THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  JOHN. 


XVll 


of  word  sinks  entirely  into  the  back- 
ground, if  it  does  not  wholly  disappear. 
He  has  borrowed  a  term  which  was  al- 
ready current  in  the  Greek  Scriptures, 
and  filled  it  with  a  new  meaning. 

Three  currents  of  thought  in  fact 
meet  in  Philo's  doctrine  of  "  the  Logos," 
tthe  Stoic,  the  Platonic,  and  the  Hebraic. 
He  was  nothing  less  than  a  creative 
genius.  He  felt  rightly  that  the  reve- 
lation of  the  Old  Testament  contained 
implicitly  the  harmony  of  the  mani- 
fold speculations  of  men,  and  he  there- 
fore adopted  boldly  the  thoughts  of 
Greek  philosophy  for  the  interpretation 
of  its  language.  He  found  a  "  Logos" 
in  the  Greek  Bible  which  he  accepted 
as  the  record  of  revelation,  and  he  ap- 
plied to  that  what  Greek  writers  had  said 
of  the  "  Logos,"  without  thinking  it  ne- 
cessary to  inquire  into  the  identity  of  the 
terms.  At  one  time  he  borrows  from 
Plato  when  he  speaks  of  the  Logos  as 
"  the  archetypal  idea  "  ('  de  spec,  leg.' 
36,  n.  p.  333  f.),  or  as  bearing  "the  idea 
of  ideas"  ('demigr.  Abr.'  18,  i.  p.  452  m.). 
More  commonly  he  uses  the  Stoic  con- 
ception of  the  Logos,  as  the  principle  of 
reason,  which  quickens  and  informs 
matter. 

At  the  same  time,  while  it  appears 
that  Philo  borrowed  both  the  title  of  the 
Logos  as  Reason,  and  the  most  prominent 
features  of  His  office,  from  Hellenic 
sources,  he  sought  the  confirmation  of 
his  views  in  the  Old  Testament ;  and  in 
doing  this  he  shews  that  he  was  not  un- 
acquainted with  Jewish  speculations  on 
the  Word.  But  in  spite  of  the  unwaver- 
ing faith  with  which  he  found  in  the 
letter  of  the  law  the  germ  and  the  proof 
of  the  teaching  which  he  borrowed  from 
Greece,  he  abandoned  the  divine  posi- 
tion of  the  Jew.  The  whole  scope  of 
the  writers  of  the  Old  Testament  is  reli- 
gious. They  move  in  a  region  of  life  and 
history.  Their  idea  of  God  is  that  of  the 
Lord  who  rules  the  world  and  His  chosen 
people,  not  simply  as  the  Author  of  ex- 
istence, but  as  One  who  stands  in  a  moral 
relation  to  men,  "  sp'eaking "  to  them. 
The  whole  scope  of  Philo  on  the  other 
hand  is  metaphysical.  He  moves  in  a 
region  of  abstraction  and  thought.  His 
idea  of  God  is  pure  being.  With  him 
the  speculative  aspect  of  the  Logos-doc- 
trine overpowers  the  moral.  He  does  not 


place  the  Logos  in  connexion  with  the 
Messiah,  nor  even  specially  with  Jewish 
history.  It  is  perhaps  of  less  significance 
that  he  speaks  of  it  now  as  if  it  were 
personal,  and  again  as  if  it  were  imper- 
sonal :  now  as  an  attribute,  and  now  as 
"a  second  god." 

If  now  we  ask  with  which  of  these  two 
cqnceptions  of  the  Logos,  current  respec- 
tively in  Palestine  and  Alexandria,  the 
teaching  of  St  John  is  organically  con- 
nected, the  answer  cannot  be  uncertain. 

Philo  occupied  himself  with  the  ab- 
stract conception  of  the  divine  Intelli- 
gence, and  SQ  laid  the  foundations  of  a 
philosophy.  The  Palestinian  instinct 
seized  upon  the  concrete  idea  of  "  the 
Word  of  God,"  as  representing  His 
personal  action,  and  unconsciously  pre- 
pared the  way  for  a  Gospel  of  the  In- 
carnation. St  John  started  from  the 
conception  of  "the  Word;"  and  by  this 
means  in  the  end  he  gave  reality  to  the 
conception  of  "  the  Reason." 

The  development  of  the  action  of  the 
Logos,  the  Word,  in  the  Prologue  to  the 
fourth  Gospel  places  the  contrast  be- 
tween Philo  and  the  Evangelist  in  the 
broadest  light.  However  wavering  and 
complex  Philo's  description  of  the  Logos 
may  be,  it  is  impossible  not  to  feel  that 
he  has  in  every  case  moved  far  away  from 
the  idea  of  an  Incarnation.  No  one,  it 
is  not  too  much  to  say,  who  had  accepted 
his  teaching  could  without  a  complete 
revolution  pf  thought  accept  the  state- 
ment "the  Logos  became  flesh."  The 
doctrine  of  the  personality  of  the  Logos, 
even  if  Philo  had  consistently  main- 
tained it,  would  not  have  been  in  reality  a 
step  towards  such  a  fact.  On  the  other 
hand,  in  the  Prologue  the  description  of 
the  Logos  is  personal  from  the  first  (f/v 
Trpos  T.  0.),  and  His  creative  energy  is  at 
once  connected  with  man.  "The  Life 
was  the  light  of  men."  "  The  Light  was 
coming  into  the  world  (iyv..  tpx-)-"  And 
in  due  time  "  the  Logos  became  flesh." 
Thought  follows  thought  naturally,  and 
the  last  event  is  seen  to  crown  and  com- 
plete the  history  which  leads  up  to  it. 

Philo  and  St  John,  in  short,  found  the 
same  term  current,  and  used  it  according 
to  their  respective  apprehensions  of  the 
truth.  Philo,  following  closely  in  the 
track  of  Greek  philosophy,  saw  in  the 
Logos  the  divine  Intelligence  in  relation 


xviii 


INTRODUCTION  TO 


to  the  universe  :  the  Evangelist,  trusting 
firmly  to  the  ethical  basis  of  Judaism, 
sets  forth  the  Logos  mainly  as  the  re- 
vealer  of  God  to  man,  through  creation, 
through  theophanies,  through  prophets, 
through  the  Incarnation.  The  Philonean 
Logos,  to  express  the  same  thought  dif- 
ferently, is  a  later  stage  of  a  divergent 
interpretation  of  the  term  common  to 
Hebrew  and  Hellenist. 

It  is  however  very  probable  that  the 
teaching  of  Philo  gave  a  fresh  impulse  to 
the  study  of  the  complementary  concep- 
tion of  the  Logos  as  the  divine  Reason, 
which  was  shadowed  forth  in  the  Biblical 
doctrine  of  Wisdom  (tro^i'a).  Nor  is  there 
any  difficulty  in  supposing  that  the 
apostolic  writers  borrowed  from  him 
either  directly  or  indirectly  forms  of 
language  which  they  adapted  to  the 
essentially  new  announcement  of  an  In- 
carnate Son  of  God.  So  it  was  that  the 
treasures  of  Greece  were  made  contri- 
butory to  the  full  unfolding  of  the  Gospel. 
But  the  essence  of  their  doctrine  has  no 
affinity  with  his.  The  speculations  of 
Alexandria  or  Ephesus  may  have  quick- 
ened and  developed  elements  which 
otherwise  would  have  remained  latent  in 
Judaism.  But  the  elements  were  there ; 
and  in  this  respect  the  evangelic  message 
"the  Word  became  flesh,"  is  the  com- 
plete fulfilment  of  three  distinct  lines  of 
preparatory  revelation,  which  were  se- 
verally connected  with  "the  Angel  of 
the  Presence  "  (Gen.  xxxii.  24  ff. ;  Exod. 
xxxiii.  12  ff.,  xxiii.  20  f. ;  Hos.  xii.  4f.; 
Isai.  vi.  i  [John  xii.  41],  Ixiii.  9;  Mai.  iii. 
i);  with  "the  Word"  (Gen.  i.  i;  Ps. 
xxxiii.  6,  cxlvii.  15;  Isai.  Iv.  n  ;  comp. 
Wisd.  xviii.  15);  and  with  "Wisdom" 
(Prov.  viii.  22  ff.,  iii.  19;  Ecclus.  i.  i — 
10,  xxiv.  9  (14);  Bar.  iii.  37,  iv.  i; 
comp.  Wisd.  vii.  7 — n). 

In  short,  the  teaching  of  St  John  is 
characteristically  Hebraic  and  not  Alex- 
andrine. It  is  intelligible  as  the  final 
coordination  through  facts  of  different 
modes  of  thought  as  to  the  divine  Being 
and  the  divine  action,  which  are  con- 
tained in  the  Old  Testament.  And  on 
the  other  hand  it  is  not  intelligible  as  an 
application  or  continuation  of  the  teach- 
ing of  Philo. 

The  doctrine  of  the  Logos  has  been 
very  frequently  discussed.  An  excellent 
account  of  the  literature  up  to  1870  is 


given  by  Dr  Abbot  in  his  appendix  to 
the  article  on  "  the  Word  "  in  the  Ameri- 
can edition  of  the  'Dictionary  of  the 
Bible.'  Several  later  works  are  included 
in  the  list  given  by  Soulier,  'La  Doctrine 
du  Logos  chez  Philon  d' Alexandrie,' 
Turin,  1876.  The  works  of  Gfroerer, 
'  Philo  u.  d.  Jud.-Alex.  Theosophie,' 
1835;  Daehne,  'Jud.-Alex.  Religions- 
Philosophic,'  1854;  Dorner,  'The  Person 
of  Christ'  (Eng.  Trans.);  Jowett,  '  St 
Paul  and  Philo'  ('Epistles  of  St  Paul,'  i. 
363  ff.) ;  Heinze,  '  Die  Lehre  v.  Logos 
in  Griech.  Philosophic,'  1872  ;  Siegfried, 
'Philo  v.  Alex.,'  1875,  may  be  specially 
mentioned.  Grossmann  has  given  a 
complete  summary  of  the  word  "Logos" 
in  Philo,  in  his  'Qusestiones  Philonese,' 
1829. 

(c)  The  Author  of  the  fourth  Gospel 
was  an  eye-witness  of  what  he  describes. 
The  particularity  of  his  knowledge,  which 
has  been  already  noticed  summarily, 
leads  at  once  to  the  next  point  in  our 
inquiry.  The  writer  of  the  Gospel  was 
an  eye-witness  of  the  events  which  he 
describes.  His  narrative  is  marked  by 
minute  details  of  persons,  and  time,  and 
number,  and  place  and  manner.,  which 
cannot  but  have  come  from  a  direct  ex- 
perience. And  to  these  must  be  added 
various  notes  of  fact,  so  to  speak,  which 
seem  to  have  no  special  significance 
where  they  stand,  though  they  become 
intelligible  when  referred  to  the  impres- 
sion originally  made  upon  the  memory 
of  the  Evangelist. 

(a)  Persons.  The  portraiture  of  the  chief 
characters  in  the  Gospel  will  be  noticed 
afterwards.  In  this  connexion  it  is  suffi- 
cient to  observe  the  distinctness  with 
which  the  different  actors  in  the  history 
rise  before  the  writer.  There  is  no 
purpose,  no  symbolism  to  influence  his 
record.  The  names  evidently  belong  to 
the  living  recollection  of  the  incidents. 
The  first  chapter  is  crowded  with  figures 
which  live  and  move :  John  with  his 
disciples,  Andrew,  Simon  Peter,  Philip, 
Nathanael.  Momentous  questions  are 
connected  with  definite  persons.  He 
saith  unto  Philip,  Whence  shall  we  buy 
bread,  that  these  may  eat?. .  .Philip  answered 
him...(vi.  5,  7;  comp.  Matt.  xiv.  14  ff. 
and  parallels).  Certain  Greeks  said  to 
Philip,  Sir,  we  would  see  Jesus.  Philip 
cometh  and  telleth  Andrew:  Andrew 


THE   GOSPEL  OF  ST.  JOHN. 


XIX 


cometh  and  Philip  and  they  tell  Jesus 
(xii.  21  f.).  Thomas  saith  unto  Him, 
Lord,  we  know  not  whither  thou  goest ; 
how  do  we  know  the  way  1  (xiv.  5).  Philip 
saith,  Lord,  shew  us  the  Father,  and  it 
sufficeth  us  (xiv.  8).  Judas  saith,  not 
Iscariot,  Lord,  how  is  it  that  thou  wilt 
manifest  thyself  to  us,  and  not  unto  the 
world?  (xiv.  22).  The  disciple  whom 
Jesus  loved. .  .falling  back  upon  His  breast, 
saith,  Lord,  who  is  it?  (xiii.  25;  comp. 
xxi.  20).  Nicodemus  (iii.  i  ff.,  vii.  50, 
xix.  39),  Lazarus  (xi.  i  ff.,  xii.  i  ff.), 
Simon  the  father  of  Judas  Iscariot1  (vi. 
71,  xii.  4,  xiii.  2,  26),  and  Malchus 
(xviii.  10),  are  mentioned  only  in  the 
fourth  Gospel.  The  writer  of  this  Gospel 
alone  mentions  the  relationship  of  Annas 
to  Caiaphas  (xviii.  13),  and  identifies  one 
of  those  who  pointed  to  Peter  as  the 
kinsman  of  him  whose  ear  Peter  cut  off 
(xviii.  26). 

(/?)  Time.  The  details  of  time  be- 
long perhaps  more  obviously  to  the  plan 
of  the  narrative  than  the  details  of 
persons.  The  greater  seasons,  even 
though  they  are  not  noted  in  the  Synop- 
tists,  may  be  supposed  to  have  been 
preserved  in  tradition,  as  the  first  Pass- 
over (ii.  13,  23),  the  Feast  of  the  New 
Year  (v.  i),  the  Second  Passover  (vi.  4), 
the  Feast  of  Tabernacles  (vii.  2),  the 
Feast  of  Dedication  (x.  22);  but  other 
specifications  of  date  can  only  be  referred 
to  the  knowledge  of  actual  experience. 
Such  are  the  indications  of  the  two 
marked  weeks  at  the  beginning  and  end 
of  Christ's  ministry  (i.  29,  35,  43,  ii.  i, 
xii.  i,  12  (xiii.  i),  xix.  31,  xx.  i),  of  the 
week  after  the  Resurrection  (xx.  26),  the 
enumeration  of  the  days  before  the  rais- 
ing of  Lazarus  (xi.  6,  17,  39),  the  note  of 
the  duration  of  Christ's  stay  in  Samaria 
(iv.  40,  43  ;  compare  also  vi.  22,  vii. 
14,  37).  Still  more  remarkable  is  the 
mention  of  the  hour  or  of  the  time  of 
day  which  occurs  under  circumstances 
likely  to  have  impressed  it  upon  the 
mind  of  the  writer,  as  the  tenth  hour  (i. 
40),  the  sixth  hour  (iv.  6),  the  seventh 
hour  (iv.  52),  about  the  sixth  hour  (xix. 
14),  it  was  night  (xiii.  30),  in  the  early 

1  In  this  connexion  it  is  interesting  to  notice 
that  the  writer  of  the  fourth  Gospel  knew  that 
the  title  Iscariot  was  a  local  or  family  name. 
He  applies  it  both  to  Judas  and  to  his  father 
Simon:  vi.  71,  xiii.  2,  26,  xii.  4,  xiv.  22. 


morning  (xviii.    28,   xx.    i,  xxi.   4),  the 
evening  (vi.  16,  xx.  19),  by  night  (iii.  2). 

(y)  Number.  The  details  of  number, 
though  fewer,  are  hardly  less  significant. 
It  is  unnatural  to  refer  to  anything  ex- 
cept experience  such  definite  and,  as  it 
appears,  immaterial  statements  as  those 
in  which  the  writer  of  the  fourth  Gospel 
mentions  the  tivo  disciples  of  the  Bap- 
tist (i.  35),  the  six  waterpots  (ii.  6),  the 
Jive  loaves  and  two  small  fishes  (vi.  9), 
the  jive-and-twenty  furlongs  (vi.  19),  the 
four  soldiers  (xix.  23.  Cp.  Acts  xii.  4), 
the  two  hundred  cubits  (xxi.  8),  the 
hundred  and  fifty  and  three  fishes  (xxi.  1 1). 

The  number  of  the  loaves  and  fishes  is 
preserved  in  the  Synoptic  narrative,  but 
this  single  parallel  does  not  in  any  way 
lessen  the  value  of  the  whole  group  of 
examples  as  a  sign  of  immediate  observa- 
tion in  the  Evangelist.  Other  records 
of  number  shew  the  clearness  if  not  the 
directness  of  the  writer's  information,  as 
\hefive  husbands  (iv.  18),  the  thirty  and 
eight  years  sickness  (v.  5),  the  estimate 
of  three  hundred  pence  (xii.  5  ;  comp. 
Mark  xiv.  5),  the  weight  of  a  hundred 
pounds  (xix.  39). 

(8)  Place.  Many  of  the  local  details 
characteristic  of  the  fourth  Gospel  have 
been  already  noticed.  Here  it  is  only 
necessary  to  observe  that  the  manner  in 
which  the  scenes  of  special  acts  and 
utterances  are  introduced  shews  that 
they  belong  to  the  immediate  knowledge 
of  the  writer.  We  cannot  naturally  ac- 
count for  the  particularity  except  on  the 
supposition  that  the  place  was  an  integral 
part  of  the  recollection  of  the  incidents. 
Thus  the  scenes  of  John's  baptism  are 
given  at  Bethany  and  ^Enon  (i.  28,  iii. 
23 ;  comp.  x.  40).  The  son  of  the  noble- 
man was  sick  at  Capernaum  while  Jesus 
was  at  Cana  (iv.  46  f.).  Jesus  found  the 
paralytic  whom  He  had  healed  in  the 
Temple  (v.  14).  He  gained  many  ad- 
herents when  He  went  towards  the  close 
of  His  ministry  beyond  Jordan  to  the  place 
where  John  was  at  first  baptizing  (x. 
40  ff.).  When  Mary  came  to  Him  He 
had  not  yet  come  to  the  village,  but 
was  in  the  place  where  Martha  met  Him 
(xi.  30).  He  spent  the  interval  between 
the  raising  of  Lazarus  and  His  return  to 
Bethany  on  the  eve  of  the  Passion  in 
the  country  near  the  wilderness,  in  a  city 
called  Ephraim  (xi.  54).  The  people  as 


XX 


INTRODUCTION   TO 


they  stood  in  the  Temple  speculated  on 
His  reappearance  (xi.  56). 

So  again  Christ  spoke  certain  memor- 
able words  in  a  solemn  gathering  («> 
o-uvaywyfj)  at  Capernaum  (vi.  59,  note), 
in  the  treasury  (viii.  20),  in  Solomon's 
porch  (x.  23),  before  crossing  the  Cedron 
(xviii.  i). 

(«)  Manner.  More  impressive  still 
are  the  countless  small  traits  in  the  de- 
scriptions which  evince  either  the  skill 
of  a  consummate  artist  or  the  recollec- 
tion of  an  observer.  The  former  alter- 
native is  excluded  alike  by  the  literary 
spirit  of  the  first  and  second  centuries 
and  by  the  whole  character  of  the  Gospel. 
The  writer  evidently  reflects  what  he  had 
seen.  This  will  appear  most  clearly  to 
any  one  who  takes  the  record  of  a  special 
scene  and  marks  the  several  points  which 
seem  to  reveal  the  impressions  of  an 
eye-witness,  as  (for  example)  the  calling 
of  the  first  disciples  (i.  35 — 51),  or  the 
foot- washing  (xiii.  i — 20),  or  the  scene 
in  the  high-priest's  court  (xviii.  15 — 27), 
or  the  draught  of  fishes  (xxi.  i — 14).  In 
each  one  of  these  narratives,  and  they 
are  simply  samples  of  the  nature  of  the 
whole  narrative,  it  is  almost  impossible 
to  overlook  the  vivid  touches  which  cor- 
respond with  the  actual  experience  of 
one  who  had  looked  upon  what  he  de- 
scribes. Thus,  to  take  a  single  illustra- 
tion from  the  first  (i.  35 — 51),  we  can- 
not but  feel  the  life  (so  to  speak)  of  the 
opening  picture.  John  is  shewn  standing, 
in  patient  expectation  of  the  issue,  as  the 
tense  implies  (dcm/fcet,  comp.  vii.  37, 
xviii.  5,  1 6,  1 8,  xix.  25,  xx.  n),  with  two 
of  his  disciples.  As  Christ  moves  away, 
now  separate  from  him,  he  fixes  his  eyes 
upon  Him  (jpt/3Xtya?,  comp.  v.  43),  so 
as  to  give  the  full  meaning  to  the  phrase 
which  he  repeats,  in  order  that  his  dis- 
ciples may  now,  if  they  will,  take  the 
lesson  to  themselves.  Each  word  tells ; 
each  person  occupies  exactly  the  position 
which  corresponds  to  the  crisis.  And 
the  description  becomes  more  significant 
when  contrasted  with  the  notice  of  the 
corresponding  incident  on  the  former 
day  (i.  29  ff.). 

Not  to  dwell  at  length  on  these  scenes, 
one  or  two  detached  phrases  may  be 
quoted  which  will  serve  to  shew  the  kind 
of  particularity  on  which  stress  is  laid. 
The  loaves  used  at  the  feeding  of  the 


five  thousand  are  barley  loaves  which 
a  boy  has  (vi.  9;  comp.  v.  13);  when 
Mary  came  to  Jesus  she  fell  at  His  feet 
(xi.  32;  contrast  vv.  20  f.) ;  after  the 
ointment  was  poured  out  the  house  was 
filled  from  its  fragrance  (xii.  3) ;  the 
branches  strewn  in  the  way  of  Jesus  were 
taken  from  the  palm-trees  which  were  by 
the  road-side  (xii.  13) ;  it  was  night  when 
Judas  went  forth  (xiii.  30) ;  Judas  brings 
a  band  of  Roman  soldiers  as  well  as 
officers  of  the  priests  to  apprehend  Jesus 
(xviii.  3) ;  Christ's  tunic  was  without  seam, 
woven  from  the  top  throughout  (xix.  23) ; 
the  napkin  which  had  been  about  His  head 
was  wrapped  together  in  a  place  by  itself 
(xx.  7) ;  Peter  was  grieved  because  Jesus 
said  to  him  the  third  time,  Lovest  thou 
me?  (xxi.  17). 

Compare  also  xiii.  24,  xviii.  6,  xix.  5, 
xxi.  20.  Each  phrase  is  a  reflection  of  a 
definite  external  impression.  They  bring 
the  scenes  as  vividly  before  the  reader 
as  they  must  have  presented  themselves 
to  the  writer. 

If  it  be  said  that  we  can  conceive  that 
these  traits  might  have  been  realised  by 
the  imagination  of  a  Defoe  or  a  Shakes- 
peare, it  may  be  enough  to  reply  that 
the  narrative  is  wholly  removed  from 
this  modem  realism ;  but  besides  this, 
there  are  other  fragmentary  notes  to 
which  no  such  explanation  can  apply. 
Sometimes  we  find  historical  details 
given  bearing  the  stamp  of  authenticity, 
which  represent  minute  facts  likely  to 
cling  to  the  memory  of  one  directly  con- 
cerned (i.  40),  though  it  is  in  fact  diffi- 
cult for  us  now  to  grasp  the  object  of 
the  writer  in  preserving  them.  It  is 
equally  impossible  to  suppose  that  such 
details  were  preserved  in  common  tradi- 
tion or  supplied  by  the  imagination  of 
the  writer.  Examples  are  found  in  the 
exact  account  of  Andrew  finding  first 
his  own  brother  Simon  (i.  41),  of  the 
passing  visit  to  Capernaum  (ii.  12),  of 
John's  baptism  (iii.  23),  of  the  boats 
from  Tiberias  (vi.  22  f.),  of  the  retire- 
ment to  Ephraim  (xi.  54). 

Sometimes  the  detail  even  appears  to 
be  in  conflict  with  the  context  or  with 
the  current  (Synoptic)  accounts,  though 
the  discrepancy  vanishes  on  a  fuller 
realisation  of  the  facts,  as  when  the 
words  Arise,  let  us  go  hence  (xiv.  31)  mark 
the  separation  between  the  discourses  in 


THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  JOHN. 


xxi 


the  upper  chamber  and  those  on  the 
way  to  the  garden  (compare  i.  21  with 
Matt  xi.  14;  iii.  24  with  Matt.  iv.  12). 

Elsewhere  a  mysterious  saying  is  left 
wholly  unexplained.  In  some  cases  the 
obscurity  lies  in  a  reference  to  a  previous 
but  unrecorded  conversation,  as  when 
the  Baptist  says  to  the  disciples  who  had 
followed  him,  Behold  the  Lamb  of  God 
(i.  29;  comp.  vi.  36,  xii.  34),  or,  per- 
haps, to  unknown  local  circumstances 
(i.  46).  In  others  it  lies  in  a  personal 
but  unexpressed  revelation,  as  in  the 
words  which  carried  sudden  conviction 
to  Nathanael,  Before  Philip  called  thee, 
when  thou  wast  under  the  fig-tree,  I  saw 
thee  (i.  48).  Apparent  contradictions 
are  left  without  any  comment,  as  v.  31 
compared  with  viii.  14 ;  xiii.  36  com- 
pared with  xvi.  5 ;  xiv.  19  compared 
with  xvi.  19 ;  and,  on  the  other  hand,  an 
explanation  is  given  which,  though  it 
might  appear  superfluous  at  a  later  time, 
becomes  at  once  natural  in  one  who  in 
the  process  of  narration  is  carried  back 
to  the  scene  itself  with  all  its  doubts  and 
perplexities,  as  when  it  is  said  in  inter- 
pretation of  the  words,  ye  are  clean,  but 
not  all;  "  for  He  knew  him  that  betrayed 
(was  betraying)  Him ;  for  this  reason  He 
said,  Ye  are  not  all  clean"  (xiii.  u). 

(d)  The  Author  of  the  fourth  Gospel 
was  an  Apostle.  Such  touches  as  those 
which  have  been  now  enumerated,  and 
every  page  of  the  Gospel  will  supply 
examples,  shew  that  the  writer  was  an 
eye-witness  of  many  at  least  of  the  scenes 
which  he  describes.  The  age  of  minute 
historical  romance  had  not  yet  come 
when  the  fourth  Gospel  was  written, 
even  if  such  a  record  could  possibly  be 
brought  within  the  category.  A  further 
examination  of  the  narrative  shews  that 
the  eye-witness  was  also  an  apostle. 
This  follows  almost  necessarily  from  the 
character  of  the  scenes  which  he  de- 
scribes, evidently  as  has  been  shewn  from 
his  own  knowledge,  the  call  of  the  first 
disciples  (i.  19 — 34),  the  journey  through 
Samaria  (iv.),  the  feeding  of  the  five 
thousand  (vi.),  the  successive  visits  to 
Jerusalem  (vii.  ix.  xi.),  the  Passion,  the 
appearances  after  the  Resurrection.  But 
the  fact  is  further  indicated  by  the  inti- 
mate acquaintance  which  he  exhibits 
with  the  feelings  of  "  the  disciples."  He 
knows  their  thoughts  at  critical  moments 
New  Test. — VOL.  II. 


(ii.  u,  17,  22,  iv.  27,  vi.  19,  60  f.,  xii. 
1 6,  xiii.  22,  28,  xxi.  12  ;  comp.  Luke 
xxiv.  8;  Matt.  xxvi.  75).  He  recalls 
their  words  spoken  among  themselves 
(iv.  33,  xvi.  17,  xx.  25,  xxi  3,  5)  as  to 
their  Lord  (iv.  31,  ix.  2,  xi.  8, 12,  xvi.  29). 

He  is  familiar  with  their  places  of  re- 
sort (xi.  54,  xviii.  2,  xx.  19). 

He  is  acquainted  with  imperfect  or 
erroneous  impressions  received  by  them 
at  one  time,  and  afterwards  corrected 
(ii.  21  f.,  XL  13,  xii.  16,  xiii.  28,  xx.  9, 
xxi.  4). 

And  yet  more  than  this,  the  writer  of 
the  fourth  Gospel  evidently  stood  very 
near  to  the  Lord.  He  was  conscious  of 
His  emotions  (xi.  33,  xiii.  21).  He  was 
in  a  position  to  be  well  acquainted  with 
the  grounds  of  His  action  (ii.  24  f.,  iv.  i, 
v.  6,  vi.  15,  vii.  i,  xvi.  19).  Nor  is  this 
all;  he  speaks  as  one  to  whom  the  mind 
of  the  Lord  was  laid  open.  Before  the 
feeding  of  the  five  thousand  he  writes, 
This  He  (Jesus)  said  trying  him,  for  He 
Himself  knew  what  He  was  about  to  do 
(vi.  6).  Jesus  knew  in  Himself  the  mur- 
murings  of  the  disciples  (vi.  61);  He 
knew  from  the  beginning  who  they  were 
that  believed  not,  and  who  it  was  that 
would  betray  Him  (vi.  64) ;  He  knew  the 
hour  of  His  Passion  (xiii.  i,  3),  and  who 
should  betray  Him  (xiii.  ii);  He  knew 
indeed  all  the  things  that  were  coming 
upon  Him  (xviii.  4) ;  He  knew  when  all 
things  were  accomplished  (xix.  28). 

(e)  The  Author  of  the  fourth  Gospel 
was  the  Apostle  John.  Such  statements 
when  they  are  taken  in  connexion  with 
the  absolute  simplicity  of  the  narrative 
necessarily  leave  the  impression  that  the 
Evangelist  was  conscious  of  having  had 
the  opportunity  of  entering,  more  deeply 
even  than  others,  into  the  conditions  of 
the  Lord's  life.  And  this  reflection  brings 
us  to  the  last  point  If  the  writer  of  the 
fourth  Gospel  was  an  apostle,  does  the 
narrative  indicate  any  special  apostle  as 
the  writer?  In  the  Epilogue  (xxi.  24) 
the  authorship  of  the  book  is  assigned, 
as  we  shall  see  afterwards,  to  the  disciple 
whom  Jesus  loved  (ov  ifyaTra  o  MTJO-OVS). 
This  disciple  appears  under  the  same 
title  twice  in  the  narrative  of  the  Passion 
(xiii.  23,  xix.  26),  as  well  as  twice  after- 
wards (xxi.  7,  20),  and  once  in  connex- 
ion with  St  Peter  under  a  title  closely 
resembling  it  (xx.  2,  6V  «</>iAei  o  'I 


XX11 


INTRODUCTION   TO 


He  is  known  to  the  high-priest  (xviii. 
15),  and  stands  in  very  close  relationship 
with  St  Peter  (xiii.  24,  xx.  2,  xxi.  7;  comp. 
xviii.  15;  Acts  iii.).  Though  his  name 
is  not  mentioned,  there  is  nothing  mys- 
terious or  ideal  about  him.  He  moves 
about  among  the  other  apostles  quite 
naturally,  and  from  the  enumeration 
(xxi.  2  ;  comp.  i.  356°.)  of  those  present 
at  the  scene  described  in  the  last  chapter, 
it  follows  that  he  must  have  been  either 
one  of  the  sons  of  Zebedee,  or  one  of  the 
two  other  disciples  not  described  more 
particularly. 

If  now  we  turn  to  the  Synoptic  narra- 
tive we  find  three  disciples  standing  in  a 
special  sense  near  to  Jesus,  Peter  and 
the  sons  of  Zebedee,  James  and  John. 
There  is  then  a  strong  presumption  that 
the  Evangelist  was  one  of  these.  St  Peter 
is  out  of  the  question.  Of  the  two  sons 
of  Zebedee,  James  was  martyred  very 
early  (Acts  xii.  2),  so  that  he  could  not 
have  been  the  author  of  the  Gospel. 
John  therefore  alone  remains;  and  he 
completely  satisfies  the  conditions  which 
are  required  to  be  satisfied  by  the  writer, 
that  he  should  be  in  close  connexion 
with  St  Peter,  and  also  one  admitted  to 
peculiar  intimacy  with  the  Lord. 

Does  then  this  definite  supposition 
that  St  John  was  the  anonymous  disciple 
who  wrote  the  fourth  Gospel  find  any 
subsidiary  support  from  the  contents  of 
the  history?  The  answer  cannot  be 
doubtful.  St  John  is  nowhere  mentioned 
by  name  in  the  Gospel ;  and  while  it 
appears  incredible  that  an  apostle  who 
stands  in  the  Synoptists,  in  the  Acts  (iii. 
i,  iv.  13,  &c.),  and  in  St  Paul  (Gal.  ii.  9), 
as  a  central  figure  among  the  twelve, 
should  find  no  place  in  the  narrative, 
the  nameless  disciple  fulfils  the  part  which 
would  naturally  be  assigned  to  St  John. 
Yet  further,  in  the  first  call  of  the  dis- 
ciples one  of  the  two  followers  of  the 
Baptist  is  expressly  named  as  Andrew 
(i.  40) ;  the  other  is  left  unnamed.  An- 
drew, it  is  said,  found  first  his  own 
brother  Simon  (i.  41).  The  natural  in- 
terpretation of  the  words  suggests  that 
the  brother  of  some  other  person,  and 
if  so,  of  the  second  disciple,  was  also 
found.  A  reference  to  the  last  scene  at 
the  sea  of  Galilee  (xxi.  2)  leads  to  the 
certain  inference  that  these  two  brothers 
were  the  sons  of  Zebedee,  and  so  that 


the  second  disciple  was  St  John.  Another 
peculiarity  of  the  Gospel  confirms  the 
inference. 

The  Evangelist  is  for  the  most  part 
singularly  exact  in  defining  the  names  in 
his  Gospel.  He  never  mentions  Simon 
after  his  call  (i.  42  f.)  by  the  simple  name, 
as  is  done  in  the  other  Gospels,  but  al- 
ways by  the  full  name  Simon  Peter,  or 
by  the  new  name  Peter.  Thomas  is 
three  times  out  of  four  further  marked 
by  the  correlative  Greek  name  Didymus 
(xi.  1 6,  xx.  24,  xxi.  2),  which  is  not  found 
in  the  Synoptists.  Judas  Iscariot  is  de- 
scribed as  the  son  of  a  Simon  not  else- 
where noticed  (vi.  71,  xii.  4,  xiii.  2,  26). 
The  second  Judas  is  expressly  distin- 
guished from  Iscariot  even  when  the 
latter  had  left  the  eleven  (xiv.  22).  Nico- 
demus  is  identified  as  he  that  came  to 
Jesus  by  night  (xix.  39  [vii.  50]).  Caia- 
phas  on  each  of  the  two  separate  occa- 
sions where  he  is  introduced  is  qualified 
by  the  title  of  his  office  as  the  high-priest 
of  that  year  (xi.  49,  xviii.  13). 

But  in  spite  of  this  habitual  particu- 
larity the  Evangelist  never  speaks  of  the 
Baptist,  like  the  three  other  Evangelists, 
as  "John  the  Baptist,"  but  always  simply 
as  "John."  It  is  no  doubt  to  be  no- 
ticed that  in  most  places  the  addition 
of  the  title  would  have  been  awkward  or 
impossible ;  but  elsewhere  such  an  iden- 
tification might  have  been  expected  (i. 
15  and  v.  33,  36;  comp.  Matt.  iii.  i, 
xi.  1 1  ff.).  If  however  the  writer  of  the 
Gospel  were  himself  the  other  John  of 
the  Gospel  history,  it  is  perfectly  natural 
that  he  should  think  of  the  Baptist,  apart 
from  himself,  as  John  only1. 

But  it  is  said  that  if  it  is  admitted  that 
the  Apostle  John  is  to  be  identified  with 
the  nameless  disciple  of  the  fourth 
Gospel,  the  second  of  the  two  disciples 
of  the  Baptist,  the  companion  of  St 
Peter,  the  disciple  whom  Jesus  loved  ; 
it  is  still  impossible,  in  spite  of  the  at- 
testation of  the  Epilogue,  that  he  could 
have  written  the  Gospel.  The  Gospel, 
such  is  the  contention,  must  have  been 
written  by  some  one  else,  for  it  is  argued 
that  the  author  could  not  have  spoken 

1  It  is  also  to  be  observed  that  the  writer  of 
the  fourth  Gospel  does  not  give  the  name  of 
Salome,  the  wife  of  Zebedee  (xix.  25.  Comp. 
Matt,  xxvii.  56),  or  of  James  (xxi.  2),  or  of  the 
Mother  of  the  Lord. 


THE   GOSPEL  OF  ST.  JOHN. 


xxiu 


of  himself  as  the  disciple  whom  Jesus 
loved,  claiming  in  this  way  for  himself, 
and  not  as  he  might  reasonably  have 
done  for  another  whom  he  took  as  his 
hero,  a  pre-eminence  over  his  fellow- 
apostles  ;  and  (it  is  further  urged  in  par- 
ticular) that  St  John  would  not  have 
"  studiously  elevated  himself  in  every 
way  above  the  Apostle  Peter"  as  this 
writer  does. 

The  last  objection  may  be  disposed  of 
first.  The  notion  that  the  author  of  the 
fourth  Gospel  wishes  to  present  St  John 
as  the  victorious  rival  of  St  Peter,  is 
based  mainly  upon  the  incident  at  the 
Last  Supper,  where  St  Peter  beckoned 
to  St  John  to  ask  a  question  which  he 
did  not  put  himself  (xiii.  24  ff.) ;  and  it  is 
asserted  that  the  same  idea  is  supported 
by  the  scenes  in  the  court  of  the  High 
Priest,  and  by  the  Cross.  It  would  be 
sufficient  to  reply  that  all  these  incidents 
belong  to  details  of  personal  relationship, 
and  not  to  official  position,  and  St  John 
was  (as  it  appears)  the  son  of  the  sister 
of  the  Mother  of  the  Lord.  But  if  we 
go  into  details  an  examination  of  the 
narrative  as  a  whole  shews  that  it  lends 
no  support  whatever  to  the  theory  of 
any  thought  of  rivalry  or  comparison 
between  St  Peter  and  St  John  existing 
in  the  writer's  mind.  St  John  stands, 
just  as  he  stands  in  the  Acts,  silent  by 
the  side  of  the  Apostle  to  whom  the 
office  of  founding  the  Church  was  as- 
signed (cf.  xxi.  21 ;  Acts  iii.  i).  And 
as  for  the  incident  at  the  Last  Supper, 
the  person  who  occupied  the  third  and 
not  the  second  place  would  be  in  a  posi- 
tion to  act  the  part  assigned  to  St  John 
(John  xiii.  23,  note).  Here  then  St  Peter 
takes  the  precedence ;  and  elsewhere  he 
occupies  exactly  the  same  place  with 
regard  to  the  Christian  Society  in  the 
fourth  Gospel  as  in  the  other  three.  He 
receives  the  promise  of  his  significant 
surname  (i.  42);  he  gives  utterance  to 
the  critical  confession  of  Christ's  majesty 
(vi.  68) ;  he  is  placed  first  (as  it  seems) 
at  the  foot-washing  during  the  Last  Sup- 
per (xiii.  6);  he  is  conspicuous  at  the 
betrayal  in  defence  of  his  Lord  (xviii. 
TO)  ;  he  stands  patiently  without  the  high 
priest's  door  till  he  is  able  to  obtain  ad- 
mission (xviii.  1 6);  the  message  of  the 
Resurrection  is  brought  to  him  and  to 
"  the  other  disciple  "  only  as  second  to 


him  (xx.  2);  he  first  sees  the  certain 
signs  that  Christ  had  risen  (xx.  7) ;  he 
directs  the  action  of  the  group  of  apostles 
during  their  time  of  suspense  (xxi.  3) ; 
he  is  the  first  to  join  the  Lord  upon  the 
seashore,  and  the  chief  in  carrying  out 
His  command  (xxi.  7,  n);  he  receives 
at  last  the  Great  Commission  (xxi. 
15  ff.). 

The  representative  official  precedence 
of  St  Peter  thus  really  underlies  the 
whole  narrative  of  the  fourth  Gospel. 
The  nearness  of  St  John  to  the  Lord  is 
a  relation  of  sympathy,  so  to  speak, 
different  in  kind. 

But  this  ascription  of  a  special  rela- 
tion of  the  unnamed  disciple  to  the 
Lord  as  the  disciple  whom  Jesus  loved, 
with  a  feeling  at  once  general  (jydira) 
and  personal  (tyi'Aci,  xx.  2),  requires  in 
itself  careful  consideration.  And  if  it 
were  true,  as  is  frequently  assumed,  that 
St  John  sought  to  conceal  himself  by 
the  use  of  the  various  periphrases  under 
which  his  name  is  veiled,  there  might  be 
some  difficulty  in  reconciling  the  use  of 
this  exact  title  with  the  modest  wish  to 
be  unnoticed.  But  in  point  of  fact  the 
writer  of  the  fourth  Gospel  evidently 
insists  on  the  peculiarity  of  his  narrative 
as  being  that  of  a  personal  witness.  He 
speaks  with  an  authority  which  has  a 
right  to  be  recognised.  It  is  taken  for 
granted  that  those  whom  he  addresses 
will  know  who  he  is,  and  acknowledge 
that  he  ought  to  be  heard.  In  this 
respect  the  fourth  Gospel  differs  essen- 
tially from  the  other  three.  They  are 
completely  impersonal,  with  the  excep- 
tion of  the  short  preface  of  St  Luke. 
We  can  then  imagine  that  St  John  as  an 
eye-witness  might  either  have  written  his 
narrative  in  the  first  person  throughout, 
or  he  might  have  composed  an  imper- 
sonal record,  adding  some  introductory 
sentences  to  explain  the  nature  of  the 
book,  or  he  might  have  indicated  his 
own  presence  obliquely  at  some  one  or 
other  of  the  scenes  which  he  describes. 
There  is  no  question  of  self-concealment 
in  the  choice  between  these  alternatives; 
and  there  can  be  also  no  question  as  to 
the  method  which  would  be  most  natural 
to  an  apostle  living  again,  as  it  were,  in 
the  divine  history  of  his  youth.  The 
direct  personal  narrative  and  the  still 
more  formal  personal  preface  to  an  im- 

C  2 


XXIV 


INTRODUCTION   TO 


personal  narrative  seem  to  be  alien  from 
the  circumstances  of  the  composition. 
On  the  other  hand,  the  oblique  allusion 
corresponds  with  the  devout  contempla- 
tion from  a  distance  of  events  seen  only 
after  a  long  interval  in  their  full  signifi- 
cance. The  facts  and  the  actors  alike 
are  all  separated  from  the  Evangelist  as 
he  recalls  them  once  more  in  the  centre 
of  a  Christian  Society1. 

But  if  it  be  admitted  that  the  oblique 
form  of  reference  to  the  fact  that  the 
writer  of  the  fourth  Gospel  was  an  eye- 
witness of  what  he  describes  was  gene- 
rally the  most  natural,  does  it  appear 
that  this  particular  form  of  oblique  refer- 
ence, to  which  objection  is  made,  was 
itself  natural?  The  answer  must  be 
looked  for  in  the  circumstances  under 
which  it  is  used.  After  the  distinct  but 
passing  claim  to  be  an  eye-witness  (i. 
14),  the  Evangelist  does  not  appear  per- 
sonally in  the  Gospel  till  the  scenes  of 
the  Passion.  He  may  be  discovered  in 
the  call  of  the  disciples  (i.  41),  but  only 
by  a  method  of  exhaustion.  So  far  there 
was  nothing  to  require  his  explicit  attes- 
tation. But  in  the  review  of  the  issue  of 
Christ's  work  it  might  well  be  asked 
whether  the  treachery  of  Judas  was  in- 
deed foreseen  by  Christ.  St  John  shews 
how  deeply  he  felt  the  importance  of  the 
question  (vi.  70,  71,  xiii.  n;  comp.  xiii. 
1 8  f).  It  was  then  essential  to  his 
plan  that  he  should  place  on  record  the 
direct  statement  of  the  Lord's  foreknow- 
ledge on  the  authority  of  him  to  whom 
it  was  made.  That  communication  was 
a  special  sign  of  affection.  Can  we  then 
be  surprised  that,  in  recalling  the  memor- 
able fact  that  it  was  made  to  himself, 
he  should  speak  of  himself  as  the  disciple 
whom  Jesus  loved  (r)ya?ra)  ?  The  words 
express  the  grateful  and  devout  acknow- 
ledgment of  something  received,  and 

1  In  illustration  of  this  view,  reference  may 
6e  made  to  Mr  Browning's  noble  realisation  of 
the  situation  in  his  'Death  in  the  Desert." 

"...much  that  at  the  first,  in  deed  and  word, 
Lay  simply  and  sufficiently  exposed, 
Had  grown   (or  else  my  soul  was  grown  to 

match, 
Fed  through  such  years,  familiar  with  such 

light, 

Guarded  and  guided  still  to  see  and  speak) 
Of  new  significance  and  fresh  result ; 
What  first  were  guessed  as  points  I  now  knew 

stars." 


contain  no  assumption  of  a  distinction 
above  others.  Christ  loved  all  (xiii.  i, 
34,  xv.  9) ;  St  John  felt,  and  confesses, 
that  Christ  loved  him,  and  shewed  His 
love  in  this  signal  manner.  The  same 
thought  underlies  the  second  passage 
where  the  phrase  occurs  (xix.  26).  The 
charge  to  receive  the  Mother  of  the 
Lord  almost  necessarily  calls  out  the 
same  confession.  In  the  last  chapter 
(xxi.  7,  20)  the  title  seems  to  be  repeated 
with  a  distinct  reference  to  the  former 
passages,  and  no  difficulty  can  be  felt  at 
the  repetition. 

The  remaining  passage  (xx.  2)  is 
different,  and  ought  not  to  have  been 
confounded  with  those  already  noticed. 
There  can  be  no  doubt  that  if  the  words 
she  cometh  to  Simon  Peter  and  the  other 
disciple  whom  Jesus  loved,  had  stood 
alone,  the  reader  would  have  included 
St  Peter  under  the  description ;  the 
word  "  other  "  has  no  meaning  except  on 
this  interpretation  (contrast  xxi.  7).  But 
it  has  been  assumed  that  the  entirely 
different  phrase  used  here  (Sv  e<£i'A.«) 
must  be  identical  with  that  used  else- 
where of  St  John  alone  (oV  TJyewra),  and 
the  passage  has  been  accordingly  mis- 
understood. Yet  the  contrast  between 
the  two  words  equally  translated  "  love," 
gives  the  clue  to  the  right  meaning.  St 
Peter  and  St  John  shared  alike  in  that 
peculiar  nearness  of  personal  friendship 
to  Christ  (if  we  may  so  speak)  which  is 
expressed  by  the  former  word  (faXeiv, 
see  xi.  3,  36),  while  St  John  acknow- 
ledges for  himself  the  gift  of  love  which 
is  implied  in  the  latter;  the  first  word 
describes  that  of  which  others  could 
judge  outwardly;  the  second  that  of 
which  the  individual  soul  alone  is  con- 
scious. The  general  conclusion  is  ob- 
vious. If  that  phrase  (6V  e^t'Aet  o  'Iijo-oCs) 
had  been  used  characteristically  of  St 
John  which  is  in  fact  used  in  relation  to 
St  Peter  and  St  John,  there  might  have 
been  some  ground  for  the  charge  of  an 
apparent  assumption  of  pre-eminence  on 
the  part  of  the  Evangelist ;  as  it  is,  the 
phrase  which  is  used  is  no  affectation  of 
honour ;  it  is  a  personal  thanksgiving 
for  a  blessing  which  the  Evangelist  had 
experienced,  which  was  yet  in  no  way 
peculiar  to  himself. 

As  far  therefore  as  indirect  internal 
evidence  is  concerned,  the  conclusion 


THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  JOHN. 


XXV 


towards  which  all  the  lines  of  inquiry 
converge  remains  unshaken,  that  the 
fourth  Gospel  was  written  by  a  Pales- 
tinian Jew,  by  an  eye-witness,  by  the 
disciple  whom  Jesus  loved,  by  John  the 
son  of  Zebedee.  We  have  now  to  con- 
sider the  direct  evidence  which  the 
Gospel  offers  upon  the  question. 

ii.     The  direct  evidence  of  the  Gospel  as  to 
its  authorship. 

Three  passages  of  the  Gospel  appear 
to  point  directly  to  the  position  and  per- 
son of  the  author:  i.  14,  xix.  35,  xxi.  24. 
Each  passage  includes  some  difficulties 
and  uncertainties  of  interpretation  which 
must  be  noticed  somewhat  at  length. 

(a)  Ch.  i.  14.  The  Word  became  flesh 
and  dwelt  (tabernacled}  among  us,  and 
we  beheld  His  glory... (o  Ao'yos  vdp£  eye- 
vero,  Kai  eo-KTfvaxrcv  fv  T^fJ-lv,  Kcu  f6facrdp.f6a 
rr)v  86£av  avTov...).  The  main  question 
here  is  as  to  the  sense  in  which  the 
words  we  beheld  are  to  be  taken.  Are 
we  to  understand  this  "  beholding  "  of 
the  historical  sight  of  Christ,  so  that  the 
writer  claims  to  have  been  an  eye-witness 
of  that  which  he  records  ?  or  can  it  be 
referred  to  a  spiritual  vision,  common  to 
all  believers  at  all  times  ? 

Our  reply  cannot  but  be  affected  by 
the  consideration  of  the  parallel  passage 
in  the  beginning  of  the  first  Epistle  of 
St  John,  which  was  written,  it  may  cer- 
tainly be  assumed,  by  the  same  author 
as  the  Gospel :  That  which  was  from  the 
beginning,  which  we  have  heard,  which 
we  have  seen  with  our  eyes,  which  we 
beheld,  and  our  hands  handled,  concerning 
the  Word  of  life...(\  John  i.  i,  o  rjv  oV 
aPX17s>  °  0-KyKoap.fv,  o  itopa.Ka.fi.fv  TOIS  d<£- 
6a.Xp.ol1;,  o  f6fa.crdp.t6a  Kal  at  ^etpes  •qp.^v 
f\j/Tf])(.d<f>r)<ra.v,  Trept  TOU  Adyou  rfj<>  £<i>fj<s...). 
Now  there  cannot  be  any  doubt  that  the 
"  beholding  "  here,  from  the  connexion 
in  which  it  stands  (we  have  seen  with  our 
eyes,  our  hands  handled},  must  be  under- 
stood literally.  Language  cannot  be 
plainer.  The  change  of  tense  moreover 
emphasizes  the  specific  historical  refe- 
rence (we  beheld,  and  not  as  of  that 
which  ideally  abides,  we  have  beheld  [i 
John  iv.  14;  John  i.  32,  n.]).  This  being 
so,  the  same  word  in  the  same  tense  and 
in  the  same  general  connexion  cannot 
reasonably  be  understood  otherwise  in 


the  Gospel.  It  may  also  be  added  fur- 
ther, that  the  original  word  (6facr6a.i)  is 
never  used  in  the  New  Testament  of 
mental  vision  (as  fewpeiV)1.  The  writer 
then  (such  must  be  our  conclusion) 
claims  to  have  beheld  that  glory  which 
his  record  unfolds. 

But  it  is  said  that  the  phrase  among 
us  cannot  be  confined  to  the  apostles  or 
immediate  disciples  of  Christ  exclusively, 
and  that  it  must  be  taken  to  include  all 
Christians  (Luke  i.  i),  or  even  all  men. 
If  however  this  interpretation  of  among 
us  admits  the  wider  interpretation  of  the 
pronoun,  it  does  not  exclude  the  apostles, 
who  are  in  this  connexion  the  repre- 
sentatives of  the  Church  and  of  humanity, 
and  it  does  not  therefore  touch  the 
meaning  of  the  following  clause,  in  which 
the  sense  of  beheld  is  fixed  independently. 
The  whole  point  of  the  passage  is  that 
the  Incarnation  was  historical,  and  that 
the  sight  of  the  Incarnate  Word  was 
historical.  The  words  cannot  without 
violence  be  made  to  give  any  other  testi- 
mony. The  objection  is  thus,  on  a  view 
of  the  context,  wholly  invalid ;  and  the 
natural  interpretation  of  the  phrase  in 
question,  which  has  been  already  given, 
remains  unshaken.  The  writer  professes 
to  have  been  an  eye-witness  of  Christ's 
ministry*. 

(b)  Ch.  xix.  35.  This  second  pas- 
sage, which,  like  the  former  one,  comes 
into  the  narrative  parenthetically,  is  in 
some  respects  more  remarkable.  After 
speaking  of  the  piercing  of  the  Lord's 
side,  the  writer  adds,  And  forthwith  came 
there  out  blood  and  water.  And  he  that 
hath  seen  hath  borne  witness,  and  his  wit- 
ness is  true:  and  he  knoweth  that  he  saith 
true,  that  ye  also  may  believe.  For  these 
things  came  to  pass  that. . .  (KQ\  o  eopaKws 
(JLffjLapruprjKfv  KOI  dh.r)6ivrj  avroS  torii'  17 
[laprvpia,  Kai  CKCIVOS  olSfv  OTL  dXr]6rj  Ae'yei 
fva  Kai  v/xeis  iriaTtvr[Tf.  cyevtTO  yap... 
John  xix.  35  ff.).  One  point  in  this  pas- 
sage, the  contrast  between  the  two  words 
rendered  true,  cannot  be  given  ade- 
quately in  an  English  version.  The  wit- 

1  The  word  occurs  in  John  i.  31,  38,  iv.  35, 
vi.  5,  xi.  45;  i  John  i.  i,  iv.  12,  14. 

2  The  significant  variation  of  language  in  v.  16 
supports  the  view  which  has  been  given.     The 
Apostolic  we  is  distinguished  from  the  Christian 
we  all.     The  use  of  the  direct  form  in  these  two 
cases  (we  beheld,  we  received)  is  remarkable. 
Contrast  xx.  30  (ivuir. 


XXVI 


INTRODUCTION   TO 


ness  is  described  as  "  fulfilling  the  true 
conception  of  witness"  (oAT/flivog),  and 
not  simply  as  being  correct  (dXr)9rj<i)  ;  it 
is  true  to  the  idea  of  what  witness  should 
be,  and  not  only  true  to  the  fact  in  this 
special  instance  (comp.  viii.  16,  note)  so 
far  as  the  statement  is  true.  There  is 
therefore  no  repetition  in  the  original  in 
the  two  clauses,  as  there  appears  to  be 
in  the  English  version.  This  detail  is 
not  without  significance  for  the  right 
understanding  of  the  whole  comment. 
It  brings  out  clearly  the  two  conditions 
which  testimony  ought  to  satisfy,  the  first 
that  he  who  gives  it  should  be  competent 
to  speak  with  authority,  and  the  second 
that  the  account  of  his  experience  should 
be  exact.  But  the  main  question  to  be 
decided  is  whether  the  form  of  the  sen- 
tence either  suggests  or  admits  the  belief 
that  the  eye-witness  to  whose  testimony 
appeal  is  made  is  to  be  identified  with 
the  writer  of  the  Gospel. 

The  answer  to  this  question  has  been 
commonly  made  to  turn  upon  a  false 
issue.  It  has  been  argued,  with  a  pro- 
fusion of  learning,  that  the  use  in  the 
second  clause  of  the  pronoun  which  ex- 
presses a  remote,  or  rather  an  isolated 
personality  (e'/cetvos),  is  unfavourable  to 
the  identification  of  the  Evangelist  and 
the  eye-witness,  or,  at  least,  lends  no 
support  to  the  identification.  It  has  also 
been  asserted,  as  might  have  been  ex- 
pected, by  less  cautious  scholars,  that 
the  use  of  this  pronoun  is  fatal  to  the 
identification.  On  the  other  hand,  it  has 
been  shewn  by  examples  from  classical 
authors  and  also  from  St  John's  Gospel 
(ix.  37)  that  a  speaker  can  use  this  pro- 
noun of  himself1.  But  in  reality  the 
problem  contained  in  the  passage  must 
be  solved  at  an  earlier  stage.  If  the 
author  of  the  Gospel  could  use  the 
first  clause  (he  that  hath  seen,  &c.)  of 
himself,  there  can  be  no  reasonable 
doubt  that  he  could  also  use  of  himself 
the  particular  pronoun  which  occurs  in 
the  second  clause ;  and  to  go  even 
further,  there  can  be  no  reasonable  doubt 
that  according  to  the  common  usage 
of  St  John  he  would  use  this  particular 
pronoun  to  resume  and  emphasize  the 

1  The  most  complete  discussion  of  this  part  of 
the  problem  is  to  be  found  in  a  set  of  papers  in 
the  'Studien  u.  Kritiken,'  1859,  1860,  by  Steitz  on 
the  one  side,  and  by  Ph.  Buttmann  on  the  other. 


reference  (i.  18,  v.  39,  37).  No  one,  in 
other  words,  with  any  knowledge  of  St 
John's  style  can  seriously  dispute  the  fact 
that  the  "he"  of  the  second  clause  is 
the  same  as  the  "witness"  of  the  first 
clause. 

This  being  so,  only  two  interpretations 
of  the  passage  are  possible.  The  Evan- 
gelist either  makes  an  appeal  to  an  eye- 
witness separate  from  himself,  but  not 
more  definitely  described,  who  is  said  to 
be  conscious  of  the  truth  of  his  own 
testimony;  or  he  makes  an  appeal  to 
his  own  actual  experience,  now  solemnly 
recorded  for  the  instruction  of  his 
readers. 

We  are  thus  brought  to  the  right 
issue.  Is  it  the  fact  that  the  second 
alternative  is,  as  has  been  confidently 
affirmed,  excluded  by  the  nature  of  the 
case?  Is  it  the  fact  that  we  cannot 
suppose  that  St  John,  if  he  were  the 
writer,  would  have  referred  to  his  own 
experience  obliquely  ?  On  the  contrary, 
if  we  realise  the  conditions  under  which 
the  narrative  was  drawn  up,  it  will  be 
seen  that  the  introduction  of  the  first 
person  in  this  single  place  would  have 
been  more  strange.  The  Evangelist  has 
been  already  presented  as  a  historical 
figure  in  the  scene  (vv.  26,  27);  and  it 
is  quite  intelligible  that  an  Apostle  who 
had  pondered  again  and  again,  as  it  may 
well  have  been,  what  he  had  gradually 
shaped,  should  pause  at  this  critical 
point,  and,  dwelling  upon  that  which  he 
felt  to  be  a  crucial  incident,  should 
separate  himself  as  the  witness  from  his 
immediate  position  as  a  writer.  In  this 
mental  attitude  he  looks  from  without 
upon  himself  (c/cetvos)  as  affected  at  that 
memorable  moment  by  the  fact  which 
he  records,  in  order  that  it  may  create 
in  others  the  present  faith  (iruTTeorrrt) 
which  it  had  created  in  his  own  soul. 
The  comment  from  this  point  is  there- 
fore perfectly  compatible  with  the  iden- 
tification of  the  witness  and  the  author. 

We  may  however  go  further.  The 
comment  is  not  only  compatible  with  the 
identification;  it  favours  the  identifica- 
tion, not  indeed  by  the  use  of  the  par- 
ticular pronoun,  which  tells  neither  one 
way  nor  the  other,  but  by  the  whole  con- 
struction of  the  passage.  The  witness  is 
spoken  of  as  something  which  abides 
after  it  has  been  given;  he  hath  borne 


THE   GOSPEL  OF  ST.  JOHN. 


XXVll 


witness  ;  and,  more  than  this,  the  witness 
is  given  still;  he  knowetk  that  he  saith 
true;  and,  yet  again,  the  giver  of  the 
witness  sets  himself  in  contrast  with  his 
readers;  he  hath  given  his  witness... that 
ye  may  believe.  It  is  not  possible  then 
to  doubt  that  the  words  taken  in  their 
context  assert  that  the  eye-witness  was 
still  living  when  the  record  was  written ' ; 
and  if  so,  it  is  most  natural  to  suppose 
that  his  present  utterance,  to  which  ap- 
peal is  made,  is  that  contained  in  the 
Gospel  itself.  It  is  difficult  to  appreciate 
the  evidential  force  of  an  appeal  to  the 
consciousness  of  an  undefined  witness. 

In  this  connexion  another  point  must 
be  observed.  If  the  author  were  appeal- 
ing to  the  testimony  of  a  third  person  he 
would  almost  necessarily  have  used  an 
aorist  and  not  a  perfect,  he  that  saw  bore 
witness,  and  not  he  that  hath  seen  hath 
borne  witness.  For  the  mere  narrator 
the  testimony  centres  in  the  moment  at 
which  it  was  rendered ;  for  the  witness 
himself  it  is  a  continuous  part  of  his  own 
life. 

The  conclusion  to  which  these  remarks 
converge  will  appear  still  more  certain  if 
the  comment  be  reduced  to  its  simplest 
elements.  If  it  had.  stood,  He  that  hath 
seen  hath  borne  witness,  that  ye  also  may 
believe,  no  ordinary  reader  would  have 
doubted  that  the  writer  was  appealing  to 
his  own  experience,  recorded  in  the  his- 
tory, since  no  other  testimony  is  quoted. 
But  the  intercalated  clauses  do  not  in 
any  way  interfere  with  this  interpretation. 
They  simply  point  out,  as  has  been  al- 
ready noticed,  the  relation  in  which  this 
special  statement  stands  to  its  attestation. 
They  shew  that  this  testimony  satisfies 
the  two  conditions,  which  must  be  rati- 
fied for  the  establishment  of  its  authority, 
that  it  is  adequate  in  relation  to  its 
source,  and  that  it  is  correct  in  its  actual 
details.  For  a  witness  may  give  true 
evidence  and  yet  miss  the  essential  fea- 
tures of  that  of  which  he  speaks.  Hence 
the  writer  affirms  the  competency  of 
the  witness,  while  he  affirms  also  that 
the  testimony  itself  was  exact. 

On  the  whole  therefore  the  statement 
which  we  have  considered  is  not  only 
compatible  with  the  identity  of  the  eye- 
witness and  the  writer  of  the  Gospel, 

1  This  conclusion  holds  good  to  whomsoever 
the  comment  be  referred. 


but  it  also  suggests,  even  if  it  does  not 
necessarily  involve,  the  identification  of 
the  two.  On  the  other  hand,  the  only 
other  possible  interpretation  of  the  pas- 
sage is  wholly  pointless.  It  supposes  that 
an  appeal  is  made  with  singular  emphasis 
to  an  unknown  witness,  who  is  said  to  be 
conscious  of  the  truthfulness  of  his  own 
testimony.  Such  a  comment  could  find 
no  place  in  the  connexion  in  which 
the  words  stand. 

(c)  Ch.  xxi.  24.  The  third  passage 
which  occurs  in  the  appendix  to  the 
Gospel  (ch.  xxi.)  is  different  in  character 
from  the  other  two.  After  the  narrative 
of  the  Lord's  saying  with  regard  to  "  the 
disciple  whom  he  loved,"  the  record  con- 
tinues :  this  is  the  disciple  who  witnesseth 
concerning  these  things,  and  who  wrote 
these  things:  and  we  know  that  his  witness 
is  true  (OVTO'S  «rriv  d  p.a6rjr>]<;  d  fiaprvpwv 
Trept  TovT<av  Kai  d  ypai/fas  ravra,  *cai  oiSa/xev 
OTI  d\r)6rj<i  aurov  r)  /laprupta  «rriV).  There 
can  be  no  doubt  as  to  the  meaning  of 
the  words.  The  writing  of  the  Gospel  is 
distinctly  assigned  by  them  to  "  the  be- 
loved disciple"  (v.  21).  But  it  is  not  at 
once  obvious  to  whom  the  words  are  to 
be  assigned.  Is  the  author  of  the  Gospel 
himself  the  speaker?  or  must  the  note 
be  referred  to  others  who  published  his 
Gospel,  as,  for  example,  to  the  Ephesian 
elders?  Before  we  attempt  to  answer 
this  question  it  must  be  observed  that 
whichever  view  be  taken,  the  sentence 
contains  a  declaration  as  to  the  author- 
ship of  the  Gospel  contemporaneous 
with  its  publication,  for  there  is  not  the 
least  evidence  that  the  Gospel  was  ever 
circulated  in  the  Church  without  the 
epilogue  (ch.  xxl).  And  yet  further,  the 
declaration  extends  both  to  the  sub- 
stantial authorship  (he  that  witnesseth  con- 
cerning these  things)  and  also  to  the 
literal  authorship  of  the  record  (he  that 
wrote  these  things).  So  much  is  clear; 
but  perhaps  it  is  impossible  to  press  the 
present  tense  (he  that  witnesseth}  as  a 
certain  proof  that  the  author  was  still 
alive  when  the  work  was  sent  forth. 
The  form  as  it  stands  here  by  itself 
may  simply  indicate  the  vital  continuity  of 
his  testimony.  However  this  may  be, 
the  note  at  least  emphasizes  what  was  felt 
to  be  a  real  presence  of  the  writer  in  the 
society  to  which  he  belonged. 

If  we  now  proceed  to  fix  the  author- 


XXV111 


INTRODUCTION   TO 


ship  of  the  note,  it  will  at  once  appear 
that  the  passage  (xix.  35)  which  has  been 
already  considered  practically  decides 
the  question.  The  contrast  between  the 
two  notes  is  complete.  In  that  the  note 
is  given  in  the  singular  and  in  the  third 
person;  in  this  it  is  given  in  the  plural  and 
in  the  first  person.  In  that  the  witness 
is  regarded  as  isolated  and  remote  (he 
that. ..and  he...}}  in  this  the  witness  is 
regarded  as  present  (this  is...}.  If  we 
believe  that  the  former  is,  as  has  been 
shewn,  a  personal  affirmation  of  the 
writer  himself,  it  seems  almost  impos- 
sible to  believe  that  this  is  a  personal 
affirmation  also.  No  sufficient  reason 
can  be  given  for  the  complete  change  of 
position  which  he  assumes  towards  his 
own  work.  The  plural  (we  know]  by  it- 
self would  be  capable  of  explanation,  but 
the  transition  from  the  historical  singular 
(this  is...)  to  the  direct  plural  (we know. ..} 
is  so  harsh  and  sudden  as  to  be  all  but 
inadmissible ;  and  the  difficulty  is  aggra- 
vated by  the  occurrence  of  the  first 
person  singular  (/  suppose}  in  the  next 
sentence.  On  the  other  hand,  if  we 
bear  in  mind  that  the  Gospel  as  origi- 
nally composed  ended  with  xx.  31,  to 
which  xxi.  25  may  have  been  attached, 
and  that  the  narratives  in  xxi.  i — 23 
were  drawn  up  by  the  same  author  at  a 
later  time  under  circumstances  which 
called  for  some  authoritative  interpreta- 
tion of  a  mistaken  tradition,  we  can 
readily  understand  how  the  note  was 
added  to  the  record  by  those  who  had 
sought  for  this  additional  explanation  of 
the  Lord's  words,  and  preserved  when 
the  completed  Gospel  was  issued  to  the 
Church.  At  the  same  time,  if  v.  25 
formed  the  last  clause  of  the  original 
Gospel,  it  would  naturally  be  transferred 
to  the  end  of  the  enlarged  record. 

The  general  result  of  the  examination 
of  these  passages  is  thus  tolerably  dis- 
tinct. The  fourth  Gospel  claims  to  be 
written  by  an  eye-witness,  and  this  claim 
is  attested  by  those  who  put  the  work  in 
circulation. 

2.     External  evidence  as  to  the  author- 
ship. 

In  considering  the  external  evidence1 

1  The  character  of  the  present  Introduction 
necessarily  excludes  detailed  criticism  of  the 


for  the  authorship  of  the  Fourth  Gospel, 
it  is  necessary  to  bear  in  mind  the  con- 
ditions under  which  it  must  be  sought. 
It  is  agreed  on  all  hands  that  the  Gospel 
was  written  at  a  late  date,  towards  the 
close  of  the  first  century,  when  the 
Evangelic  tradition,  preserved  in  com- 
plementary forms  in  the  Synoptic  Gospels, 
had  gained  general  currency,  and  from 
its  wide  spread  had  practically  deter- 
mined the  popular  view  of  the  life  and 
teaching  of  the  Lord.  And  further,  the 
substance  of  the  record  deals  with  prob- 
lems which  belong  to  the  life  of  the 
Church  and  to  a  more  fully  developed 
faith.  On  both  grounds  references  to 
the  contents  of  this  Gospel  would  natu- 
rally be  rarer  in  ordinary  literature  than 
references  to  the  contents  of  the  other 
Gospels.  Express  citations  are  made 
from  all  about  the  same  time. 

Christian  theological  literature  prac- 
tically begins  for  us  with  Irenseus,  Cle- 
ment of  Alexandria,  and  Tertullian,  and 
these  writers  use  the  four  Gospels  as 
fully  and  decisively  as  any  modern  writer. 
The  few  letters  and  apostolic  treatises 
and  fragments  which  represent  the  earlier 
literature  of  the  second  century  give 
very  little  scope  for  the  direct  use  of  the 
New  Testament.  But  it  is  most  signifi- 
cant that  Eusebius,  who  had  access  to 
many  works  which  are  now  lost,  speaks 
without  reserve  of  the  Fourth  Gospel  as 
the  unquestioned  work  of  St  John,  no 
less  than  those  three  great  representative 
Fathers  who  sum  up  the  teaching  of  the 
century.  If  he  had  known  of  any  doubts 
as  to  its  authorship  among  ecclesiastical 
writers,  he  would  without  question  have 
mentioned  these,  as  he  has  quoted  the 
criticism  of  Dionysius  of  Alexandria  on 
the  Apocalypse. 

We  start  then  with  the  undeniable  fact 
that  about  the  last  quarter  of  the  second 
century,  when  from  the  nature  of  the 
case  clear  evidence  can  first  be  obtained, 
the  Gospel  was  accepted  as  authoritative 
by  heretical  writers  like  Ptolemseus  and 

authorities  which  are  quoted.  But  it  may  be 
said,  once  for  all,  that  the  passages  which  are  set 
down  are  used  after  a  careful  examination  of  all 
that  has  been  urged  against  their  validity.  The 
original  texts  have  been  discussed  in  detail  by 
Dr  Sanday  ('The  Gospels  in  the  Second  Century,' 
1876)  and  by  Dr  Lightfoot  in  the  'Contemporary 
Review,'  1875,  f.,  who  have  noticed  at  length 
the  most  recent  literature  on  the  subject. 


THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  JOHN. 


XXIX 


Heracleon,  and  used  by  the  opponents 
of  Christ  like  Celsus,  and  assigned  to 
St  John  by  Fathers  in  Gaul,  Alexandria, 
and  North  Africa,  who  claimed  to  re- 
produce the  ancient  tradition  of  their 
churches,  and  this  with  perfect  natural- 
ness, there  being  evidently  no  trace 
within  their  knowledge  of  a  contrary 
opinion.  It  is  true  that  the  Gospel  was 
not  received  by  Marcion,  but  there  is  no 
evidence  to  shew  that  he  was  influenced 
by  anything  but  subjective  considera- 
tions in  the  formation  of  his  collection 
of  Scriptures.  Irenaeus  also  mentions  an 
earlier  sect,  of  doubtful  affinity,  which, 
claiming  for  itself  the  possession  of  pro- 
phetic gifts,  rejected  the  Gospel  of  St 
John  and  its  characteristic  promises  of 
the  Paraclete  (Iren.  -'c.  Haer.'  in.  n.  9, 
"Alii  ut  donum  Spiritus  frustrentur 
quod  in  novissimis  temporibus  secundum 
placitum  Patris  effusum  est  in  humanum 
genus,  illam  speciem  non  admittunt 
quae  est  secundum  Joannis  evangelium, 
in  qua  Paracletum  se  missurum  Dominus 
promisit;  sed  simul  et  evangelium  et  pro- 
pheticum  repellunt  Spiritum").  But  the 
language  of  Irenaeus  lends  no  support  to 
the  supposition  that  this  sect  questioned 
the  authority  of  the  Gospel  on  critical 
grounds.  At  the  same  time  it  must  be 
noticed  that  Epiphanius  ('  Haer.'  LI.  3) 
and  Philastrius  ('  Haer.'  60)  assert  that 
a  body  of  men  whom  they  call  Alogi 
assigned  the  authorship  of  the  Gospel 
and  of  the  Apocalypse  to  Cerinthus. 
The  statement  as  it  stands  is  scarcely 
intelligible ;  and  it  seems  to  have  arisen 
from  the  mistaken  extension  to  the 
authorship  of  the  Gospel,  by  way  of  ex- 
plaining its  rejection,  of  a  late  conjecture 
as  to  the  authorship  of  the  Apocalypse. 

Such  an  exception  can  have  no  weight 
against  the  uniform  ecclesiastical  tradi- 
tion with  which  it  is  contrasted.  This 
tradition  can  be  carried  still  further  back 
than  Irenaeus,  who  is  its  fullest  exponent 
The  first  quotation  of  the  Gospel  by 
name  is  made  by  THEOPHILUS  of  An- 
tioch  (c.  181  A.D.):  "  ...The  holy  Scrip- 
tures teach  us,  and  all  the  inspired  men 
(01  7rv€u/xaTo<£o'poi),  one  of  whom  John 
saith :  In  the  beginning  was  the  Word, 
and  the  Word  was  God... Afterwards  he 
saith:  and  the  Word  was  God :  all  things 
were  made  through  Him,  and  without 
Him  was  not  even  one  thing  made  ('  ad 


Autol.'  11.  22).  ATHENAGORAS  (c.  176 
A.  D.)  paraphrases  and  combines  the  lan- 
guage of  the  Gospel  in  such  a  way  as 
to  shew  that  it  was  both  familiar  and 
authoritative,  and  had  been  carefully 
weighed  by  him :  "The  Son  of  God  is  the 
Word  of  the  Father  in  idea  and  actually 
(ev  iSe'a  Koi  evepyeta).  For  all  things  were 
made  in  dependence  on  Him  and  through 
Him  (wpds  avrov  [Acts  xxvii.  34]  /cal  6V 
aurov),  the  Father  and  the  Son  being  One. 
But  since  the  Son  is  in  the  Father  and 
the  Father  in  the  Son,  by  unity  and  power 
of  the  Spirit  (Ivorrfn  KOI  SiW/xci  irvevfJ.a- 
TOS),  the  Son  of  God  is  the  Mind  and 
Word  of  the  Father"  ('Leg.'  10;  comp. 
John  i.  3,  x.  30,  xvii.  21).  About  the 
same  time  CLAUDIUS  APOLLINARIS, 
bishop  of  Hierapolis,  speaking  of  the 
different  opinions  as  to  the  day  of  the 
Last  Supper,  evidently  treats  "the  dis- 
agreement of  the  Gospels"  (i.e.  the  Sy- 
noptists  and  St  John)  as  something 
really  out  of  the  question  (Routh,  'Rell.' 
i.  167  ff.;  comp.  'Hist,  of  N.  T.  Canon,' 
p.  224) ;  and  he  gives  an  explana- 
tion of  John  xix.  34  (see  note),  which 
shews  that  the  incident  had  become  a 
subject  of  deep  speculation.  Still  earlier 
TATIAN,  the  scholar  of  Justin  (c.  160 
A.  D.),  quotes  words  of  the  Gospel  as  well 
known  :  "This  is  in  fact,"  he  says,  "that 
which  hath  been  said  :  The  darkness  ap- 
prehendeth  not  the  light"  ('Orat.'  13, 
TOUTO  COTIV  dpa  TO  flpr)fjL€vov  [Acts  ii.  1 6] 
77  (TKOTia.  TO  <£u>s  ov  «aTaXa/x)8avc(,  John 
i.  5;  comp.  John  i.  3  with  'Orat.'  19); 
and  the  latest  criticism  confirms  the  old 
belief  that  his  '  Diatessaron '  was  con- 
structed from  the  texts  of  the  four  Canon- 
ical Gospels  (Lightfoot,  '  Contemporary 
Review,'  May,  1877). 

So  far  the  line  of  testimony  appears 
to  be  absolutely  beyond  doubt.  The 
traces  of  the  use  of  the  fourth  Gospel 
in  the  interval  between  TOO — 160  A.  D. 
are  necessarily  less  clear;  but  as  far  as 
they  can  be  observed  they  are  not  only 
in  perfect  harmony  with  the  belief  in  its 
apostolic  origin,  but  materially  strengthen 
this  belief. 

The  EPISTLE  OF  CLEMENT  to  the 
Corinthians  was  probably  written  before 
the  Gospel  of  St  John,  but  already  this 
writing  shews  traces  of  the  forms  of 
thought  which  are  characteristic  of  the 
book  (cc.  vn.  xxxvi.  '  Hist,  of  Canon  of 


XXX 


INTRODUCTION  TO 


N.  T.'  pp.  25  f.).  The  EPISTLE  OF 
BARNABAS  again  offers  some  correspond- 
ences and  more  contrasts  with  the  teach- 
ing of  St  John  in  the  common  region  of 
"  mystical "  religious  thought.  In  the 
LETTERS  OF  IGNATIUS,  which  even  if 
they  are  not  authentic  certainly  fall 
within  the  first  half  of  the  century, 
the  influence  of  the  teaching,  if  not  de- 
monstrably  of  the  writings,  of  St  John 
is  more  direct.  The  true  meat  of  the 
Christian,  for  example,  is  said  to  be 
the  "  bread  of  God,  the  bread  of  heaven, 
the  bread  of  life,  which  is  the  flesh  of  Jesus 
Christ?  and  his  drink  is  "  Christ's  blood, 
which  is  love  incorruptible  "  ('  ad  Rom.' 
vn.;  comp.  John  vi.  32,  51,  53).  And 
again :  "  The  Spirit  is  not  led  astray,  as 
being  from  God.  For  it  knoweth  whence 
it  cometh  and  whither  it  goeth,  and  testeth 
(tXe'yxci)  that  which  is  hidden"  ('ad 
Philad.'  vn. ;  comp.  John  iii.  8,  xvi.  8). 

It  is  however  with  POLYCARP  and 
PAPIAS  '  that  the  decisive  testimony  to 
the  authenticity  of  St  John's  writings 
really  begins.  Recent  investigations, 
independent  of  all  theological  interests, 
have  fixed  the  martyrdom  of  Polycarp 
in  155 — 6  A.D.  (See  Lightfoot,  'Con- 
temporary Review,'  1875,  P-  83^0  At 
the  time  of  his  death  he  had  been  a 
Christian  for  eighty-six  years  ('Mart. 
Polyc.'  c.  ix.).  He  must  then  have  been 
alive  during  the  greater  part  of  St  John's 
residence  in  Asia,  and  there  is  no  reason 
for  questioning  the  truth  of  the  state- 
ments that  he  "  associated  with  the 
Apostles  in  Asia  (e.g.  John,  Andrew, 
Philip;  comp.  Lightfoot's  '  Colossians,' 
pp.  45  f.),  and  was  entrusted  with  the 
oversight  of  the  Church  in  Smyrna  by 
those  who  were  eye-witnesses  and 
ministers  of  the  Lord "  (Euseb.  '  H.  E.' 
in.  36 ;  comp.  Iren.  '  c.  Haer.'  in.  3.  4). 
Thus,  like  St  John  himself,  he  lived  to 
unite  two  ages.  When  already  old  he 
used  to  speak  to  his  scholars  of  "his 
intercourse  with  John  and  the  rest  of 
those  who  had  seen  the  Lord "  (Iren. 
'  Ep.  ad  Flor.'  §  2) ;  and  Irenseus,  in  his 
later  years,  vividly  recalled  the  teaching 
which  he  had  heard  from  him  as  a  boy 

1  For  a  complete  discussion  of  the  historical 
position  of  these  two  Fathers  in  regard  to  early 
Christian  teaching  and  literature,  see  the  articles 
of  Dr  Lightfoot  in  the  'Contemporary  Review' 
for  May,  August  and  October,  1875. 


(Iren.  /.  c. ;  comp.  'c.  Haer.'  in.  3.  4). 
There  is  no  room  in  this  brief  succession 
for  the  introduction  of  new  writings 
under  the  name  of  St  John.  Irenaeus 
cannot  with  any  reason  be  supposed  to 
have  assigned  to  the  fourth  Gospel  the 
place  which  he  gives  to  it  unless  he  had 
received  it  with  the  sanction  of  Polycarp. 
The  person  of  Polycarp,  the  living  sign 
of  the  unity  of  the  faith  of  the  first  and 
second  centuries,  is  in  itself  a  sure  proof 
of  the  apostolicity  of  the  Gospel.  Is  it 
conceivable  that  in  his  lifetime  such  a 
revolution  was  accomplished  that  his 
disciple  Irenaeus  was  not  only  deceived 
as  to  the  authorship  of  the  book,  but 
was  absolutely  unaware  that  the  con- 
tinuity of  the  tradition  in  which  he 
boasted  had  been  completely  broken? 
One  short  letter  of  Polycarp,  with  which 
Irenaeus  was  acquainted  (Iren.  /.  c.),  has 
been  preserved.  In  this  there  is  a  strik- 
ing coincidence  with  the  language  of 
i  John:  "Everyone,"  he  writes,  "who 
doth  not  confess  that  Jesus  Christ  hath 
come  in  the  flesh,  is  antichrist "  ('  ad 
Phil.'  vn.;  comp.  i  John  iv.  2,  3).  The 
sentence  is  not  a  mere  quotation,  but  a 
reproduction  of  St  John's  thought  in 
compressed  language  which  is  all  bor- 
rowed from  him  (TTOS,  os  av,  6p.oXoyeiv 
'I.  X.  ev  vapid  fXrjXvOevai,  avTtxpurros). 
The  words  of  St  John  have,  so  to  speak, 
been  shaped  into  a  popular  formula. 
And  if  it  be  said  that  the  reference  to 
the  Epistle  shews  nothing  as  to  the 
Gospel,  the  reply  is  that  the  authorship 
of  the  two  cannot  reasonably  be  sepa- 
rated. A  testimony  to  one  is  necessarily 
by  inference  a  testimony  to  the  other. 

The  testimony  of  PAPIAS  to  the  Gospel 
of  St  John,  is,  like  that  of  Polycarp, 
secondary  and  inferential.  Papias,  ac- 
cording to  Eusebius,  "  used  testimonies 
from  the  former  epistle  of  John"  (Euseb. 
'  H.  E.'  in.  39).  The  mention  of  this 
fact,  as  the  epistle  was  universally  re- 
ceived, is  remarkable;  but  the  Catholic 
Epistles  formed  an  exceptional  group  of 
writings,  and  it  is  perhaps  on  this  account 
that  Eusebius  goes  beyond  his  prescribed 
rule  in  noticing  the  use  which  was  made 
even  of  those  among  them  which  were 
"acknowledged."  At  any  rate  the  use 
of  the  Epistle  by  Papias  points  to  his 
acquaintance  with  the  Gospel.  Several 
minute  details  in  the  fragment  of  the 


THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  JOHN. 


XXXI 


preface  to  his  "  Exposition  of  Oracles  of 
the  Lord"  tend  in  the  same  direction. 
And  there  is  a  remarkable  tradition  found 
in  a  preface  to  a  Latin  MS.  of  the 
Gospel  which  assigns  to  Papias  an  ac- 
count of  the  composition  of  the  Gospel 
similar  to  that  given  in  the  Muratorian 
fragment  (see  'Canon  of  N.  T.'  p.  76,  n.). 

But  it  is  said  that  if  Papias  had  used 
the  Gospel  Eusebius  would  not  have 
neglected  to  notice  the  fact.  The  state- 
ment rests  on  a  complete  misunderstand- 
ing of  what  Eusebius  professed  to  do. 
He  did  not  undertake  to  collect  refer- 
ences to  "the  acknowledged  books," 
among  which  he  placed  the  four  Gospels, 
so  that  however  often  Papias  might  have 
quoted  St  John's  Gospel,  Eusebius  would 
not  according  to  his  plan  have  noticed 
the  fact,  unless  something  of  special 
interest  had  been  added  to  the  reference 
(comp.  'Hist,  of  N.  T.  Canon,'  pp.  229 
f. ;  Lightfoot,  '  Contemporary  Review,' 
1875,  pp.  169  ff.). 

The  object  of  Papias  was,  as  has  been 
shewn  elsewhere,  to  illustrate  the  evan- 
gelic records  by  such  information  as  he 
could  gain  from  the  earliest  disciples; 
and  it  is  by  no  means  unlikely  that  the 
"history  of  the  woman  taken  in  adul- 
tery," which  has  found  a  place  in  the 
Gospel  of  St  John,  was  recorded  by  him 
in  illustration  of  John  viii.  15  (see  note 
ad  loc.). 

In  close  connexion  with  Papias  stand 
"  the  elders  "  quoted  by  Irenaeus,  among 
whose  words  is  one  clear  reference  to 
St  John  (Iren.  v.  36.  2) :  "  for  this  reason 
[they  taught]  the  Lord  said,  there  are 
many  mansions  in  my  Father's  home  (cv 

TOtS    TOU    TTttT/aOS    /AOU    /AOVdS     flVOLl    TTOAAdS. 

John  xiv.  2.  Comp.  Luke  ii.  49).  The 
quotation  is  anonymous,  but  it  is  taken 
from  a  writing  and  not  from  tradition ; 
and  the  context  makes  it  at  least  highly 
probable  that  the  passage  was  quoted 
from  Papias'  '  Exposition.' 

Whatever  may  be  thought  of  the  pass- 
ing references  of  Polycarp  and  Papias  to 
the  writings  of  St  John,  the  main  value 
of  their  testimony  lies  in  the  fact  that 
they  represent  what  can  justly  be  called 
a  school  of  St  John.  Papias  like  Poly- 
carp  may  himself  have  heard  the  Apostle 
(Iren.  v.  33.  4).  At  least  he  studied 
with  Polycarp  (Iren.  /.  c.).  And  he  had 
still  another  point  of  connexion  with 


the  apostolic  body.  He  conversed  at 
Hierapolis  with  two  daughters  of  the 
Apostle  Philip  (Euseb.  '  H.  E.'  HI.  39 ; 
Lightfoot,  '  Colossians,'  45  ff.).  Nor 
were  these  two  men  alone.  There  were 
many  about  them,  like  the  elders  quoted 
by  Irenaeus,  who  shared  in  the  same  life. 
The  succession  was  afterwards  continued 
at  Sardis  through  Melito,  at  Ephesus 
through  Polycrates  (comp.  Euseb.  'H.  E.' 
v.  22),  at  Hierapolis  through  Claudius 
Apollinaris,  at  Lyons  through  Pothinus 
and  Irenaeus  (compare  also  the  '  Epistle 
of  the  Churches  of  Vienne  and  Lyons,' 
c.  4,  177  A.D.);  and  the  concordant  testi- 
mony of  the  latest  witnesses  in  these 
different  Churches  is  a  sure  proof  that 
they  preserved  the  belief  which  had  been 
held  from  the  first  by  the  school  to 
which  they  belonged  (comp.  Lightfoot, 
'Contemporary  Review,'  August,  1876). 

The  testimony  to  the  Gospel  of  St 
John  is,  as  might  have  been  expected 
on  the  assumption  of  its  authenticity, 
most  clear  among  the  writers  who  stood 
in  the  closest  connexion  with  his  teach- 
ing. But  it  is  not  confined  to  them. 
JUSTIN  MARTYR  certainly  appears  to 
have  been  acquainted  with  the  book. 
His  evidence  is  somewhat  obscure. 
All  his  references  to  the  Gospels  are 
anonymous;  but  at  the  same  time  his 
description  of  "  the  Memoirs  "  as  written 
"by  the  Apostles  and  those  who  followed 
them"  ('Dial.'  103),  exactly  answers  to 
our  present  collection  of  four.  And 
though  the  coincidences  of  language 
between  Justin  and  St  John  are  not 
such  as  to  establish  beyond  question 
Justin's  dependence  on  the  Evangelist, 
this  at  least  is  the  most  natural  explana- 
tion of  the  similarity  ('  Hist,  of  N.  T. 
Canon,'  p.  166,  n.).  And  more  than 
this,  his  acquaintance  with  the  Valen- 
tinians  ('Dial.'  35;  comp.  Iren.  in.  n. 
7,  "  qui  a  Valentino  sunt  eo  [Evangelic] 
quod  est  secundum  lohannem  plenis- 
sime  utentes...")  shews  that  the  fourth 
Gospel  could  not  have  been  unknown  to 
him. 

Justin's  teaching  on  the  Word  is  per- 
haps a  still  more  important  indication  of 
the  influence  of  St  John.  This  teaching 
presupposes  the  teaching  of  St  John, 
and  in  many  details  goes  beyond  it. 
Thoughts  which  are  characteristically 
Alexandrine,  as  distinguished  from  He- 


XXX11 


INTRODUCTION   TO 


braic,  find  a  place  in  Justin;  and  he 
shews  not  only  how  little  power  there 
was  in  the  second  century  to  fashion 
such  a  doctrine  as  that  of  the  fourth 
Gospel,  but  also  how  little  Christian 
speculation  was  able  to  keep  within  the 
limits  laid  down  by  the  Apostles. 

The  SHEPHERD  OF  HERMAS  offers  an 
instructive  example  of  the  precarious- 
ness  of  the  argument  from  silence.  The 
book  contains  no  definite  quotations  from 
the  Old  or  New  Testament.  The  allu- 
sions which  have  been  found  in  it  to 
the  characteristic  teaching  of  St  John 
are  I  believe  real,  but  they  are  not  un- 
questionable. Yet  it  is  certain  from  an 
independent  testimony,  that  the  Gospel 
was  accepted  as  one  of  the  four  Gospels 
almost  at  the  same  date  when  the  book 
was  written,  and  probably  in  the  same 
place.  The  Muratorian  Fragment  notices 
that  the  Shepherd  was  written  "very 
lately  (c.  170  A.D.)  in  our  times,  in  the 
city  of  Rome,"  and  at  the  same  time 
speaks  of  the  Gospel  according  to  St  John 
as  "the  fourth"  Gospel  in  such  a  way  as 
to  mark  its  general  recognition  ('Hist,  of 
N.  T.  Canon,'  pp.  2 1 1  ff. ;  see  below,  n. 
§  2).  To  the  same  date  also  must  be  refer- 
red the  two  great  translations  of  the  East 
and  West,  the  Syriac  and  Latin,  in  which 
the  four  Gospels  stand  without  rivals. 

Outside  the  Church  the  testimony  to 
the  general  use  of  St  John's  Gospel  is 
both  early  and  decisive.  In  the  quota- 
tions from  early  heretical  writers  the  re- 
ferences to  it  are  comparatively  frequent. 
In  many  cases  its  teaching  formed  the 
starting-point  of  their  partial  and  erro- 
neous conclusions.  The  first  Commen- 
tary on  the  Gospel  was  written  by  He- 
racleon  (c.  175  A.D.);  and  his  copy  of 
the  book  had  already  been  defaced  by 
false  readings.  At  an  earlier  date  the 
Gospel  was  used  by  the  author  of  the 
Clementine  Homilies,  by  Valentinus  and 
his  school,  by  the  Ophites,  and  by  Ba- 
silides  ('Hist,  of  N.  T.  Canon,'  282  ff., 
Sanday,  'The  Gospels  in  the  Second 
Century,'  pp.  292  ff.). 

The  testimony  of  Basilides  is  of  singu- 
lar interest.  'The  Refutation  of  Heresies,' 
attributed  to  Hippolytus,  which  was  first 
published  in  1851,  contains  numerous 
quotations  from  his  writings  and  from  the 
writings  of  his  school.  In  one  passage 
at  least  where  there  can  be  no  reason- 


able doubt  that  the  author  of  the  '  Refu- 
tation' is  quoting  Basilides  himself  (c. 
130  A.D.),  a  phrase  from  the  Gospel  of 
St  John  is  used  as  the  authoritative  basis 
for  a  mystical  explanation  ('Ref.  Haer.,' 

VII.  22). 

In  reviewing  these  traces  of  the  use 
of  the  Gospel  in  the  first  three-quarters 
of  a  century  after  it  was  written,  we 
readily  admit  that  they  are  less  dis- 
tinct and  numerous  than  those  might 
have  expected  who  are  unacquainted 
with  the  character  of  the  literary  re- 
mains of  the  period.  But  it  will  be 
observed  that  all  the  evidence  points  in 
one  direction.  There  is  not,  with  one 
questionable  exception,  any  positive  in- 
dication that  doubt  was  anywhere  thrown 
upon  the  authenticity  of  the  book.  It  is 
possible  to  explain  away  in  detail  this 
piece  of  evidence  and  that,  but  the  ac- 
ceptance of  the  book  as  the  work  of  the 
Apostle  adequately  explains  all  the  phe- 
nomena without  any  violence;  and  hither- 
to all  the  new  evidence  which  has  come 
to  light  has  supported  this  universal  be- 
lief of  the  Christian  Society,  while  it  has 
seriously  modified  the  rival  theories  which 
have  been  set  up  against  it. 

II.  THE  COMPOSITION  OF  THE  GOSPEL. 
i.    The  Author. 

The  facts  bearing  upon  the  life  of 
St  John  which  are  recorded  in  the  New 
Testament  are  soon  told.  He  was  the 
son,  apparently  the  younger  son,  of 
Zebedee  and  Salome  (Mark  xv.  40, 
xvi.  i,  compared  with  Matt,  xxvii.  56). 
Salome,  as  it  appears  from  John  xix.  25 
(see  note),  was  the  sister  of  "the  Mother 
of  the  Lord,"  so  that  St  John  was  the 
cousin  of  the  Lord  "according  to  the 
flesh."  He  was  probably  younger  than 
the  Lord  and  than  the  other  apostles. 
It  is  therefore  easily  intelligible  that  his 
near  connexion  by  birth,  combined  with 
the  natural  enthusiasm  of  youth,  offered 
the  outward  occasion  for  the  peculiar 
closeness  in  which  he  stood  to  Christ. 

Of  his  father  Zebedee,  a  fisherman 
probably  of  Bethsaida  or  the  neighbour- 
hood (John  i.  41  ff.),  nothing  is  known 
except  that  he  was  sufficiently  prosperous 
to  have  hired  servants  (Mark  i.  20).  At 
a  later  time  Salome  appears  as  one  of 
the  women  who  followed  the  Lord  and 


THE   GOSPEL   OF  ST.  JOHN. 


XXXlll 


"  ministered  to  Him  of  their  substance  " 
(Mark  xv.  40  f.,  compared  with  Luke 
viii.  3).  And  it  is  clear  from  John  xix. 
27  that  the  apostle  had  some  means. 

Like  the  other  apostles,  with  the  single 
exception  of  Judas  Iscariot,  St  John  was 
a  Galilaean.  The  fact  has  a  moral  value. 
When  the  rest  of  the  Jewish  nation  was 
drawn  partly  to  political  intrigues,  partly 
to  speculations  of  the  schools,  the  people 
of  Galilee  retained  much  of  the  simple 
faith  and  stern  heroism  of  earlier  times. 
It  was  made  a  reproach  to  them  that 
they  were  unskilled  in  the  traditions, 
and  kept  to  the  letter  of  the  Law  (comp. 
vii.  52,  note).  The  rising  of  Judas  "in 
the  days  of  the  taxing"  (Acts  v.  37)  may 
have  been  a  hopeless  outburst  of  fanati- 
cism, but  at  least  it  shewed  that  there 
were  many  in  Galilee  who  were  ready  to 
die  for  the  confession  that  they  had  "no 
lord  or  master  but  God."  The  same 
spirit  appears  in  the  multitude  who  would 
have  "  taken  Jesus  by  force  "  at  the  lake 
of  Tiberias  and  made  Him  king  (vi.  14  f.). 
They  were  ready  to  do  and  to  suffer  some- 
thing for  their  eager  if  mistaken  Mes- 
sianic hope.  It  was  amidst  the  memories 
of  such  conflicts,  and  in  an  atmosphere 
of  passionate  longing,  that  St  John  grew 
up.  And  in  some  measure  he  shared 
the  aspirations  of  his  countrymen  if  he 
avoided  their  errors.  When  the  Baptist 
proclaimed  the  advent  of  Christ,  St  John 
was  at  once  ranged  among  his  disciples. 
And  more  than  this :  though  "  simple 
and  unlettered"  (Acts  iv.  13),  he  appears 
to  have  grasped  with  exceptional  power 
the  spiritual  import  of  the  Baptist's  mes- 
sage, who  directed  him  immediately  to 
Christ  as  "  the  Lamb  of  God."  St  John 
obeyed  the  sign,  and  followed  without 
delay  the  Master  who  was  mysteriously 
pointed  out  to  him.  Thus  from  the  first 
the  idea  of  sovereignty  was  mingled  with 
that  of  redemption,  the  issue  of  victory 
with  the  way  of  suffering,  in  the  concep- 
tion of  the  work  of  the  Messiah  whom 
he  welcomed. 

The  ardour  of  the  Galilaean  temper 
remained  in  the  apostle.  St  John  with 
his  brother  St  James  received  from  the 
Lord  (Mark  iii.  17)  the  remarkable  sur- 
name, Boanerges,  "sons  of  thunder." 
Thunder  in  the  Hebrew  idiom  is  "the 
voice  of  God;"  and  the  sons  of  Zebedee 
appear  to  have  given  swift,  startling,  ve- 


hement utterance  to  the  divine  truth 
which  they  felt  within  them.  Theirs  was 
not  characteristically  the  decisive  action, 
but  the  sudden  moving  word  which  wit- 
nessed to  the  inner  fire.  It  may  have 
been  some  stern  voice  which  marked 
St  James  as  the  first  martyr  among  the 
apostles.  Certainly  the  sayings  of  St  John 
which  are  recorded  by  St  Luke  correspond 
with  the  prophetic  energy  which  the  title 
indicates  (Luke  ix.  49  ||  Mark  ix.  38; 
comp.  Num.  xi.  28;  Luke  ix.  54).  His 
zeal  was  undisciplined,  but  it  was  loyal 
and  true.  He  knew  that  to  be  with 
Christ  was  life,  to  reject  Christ  was 
death ;  and  he  did  not  shrink  from  ex- 
pressing the  thought  in  the  spirit  of  the 
old  dispensation.  He  learnt  from  the 
Lord,  as  time  went  on,  a  more  faithful 
patience,  but  he  did  not  unlearn  the 
burning  devotion  which  consumed  him. 
To  the  last,  words  of  awful  warning,  like 
the  thunderings  about  the  throne,  reveal 
the  presence  of  that  secret  fire.  Every 
page  of  the  Apocalypse  is  inspired  with 
the  cry  of  the  souls  beneath  the  altar, 
"How  long"  (Rev.  vi.  10);  and  nowhere 
is  error  as  to  the  Person  of  Christ  de- 
nounced more  sternly  than  in  his  Epistles 
(2  John  10 ;  i  John  iv.  i  ff.). 

The  well-known  incident  which  oc- 
curred on  the  last  journey  to  Jerusalem 
reveals  the  weakness  and  the  strength  of 
St  John's  character.  His  mother,  inter- 
preting the  desire  of  her  sons,  begged  of 
Christ  that  they  might  sit,  the  one  on 
His  right  hand  and  the  other  on  His 
left,  in  His  Kingdom  (Matt.  xx.  20  ff., 
comp.  Mark  x.  35  ff.).  So  far  they  mis- 
understood the  nature  of  that  especial 
closeness  to  their  Lord  which  they  sought. 
But  the  reply  shewed  that  they  were  ready 
to  welcome  what  would  be  only  a  pre- 
rogative of  suffering.  To  be  near  Christ, 
even  if  it  was  "to  be  near  the  fire"  and 
"near  the  sword,"  was  a  priceless  bless- 
ing. And  we  can  feel  that  the  prayer 
was  already  granted  when  Salome  and 
St  John  waited  by  the  Cross  (John  xix. 
25  ff.). 

This  last  scene  reveals  St  John  nearest 
of  all  the  apostles  to  Christ,  as  "the  dis- 
ciple whom  Jesus  loved"  (ch.  xiii.  23, 
note).  Together  with  his  brother  St  James 
and  St  Peter,  he  was  one  of  the  three 
admitted  to  a  closer  relationship  with 
Christ  than  the  other  apostles  (Luke  viii. 


XXXIV 


INTRODUCTION   TO 


51,  ix.  28;  Mark  xiv.  33);  and  of  the 
three  his  connexion  was  the  closest.  He 
followed  Christ  to  judgment  and  to  death 
(John  xviii.  15,  xix.  26),  and  received 
from  Him  the  charge  of  His  Mother  as 
her  own  son  (xix.  27,  note). 

After  the  Ascension  St  John  remained 
at  Jerusalem  with  the  other  apostles. 
He  was  with  St  Peter  at  the  working  of 
his  first  miracle ;  and  afterwards  he  went 
with  him  to  Samaria  (Acts  i.  13,  iii.  i  ff., 
viii.  14).  At  the  time  of  St  Paul's  first 
visit  to  Jerusalem  he  seems  to  have  been 
absent  from  the  city  (Gal.  i.  18);  but  on 
a  later  occasion  St  Paul  describes  him  as 
one  of  those  accounted  to  be  "  the  pillars 
of  the  Church"  (Gal.  ii.  9).  At  what  time 
and  under  what  circumstances  he  left 
Jerusalem  is  wholly  unknown.  At  the 
opening  of  the  Apocalypse  (i.  9)  he  speaks 
of  himself  as  "in  the  island  called  Pat- 
mos,  for  the  word  and  the  testimony  of 
Jesus."  Beyond  this  there  is  no  further 
notice  of  him  in  the  New  Testament1. 

When  we  pass  beyond  the  limits  of 
Scripture,  St  John  is  still  presented  to 
us  under  the  same  character,  as  the  Son 
of  Thunder,  the  prophetic  interpreter  of 
the  Old  Covenant.  Now  it  is  related 
that  he  refused  to  remain  under  the 
same  roof  with  Cerinthus  (or  according 
to  another  account  "Ebion"),  who  de- 
nied the  reality  of  the  Incarnation:  "Let 
us  fly,"  he  said,  "lest  the  bath  fall  on  us, 
since  Cerinthus  is  within,  the  enemy  of 
the  truth"  (Iren.  in.  3.  4;  comp.  Epiph. 
'Haer.'  xxx.  24).  Now  he  is  described  as 
a  "  priest  wearing  the  plate  (or  diadem)" 
prescribed  by  the  law  (Ex.  xxxix.  30  f.) 
for  the  high-priest  (Polycrates  ap.  Euseb. 
'H.  E.'in.  31,  v.  24;  comp.  ch.  xviii.  15, 
note).  Now  he  is  shewn,  in  one  of  the 
most  beautiful  of  early  histories,  seeking 
out  the  lost  and  enforcing  the  obligation 
of  ministerial  duty  (Euseb.  'H.E.'  in.  23, 
on  the  authority  of  Clement  of  Alex- 
andria). Once  again  we  read  that  "when 
he  tarried  at  Ephesus  to  extreme  old  age, 
and  could  only  with  difficulty  be  carried 
to  the  church  in  the  arms  of  his  disci- 
ples, and  was  unable  to  give  utterance 
to  many  words,  he  used  to  say  no 

1  This  is  not  the  place  to  discuss  the  author- 
ship of  the  Apocalypse.  Its  doctrinal  relation 
to  the  Gospel  of  St  John,  which  will  be  discussed 
afterwards,  appears  to  be  decisive  in  support 
of  the  early  date  of  the  banishment. 


more  at  their  several  meetings  than  this, 
'Little  children,  love  one  another.'  At 
length,"  Jerome  continues,  "the  disci- 
ples and  fathers  who  were  there,  wearied 
with  hearing  always  the  same  words,  said, 
'Master,  why  dost  thou  always  say  this ?' 
'It  is  the  Lord's  command,'  was  his 
worthy  reply,  '  and  if  this  alone  be  done, 
it  is  enough.'"  (Hieron.  'Comm.  in  Ep. 
ad  Gal.'  vi.  10)'. 

These  traditions  are  in  all  probability 
substantially  true,  but  it  is  impossible  to 
set  them  in  a  clear  historical  framework. 
Nothing  is  better  attested  in  early  Church 
history  than  the  residence  and  work  of 
St  John  at  Ephesus.  But  the  dates  of 
its  commencement  and  of  its  close  are 
alike  unknown.  It  began  after  the  final 
departure  of  St  Paul,  and  it  lasted  till 
about  the  close  of  the  first  century 
(Iren.  n.  22.  5,  fj-fXP1-  ™v  T/oeuavou  xpo'vwv, 
A.D.  98 — 117).  This  may  be  affirmed 
with  confidence ;  but  the  account  of  his 
sufferings  at  Rome  (Tert.  'de  Praescr. 
Hser.'  36  ..."in  oleum  demersus  nihil 
passus  est;"  comp.  Hieron.  'ad  Matt.' 
xx.  23),  and  of  the  details  of  his  death 
at  Ephesus,  are  quite  untrustworthy.  One 
legend,  which  is  handed  down  in  various 
forms,  is  too  remarkable  to  be  wholly 
omitted.  It  was  widely  believed  that 
St  John  was  not  dead,  but  sleeping  in  his 
grave ;  and  that  he  would  so  remain  till 
Christ  came.  Meanwhile,  it  was  said, 
"he  shewed  that  he  was  alive  by  the 
movement  of  the  dust  above,  which  was 
stirred  by  the  breath  of  the  saint."  "I 
think  it  needless,"  Augustine  adds,  "  to 
contest  the  opinion.  Those  who  know 
the  place  must  see  whether  the  soil  is  so 
affected  as  it  is  said ;  since  I  have  heard 
the  story  from  men  not  unworthy  of  cre- 
dence" ("revera  non  e  levibus  homini- 
bus  id  audivimus."  Aug.  'In  Joh.  Tract.' 
cxxiv.  2). 

These  words  of  Augustine  are  part  of 
his  commentary  on  the  mysterious  saying 
of  the  Lord  which,  as  is  seen  from  the 
Gospel  (xxi.  21  ff.),  was  perceived  to 
mark  in  some  way  the  future  work  of 
the  apostle  :  "If  I  will  that  he  tarry  till 
I  come,  what  is  that  to  thee  ?"  St  John 

1  These  traditions  are  collected  in  a  very  agree- 
able form  in  Dean  Stanley's  '  Sermons  and  Essays 
on  the  Apostolic  Age.'  The  later  legends  are 
given  by  Mrs  Jameson,  in  her  '  Sacred  and  Le-, 
gendary  Art,"  i. 


THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  JOHN. 


XXXV 


did  most  truly  "tarry  till  the  Lord  came." 
It  is  impossible  for  us  to  realise  fully 
what  was  involved  in  the  destruction  of 
the  Holy  City  for  those  who  had  been 
trained  in  Judaism.  It  was  nothing  else 
than  the  close  of  a  divine  drama,  an  end 
of  the  world.  The  old  sanctuary,  "  the 
joy  of  the  whole  earth,"  was  abandoned. 
Henceforth  the  Christian  Church  was  the 
sole  appointed  seat  of  the  presence  of 
God.  When  Jerusalem  fell  Christ  came, 
and  with  His  coming  came  also  the  work 
of  St  John.  During  the  period  of  con- 
flict and  fear  and  shaking  of  nations 
which  preceded  that  last  catastrophe, 
St  John  had  waited  patiently;  and  we 
may  believe  that  he  had  fulfilled  his  filial 
office  to  the  Mother  of  the  Lord  in  his 
own  home  in  Galilee  to  the  last,  gaining 
by  that  a  fuller  knowledge  of  the  reve- 
lation of  the  Son  of  God,  and  bringing 
into  a  completer  harmony  the  works 
which  he  had  seen,  and  the  words  which 
he  had  heard. 

In  these  scattered  traits  we  can  gain 
a  consistent  if  imperfect  conception  of 
St  John.  The  central  characteristic  of  his 
nature  is  intensity,  intensity  of  thought, 
word,  insight,  life.  He  regards  every- 
thing on  its  divine  side.  For  him  the 
eternal  is  already  :  all  is  complete  from 
the  beginning,  though  wrought  out  step 
by  step  upon  the  stage  of  human  action. 
All  is  absolute  in  itself,  though  marred 
by  the  weakness  of  believers.  He  sees 
the  past  and  the  future  gathered  up  in 
the  manifestation  of  the  Son  of  God. 
This  was  the  one  fact  in  which  the  hope 
of  the  world  lay.  Of  this  he  had  him- 
self been  assured  by  evidence  of  sense 
and  thought  This  he  was  constrained 
to  proclaim :  "  We  have  seen  and  do 
testify."  He  had  no  laboured  process 
to  go  through:  he  saw.  He  had  no 
constructive  proof  to  developer  he  bore 
witness.  His  source  of  knowledge  was 
direct,  and  his  mode  of  bringing  convic- 
tion was  to  affirm. 

2.   The  Occasion  and  Date. 

An  early  and  consistent  tradition  re- 
presents the  Gospel  of  St  John  as  written 
at  the  request  of  those  who  were  intimate 
with  the  Apostle,  and  had,  as  we  must 
suppose,  already  heard  from  his  lips  that 
teaching  which  they  desired  to  see  re- 
corded for  the  perpetual  guidance  of  the 


Church.  CLEMENT  OF  ALEXANDRIA  has 
preserved  the  tradition  in  its  simplest 
form.  He  states  on  the  authority  "of 
the  elders  of  an  earlier  generation"  (rra- 
paSoCTis  T<av  dveKaOfv  irpfa-fivTepiDv)  that 
"St  John,  last  [of  the  Evangelists],  when 
he  saw  that  the  outward  (bodily)  facts 
had  been  set  forth  in  the  [existing]  Gos- 
pels, impelled  by  his  friends,  [and]  di- 
vinely moved  by  the  Spirit,  made  a  spi- 
ritual Gospel"  (Clem.  Alex.  ap.  Euseb. 
'H.  E.'  vi.  14.)  This  general  statement 
is  given  with  additional  details  in  the 
MURATORIAN  FRAGMENT  on  the  Canon. 
"The  fourth  Gospel  [was  written  by] 
John,  one  of  the  disciples  (i.e.  Apostles). 
When  his  fellow-disciples  and  bishops 
urgently  pressed  (cohortantibus)  him,  he 
said,  'Fast  with  me  [from]  to-day,  for 
three  days,  and  let  us  tell  one  another 
any  revelation  which  may  be  made  to 
us,  either  for  or  against  [the  plan  of 
writing]  (quid  cuique  fuerit  revelatum  al- 
terutrum)'.  On  the  same  night  it  was 
revealed  to  Andrew,  one  of  the  Apos- 
tles, that  John  should  relate  all  in  his 
own  name,  and  that  all  should  review 
[his  writing]"  (see  'Hist,  of  N.  T. 
Canon,'  p.  527).  There  can  be  no 
doubt  that  JEROME  had  before  him  either 
this  fragment,  or,  as  appears  more  pro- 
bable, the  original  narrative  on  which  it 
was  based,  when  he  says  that  "ecclesi- 
astical history  records  that  John,  when 
he  was  constrained  by  his  brothers  to 
write,  replied  that  he  would  do  so,  if  a 
fast  were  appointed  and  all  joined  in 
prayer  to  God ;  and  that  after  this  [fast] 
was  ended,  filled  to  the  full  with  reve- 
lation (revelatione  saturatus),  he  indited 
the  heaven-sent  preface :  In  the  beginning 
was  the  Word. . ."  ('Comm.  in  Matt.'  Prol.) 
Eusebius,  to  whom  we  are  indebted  for 
the  testimony  of  Clement,  adds  in  an- 
other place,  as  a  current  opinion,  that 
St  John  wrote  after  the  other  Evange- 
lists, to  the  truth  of  whose  narrative  he 
bore  witness,  in  order  to  supply  an  ac- 
count of  the  early  period  of  the  Lord's 
ministry  which  they  omitted ;  and  at  the 
same  time  he  implies,  what  is  otherwise 
most  likely,  that  the  Apostle  committed 
to  writing  what  he  had  long  delivered  in 
unwritten  preaching  (Euseb.  '  H.  E.'  in. 

*4). 

Other  writers  attempt  to  define  more 
exactly  the  circumstances  under  which 


XXXVI 


INTRODUCTION   TO 


St  John  was  induced  to  compose  his 
Gospel.  Thus  in  the  Scholia  on  the 
Apocalypse  attributed  to  VICTORINUS 
of  Pettau  (tc.  304),  it  is  said  that  "he 
wrote  the  Gospel  after  the  Apocalypse. 
For,  when  Valentinus  and  Cerinthus  and 
Ebion  and  the  others  of  the  school  of 
Satan  were  spread  throughout  the  world, 
all  the  bishops  from  the  neighbouring 
provinces  came  together  to  him,  and 
constrained  him  to  commit  his  own  tes- 
timony to  writing"  (Migne,  'Patrol.'  v. 
p.  333).  This  statement  appears  to  be 
an  amplification  of  the  Asiatic  tradition 
preserved  by  Irengeus,  which  has  been 
already  noticed;  and  is  only  so  far  in- 
teresting as  it  shews  the  current  belief 
that  the  fourth  Gospel  was  written  as  an 
answer  to  the  questionings  of  a  com- 
paratively advanced  age  of  the  Church. 
So  much  indeed  seems  to  be  historically 
certain ;  for,  though  it  is  impossible  to 
insist  upon  the  specific  details  with  which 
the  truth  was  gradually  embellished,  there 
can  be  no  reason  to  question  the  general 
accuracy  of  a  tradition  which  was  widely 
spread  in  the  last  quarter  of  the  second 
century.  The  evidence  of  Clement  of 
Alexandria  is  independent  of  that  of  the 
Muratorian  Canon,  while  both  appear  to 
point  back  to  some  common  authority, 
which  cannot  have  been  far  removed 
from  the  time  of  the  Apostle.  The 
fourth  Gospel,  we  may  thus  conclude 
from  the  earliest  direct  evidence,  was 
written  after  the  other  three,  in  Asia,  at 
the  request  of  the  Christian  churches 
there,  as  a  summary  of  the  oral  teaching 
of  St  John  upon  the  life  of  Christ,  to 
meet  a  want  which  had  grown  up  in  the 
Church  at  the  close  of  the  Apostolic 
age  (comp.  Epiph.  'Haer.'xu.  12). 

The  contents  of  the  Gospel  go  far  to 
support  this  view  of  its  relatively  late 
date.  It  assumes  a  knowledge  of  the 
substance  of  the  Synoptic  narratives.  It 
deals  with  later  aspects  of  Christian  life 
and  opinion  than  these.  It  corresponds 
with  the  circumstances  of  a  new  world. 

(a)  The  first  of  these  statements  will 
come  under  examination  at  a  later  time, 
and  will  not  be  contested  in  its  general 
shape.     The  two  others  can  be  justified 
by  a  few  references  to  the  Gospel,  which 
will  repay  careful  study. 

(b)  No  one  can  read  the  fourth  Gos- 
pel   carefully  without   feeling  that   the 


writer  occupies  a  position  remote  from 
the  events  which  he  describes.  How- 
ever clear  it  is  that  he  was  an  eye-wit- 
ness of  the  Life  of  the  Lord,  it  is  no  less 
clear  that  he  looks  back  upon  it  from  a 
distance1.  One  plain  proof  of  this  is 
found  in  the  manner  in  which  he  records 
words  which  point  to  the  spread  of  the 
Gospel  beyond  the  limits  of  Judaism. 
This  characteristic  view  is  distinctly 
brought  out  in  the  interpretation  which 
he  gives  of  the  judgment  of  Caiaphas : 
Now  this  he  said  not  of  himself,  but  being 
high-priest  in  that  year,  he  prophesied  that 
Jesus  should  die  for  the  nation  (rov  tGvovs, 
see  note),  and  not  for  the  nation  only,  but 
in  order  that  he  might  gather  together  in 
one  tJie  children  of  God  that  were  scattered 
abroad  (xi.  5 1  f.).  It  is  beyond  question 
that  when  the  Evangelist  wrote  these 
words,  he  was  reading  the  fulfilment  of 
the  unconscious  prophecy  of  Caiaphas 
in  the  condition  of  the  Christian  Church 
about  him. 

The  same  actual  experience  of  the 
spread  of  the  Gospel  explains  the  promi- 
nent position  which  St  John  assigns  to 
those  sayings  of  Christ  in  which  He  de- 
clared the  universality  of  His  mission  : 
other  sheep  I  have  which  are  not  of  this 
fold:  them  also  must  I  lead... and  they 
shall  become  one  flock,  one  shepherd  (x.  16). 
/,  if  I  be  lifted  up  from  the  earth,  will 
draw  all  men  unto  myself  "(xii.  32).  The 
Son  has  authority  over  all  flesh  (xvii.  2). 
All  that  which  the  Father  giveth  me,  He 
said,  shall  come  to  me;  and  him  that 
cometh  to  me  I  will  in  no  wise  cast  out 
(vi.  37).  The  knowledge  of  God  and  of 
Jesus  Christ  is  eternal  life  (xvii.  3);  and 
this  knowledge,  the  knowledge  of  the 
truth,  conveys  the  freedom,  of  winch  the 
freedom  of  the  children  of  Abraham  was 
only  a  type  (viii.  3 1  ff.).  The  final  form 
of  worship  is  the  worship  of  "the  Father," 
in  which  all  local  and  temporal  worships, 
typified  by  Gerizim  and  Jerusalem,  should 
pass  away  (iv.  21  ff.). 

This  teaching  receives  its  final  seal  in 
the  answer  to  Pilate :  Thou  sayest  that  I 

1  This  is  the  impression  which  is  conveyed 
by  the  notes  which  he  adds  from  time  to  time  in 
interpretation  of  words  or  facts  :  vii.  39,  xii.  33, 
xviii.  9,  32,  xix.  36,  xxi.  19.  These  notes  offer 
a  remarkable  contrast  to  those  in  which  attention 
is  called  in  the  first  Gospel  to  the  present  and 
immediate  fulfilment  of  prophecy,  Matt.  i.  21, 
xxi.  4,  &c.  (ytyovev 


THE   GOSPEL  OF  ST.  JOHN. 


XXXVll 


am  a  king.  To  this  end  have  I  been  born, 
and  to  this  end  am  I  come  into  the  world, 
that  I  should  bear  witness  unto  the  truth. 
Every  one  that  is  of  the  truth  heareth  my 
voice  (xviii.  37).  The  relation  of  the  be- 
liever to  Christ  is  thus  shewn  to  rest  on 
a  foundation  which  is  of  all  most  ab- 
solute. Christ,  while  He  fulfilled  "the 
Law,"  which  was  the  heritage  of  the 
Jews,  revealed  and  satisfied  the  Truth, 
which  is  the  heritage  of  humanity. 

There  are  indeed  traces  of  the  an- 
nouncement of  this  universalism  of  the 
Gospel  in  the  Synoptic  narratives,  and 
especially  in  that  of  St  Luke.  It  is 
taught  there  that  Christ  came  as  the 
salvation  prepared  before  the  face  of  all 
the  peoples,  a  light  for  revelation  to  Gen- 
tiles, a?id  a  glory  to  God's  people  Israel 
(ii.  31,  32).  Repentance  unto  remission  of 
sins  was  to  be  preached  in  His  name 
unto  all  the  nations  beginning  from  Jeru- 
salem (xxiv.  47).  It  may  be  possible 
also  to  see  in  the  fate  of  the  Prodigal 
Son  an  image  of  the  restoration  of  the 
heathen  to  their  Father's  home.  But  in 
these  cases  the  truth  is  not  traced  back 
to  its  deepest  foundations ;  nor  does  it 
occupy  the  same  relative  position  as  in 
St  John.  The  experience  of  an  organized 
Christian  society  lies  between  the  two 
records. 

This  is  plainly  intimated  by  the  lan- 
guage of  the  Evangelist  himself.  He 
speaks  in  his  own  person  of  the  great 
crisis  of  the  choice  of  Israel  as  over. 
He  came  to  His  own  home  and  His  own 
people  received  Him  not  (i.  n);  and  so 
in  some  sense,  the  choice  of  the  world 
was  also  decided,  the  light  hath  come  into 
the  world,  and  men  loved  the  darkness 
rather  than  the  light  (iii.  19).  The  mes- 
sage of  the  Gospel  had  already  been 
proclaimed  in  such  a  way  to  Jew  and 
Gentile  that  a  judgment  could  be  pro- 
nounced upon  the  general  character  of 
its  acceptance. 

This  typical  example  serves  to  shew 
how  St  John  brings  into  their  true  place 
in  the  completed  Christian  edifice  the 
facts  of  Christ's  teaching  which  were 
slowly  realised  in  the  course  of  the 
apostolic  age.  And  while  he  does  so, 
he  recalls  the  words  in  which  Christ 
dwelt  upon  that  gradual  apprehension 
of  the  meaning  of  His  Life  and  work, 
which  characterized  in  fact  the  growth 
New  Test. — VOL.  II. 


of  the  Catholic  Church.  Throughout 
the  last  discourses  of  the  Lord,  the  great 
charge  to  the  apostolate,  we  seem  to 
hear  the  warning  addressed  to  St  Peter 
at  the  outset :  What  I  do  thou  knowest 
not  now,  but  thoit  shalt  come  to  knorv 
(yvwa-rj)  afterwards  (xiii.  7).  It  is  im- 
plied in  the  recital  that  the  words  of 
patient  waiting  had  found  their  accom- 
plishment by  the  mission  of  the  new 
Advocate.  /  have  yet  many  things  to 
say  unto  you,  but  ye  cannot  bear  tJiem 
now.  Howbeit  when  He  is  come,  even 
the  Spirit  of  truth,  He  shall  guide  you 
into  all  the  truth  (xvi.  12  ;  comp.  xv.  26). 
Even  if  Christ  had  already  made  known 
all  things  (xv.  15),  there  was  need  of 
the  long  teaching  of  time,  that  His  dis- 
ciples might  master  the  lessons  which 
they  had  implicitly  received. 

The  record  of  these  appeals  to  a  future 
growth  of  knowledge  can  admit  of  only 
one  interpretation.  In  dwelling  on  such 
aspects  of  Christ's  teaching,  it  is  clear 
that  the  Evangelist  is  measuring  the  in- 
terval between  the  first  imperfect  views 
of  the  Apostles  as  to  the  kingdom  of 
God,  and  that  just  ideal,  which  he  had 
been  allowed  to  shape,  under  the  teaching 
of  the  Paraclete,  through  disappointments 
and  disasters.  Now  at  length,  on  the 
threshold  of  a  new  world,  he  can  feel 
the  divine  force  of  much  that  was  before 
hard  and  mysterious.  He  had  waited 
till  his  Lord  came ;  and  he  was  enabled 
to  recognise  His  Presence,  as  once  before 
by  the  lake  of  Galilee,  in  the  unexpected 
victories  of  faith. 

(c)  In  the  last  quarter  of  the  first  cen- 
tury, the  world  relatively  to  the  Christian 
Church  was  a  new  world ;  and  St  John 
presents  in  his  view  of  the  work  and 
Person  of  Christ  the  answers  which  he  had 
found  to  be  given  in  Him  to  the  problems 
which  were  offered  by  the  changed  order. 
The  overthrow  of  Jerusalem,  carrying 
with  it  the  destruction  of  the  ancient 
service  and  the  ancient  people  of  God, 
the  establishment  of  the  Gentile  congre- 
gations on  the  basis  of  St  Paul's  inter- 
pretation of  the  Gospel,  the  rise  of  a 
Christian  philosophy  (yvouo-is)  from  the 
contact  of  the  historic  creed  with  Eastern 
and  Western  speculation,  could  not  but 
lead  one  who  had  lived  with  Christ  to 
go  back  once  more  to  those  days  of  a 
divine  discipleship,  that  he  might  find  in 

d 


XXXV111 


INTRODUCTION   TO 


them,  according  to  the  promise,  the  an- 
ticipated replies  to  the  questionings  of 
a  later  age.  This  St  John  has  done; 
and  it  is  impossible  not  to  feel  how  in 
each  of  these  cardinal  directions  he 
points  his  readers  to  words  and  facts 
which  are  still  unexhausted  in  their  ap- 
plications. 

(a)  We  have  already  touched  upon 
the  treatment  of  the  Jewish  people  in  the 
fourth  Gospel.  They  appear  as  the  heirs 
of  divine  blessings  who  have  Esau-like 
despised  their  birthright.  The  preroga- 
tives of  the  people  and  their  misuse  of 
them  are  alike  noted.  But  in  this  re- 
spect there  is  one  most  striking  differ- 
ence between  the  fourth  Gospel  and  the 
other  three.  The  Synoptic  Gospels  are 
full  of  warnings  of  judgment.  Pictures  of 
speedy  desolation  are  crowded  into  the 
record  of  the  last  days  of  the  Lord's  mi- 
nistry (Matt,  xxiv.,  Mark  xiii.,  Luke  xxi.). 
His  coming  to  judgment  is  a  central  topic. 
In  St  John  all  is  changed.  There  are  no 
prophecies  of  the  siege  of  the  Holy  City; 
there  is  no  reiterated  promise  of  a  Return; 
the  judgment  had  been  wrought.  Christ 
had  come.  There  was  no  longer  any  need 
to  dwell  upon  the  outward  aspects  of 
teaching  which  had  in  this  respect  found 
its  accomplishment.  The  task  of  the 
Evangelist  was  to  unfold  the  essential 
causes  of  the  catastrophe,  which  were 
significant  for  all  time,  and  to  shew  that 
even  through  apparent  ruin  and  failure 
the  will  of  God  found  fulfilment.  In- 
exorable facts  had  revealed  the  rejection 
of  the  Jews.  It  remained  to  shew  that 
this  rejection  was  not  only  foreseen,  but 
was  also  morally  inevitable,  and  that  it 
involved  no  fatal  loss.  This  is  the  work 
of  St  John.  He  traces  step  by  step  the 
progress  of  unbelief  in  the  representa- 
tives of  the  people,  and  at  the  same  time 
the  correlative  gathering  of  the  children 
of  God  by  Christ  to  Himself.  There  was 
a  divine  law  of  inward  affinity  to  good  or 
evil  in  the  obedience  and  disobedience 
of  those  who  heard.  /  am  the  good  shep- 
herd;  and  I  know  mine  own,  and  mine 
own  know  me,  even  as  the  Father  knoweth 
me  and  I  know  the  father  (x.  14,  15). 
Ye  believe  not,  because  ye  are  not  of  my 
sheep.  My  slieep  hear  my  voice,  and  I 
know  them,  and  they  follow  me  (x.  26,  27). 
This  is  the  judgment,  that  the  light  is  come 
into  the  world,  and  men  loved  the  darkness 


rather  than  the  light,  for  their  works  were 
evil  (iii.  19). 

The  fourth  Gospel  reveals  in  these 
and  similar  passages  the  innermost  cause 
of  the  rejection  of  the  Jewish  people. 
The  fact  underlies  the  record,  and  the 
Evangelist  lays  open  the  spiritual  neces- 
sity of  it.  He  reveals  also  the  constitu- 
tion of  the  Spiritual  Church.  The  true 
people  of  God  survived  the  ruin  of  the 
Jews :  the  ordinances  of  a  new  society 
replaced  in  a  nobler  shape  the  typical 
and  transitory  worship  of  Israel.  When 
this  Gospel  was  written,  the  Christian 
congregations,  as  we  see  from  St  Paul's 
Epistles,  were  already  organized,  but  the 
question  could  not  but  arise,  how  far 
their  organization  was  fitted  to  realise 
the  ideal  of  the  kingdom  which  Christ 
preached.  The  Evangelist  meets  the  in- 
quiry. He  shews  from  the  Lord's  words 
what  are  the  laws  of  His  service,  and 
how  they  are  fulfilled  by  the  institutions 
in  which  they  were  embodied.  The  ab- 
solute worship  was  to  be  in  spirit  and 
truth  (iv.  23),  as  distinguished  from  letter 
and  shadow ;  and  the  discourses  with 
Nicodemus  and  at  Capernaum  set  forth 
by  anticipation  how  the  sacraments  satisfy 
this  condition  for  each  individual.  On 
the  other  hand,  the  general  ministerial 
commission,  which  is  contained  only  in 
the  fourth  Gospel  (xx.),  gives  the  founda- 
tion of  the  whole.  In  that  lies  the  un- 
failing assurance  of  the  permanence  of 
the  new  society. 

(/3)  So  far  the  fourth  Gospel  met  diffi- 
culties which  had  not  been  and  could 
not  be  realised  till  after  the  fall  of  Jeru- 
salem. In  like  manner  it  met  difficulties 
which  had  not  been  and  could  not  be 
felt  till  the  preaching  of  St  Paul  had 
moulded  the  Christian  Society  in  ac- 
cordance with  the  law  of  freedom.  Then 
first  the  great  problems  as  to  the  nature 
of  the  object  of  personal  faith,  as  to  the 
revelation  of  the  Deity,  as  to  the  univer- 
sality of  the  Gospel,  were  apprehended 
in  their  true  vastness ;  and  the  Evange- 
list shews  that  these  thoughts  of  a  later 
age  were  not  unregarded  by  Christ  Him- 
self. The  experience  of  the  life  of  the 
Church — which  is  nothing  less  than  the 
historic  teaching  of  the  Holy  Spirit — 
made  clear  in  due  time  what  was  neces- 
sarily veiled  at  first.  Sayings  became 
luminous  which  were  riddles  before  their 


THE   GOSPEL   OF   ST.  JOHN. 


XXXIX 


solution  was  given.  Christ,  in  relation 
to  humanity,  was  not  characteristically 
the  Prophet  or  the  King,  but  the  Saviour 
of  the  world,  the  Son  of  Man,  the  Son  of 
God.  In  this  connexion  the  fact  of  the 
Incarnation  obtained  its  full  significance. 
By  the  Incarnation  alone  the  words  which 
were  partially  interpreted  through  the 
crowning  miracle  of  the  Lord's  ministry 
were  brought  home  to  all  men ;  I  am  the 
Resurrection  and  the  Life  (xi.  25). 

Thus  by  the  record  of  the  more 
mysterious  teaching  of  the  Lord,  in  con- 
nexion with  typical  works,  St  John  has 
given  a  historical  basis  for  the  preaching 
of  St  Paul.  His  narrative  is  at  once  the 
most  spiritual  and  the  most  concrete. 
He  shews  how  Faith  can  find  a  personal 
object.  The  words  He  that  hath  seen  me 
hath  seen  the  Father  (xiv.  9)  mark  an 
epoch  in  the  development  of  religious 
thought.  By  them  the  idea  of  God  re- 
ceives an  abiding  embodiment,  and  the 
Father  is  thereby  brought  for  ever  within 
the  reach  of  intelligent  devotion.  The 
revelation  itself  is  complete  (xvii.  6,  26), 
and  yet  the  interpretation  of  the  reve- 
lation is  set  forth  as  the  work  of  the 
Holy  Spirit  through  all  ages  (xiv.  26). 
God  in  Christ  is  placed  in  a  living  union 
with  all  creation  (v.  17;  comp.  i.  3, 
note).  The  world,  humanity  and  God 
are  presented  in  the  words  and  in  the 
Person  of  Christ  under  new  aspects  of 
fellowship  and  unity. 

It  will  be  evident  how  this  teaching  is 
connected  with  that  of  St  Paul.  Two 
special  points  only  may  be  noticed  :  the 
doctrine  of  the  sovereignty  of  the  divine 
will,  and  the  doctrine  of  the  union  of 
the  believer  with  Christ.  The  founda- 
tions of  these  two  cardinal  doctrines, 
which  rise  supreme  in  the  Pauline 
Epistles,  lie  deep  in  the  fourth  Gospel. 

The  first,  the  doctrine  of  Providence, 
Predestination,  however  it  be  called, 
not  only  finds  reiterated  affirmation  in 
the  discourses  of  the  Lord  contained  in 
the  fourth  Gospel,  but  it  is  also  implied 
as  the  rule  of  the  progress  of  the  Lord's 
life.  His  "hour"  determines  the  occur- 
rence of  events  from  man's  point  of 
view ;  and  the  Evangelist  refers  to  it  in 
connexion  with  each  crisis  of  the  Gospel 
history,  and  especially  with  the  Passion 
in  which  all  crises  were  consummated 
(ii.  4,  vii.  30,  viii.  20,  xii.  23,  27,  *iii.  i, 


xvi.  4,  xvii.  i ;  comp.  vii.  6 — 8,  o  Katpos). 
So  also  the  will  or  "  the  gift "  of  the 
Father  is  the  spring  of  the  believer's 
power  (iii.  27,  vi.  37,  44,  65,  xvii.  12); 
and  Christ  fulfils  and  applies  that  will  to 
each  one  who  comes  to  Him  (xv.  16,  5, 
v.  21). 

Faith  again  assumes  a  new  aspect  in 
the  narrative  of  St  John.  It  is  not  merely 
the  media tive  energy  in  material  deliver- 
ances, and  the  measure  (so  to  speak)  of 
material  power;  it  is  an  energy  of  the 
whole  nature,  an  active  transference  of 
f  the  whole  being  into  another  life.  Faith 
in  a  Person — in  One  revealed  under  a 
new  "  name  " — is  the  ground  of  sonship 
(i.  12),  of  life  (xi.  25),  of  power  (xiv.  12), 
of  illumination  (xii.  36,  46).  The  key- 
words of  two  complementary  views  of 
truth  are  finally  combined  :  this  is  the 
work  of  God,  that  ye  believe — believe 
with  a  continuous  ever-present  faith 
(Trio-revere  not  Trtoreucn^re) — on  Him  whom 
He  sent  (vi.  29;  comp.  viii.  30,  note). 

(y)  Once  again ;  when  the  fourth 
Gospel  was  written  Christianity  occupied 
a  new  intellectual  position.  In  addition 
to  social  and  doctrinal  developments, 
there  were  also  those  still  vaster  ques- 
tions which  underlie  all  organization  and 
all  special  dogma,  as  to  the  function  and 
stability  of  knowledge,  as  to  the  inter- 
pretation and  significance  of  life,  as  to 
the  connexion  of  the  seen  and  unseen. 
The  new  faith  had  made  these  questions 
more  urgent  than  before,  and  the  teach- 
ing of  the  Lord  furnished  such  answers 
to  them  as  man  can  apprehend.  Know- 
ledge was  placed  in  its  final  position  by 
the  declaration  /  am  the  Truth  ...  The 
Truth  shall  make  you  free  (xiv.  6,  viii. 
31  flf.).  Everything  real  is  thus  made 
tributary  to  religious  service.  Again, 
the  eternal  is  revealed  as  present,  and 
life  is  laid  open  in  all  its  possible  nobi- 
lity. The  separation  which  men  are 
inclined  to  make  arbitrarily  between 
"  here  "  and  "  there  "  in  spiritual  things 
is  done  away.  This  is  life  eternal... 
(xvii.  3) ;  He  that  heareth  my  word  hath 
life  eternal...  (v.  24).  Once  more,  the 
essential  unity  and  the  actual  divisions  of 
the  world  are  alike  recognised.  All  things 
were  made  (eyeVero)  through  Him  [in  the 
Word]  (i.  3)  ; . . .  and  the  Light  shineth  in 
the  darkness  (i.  5) ;  and  the  Word  became 
(eyeVero)  flesJi.  Thus  in  Christ  there  is 


xl 


INTRODUCTION   TO 


offered  the  historic  reconciliation  of  the 
finite  and  the  infinite,  by  which  the  op- 
positions of  thought  and  experience  are 
made  capable  of  being  reduced  to  har- 
mony. 

These  internal  indications  of  date 
completely  accord  with  the  historical 
tradition,  and  lead  to  the  conclusion 
that  the  composition  of  the  Gospel  must 
be  placed  late  in  the  generation  which 
followed  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem. 
The  shock  of  that  momentous  revolution 
was  over,  and  Christians  had  been 
enabled  to  interpret  it.  There  is  no 
evidence  to  determine  the  date  exactly. 
St  John,  according  to  the  Asiatic  tradi- 
tion recorded  by  Irenseus  (11.  22.  5  ;  in. 
3.  4)  lived  "till  the  times  of  Trajan" 
(A.  D.  98 — 117),  and  the  writing  of  the 
Gospel  must  be  placed  at  the  close  of 
his  life.  It  is  probable  therefore  that  it 
may  be  referred  to  the  last  decennium 
of  the  first  century,  and  even  to  the  close 
of  it. 

Tradition  is  uniform  in  fixing  St  John's 
residence  at  Ephesus  (Iren.  in.  3.  4; 
Polycr.  ap.  Euseb.  '  H.  E.'  in.  31 ;  Clem. 
Alex.  '  Quis  div.  salv.'  c.  42 ;  Orig.  ap. 
Euseb.  '  H.  E.'  in.  i,  &c.),  and  naming 
that  city  as  the  place  where  he  wrote 
his  Gospel  (Iren.  in.  i.  i,  &c.) ;  and  no 
valid  objection  has  been  brought  against 
the  belief  which  was  preserved  on  the 
spot  by  a  continuous  succession  of 
Church  teachers'. 

3.     The  Object. 

From  what  has  been  already  said  it 
will  be  clear  that  the  circumstances 
under  which  the  fourth  Gospel  was 
written  served  to  define  its  object.  This 
is  clearly  expressed  by  St  John  himself : 
Many  other  signs  did  Jesus  in  the  presence 
of  His  disciples  which  have  not  been  written 
in  this  book ;  but  these  have  been  written 
that  ye  may  believe  (Trio-revere,  cf.  vi.  29) 
that  Jesus  is  the  Christ,  the  Son  of  God, 
and  that  believing  ye  may  have  life  in  His 
name  (xx.  30  f.).  The  record  is  there- 

1  The  denial  of  the  Asiatic- residence  of  St 
John  does  not  call  for  serious  discussion.  To 
suppose  that  the  belief  grew  out  of  Irenseus' 
confusion  of  "John  the  presbyter "  with  "John 
the  apostle,"  involves  the  further  assumption  that 
Polycarp  himself  led  him  into  the  error  (Iren. 
'Ep.  ad  Flor.').  Comp.  Steitz,  'Stud.  u.  Krit.' 
1868;  Hilgenfeld,  '  Einl.'  394  ff. 


fore  a  selection  from  abundant  materials 
at  the  command  of  the  writer,  made  by 
him  with  a  specific  purpose,  first  to 
create  a  particular  conviction  in  his 
readers,  and  then  in  virtue  of  that  con- 
viction to  bring  life  to  them.  The  con- 
viction itself  which  the  Evangelist  aims 
at  producing  is  twofold,  as  corresponding 
with  the  twofold  relation  of  Christianity 
to  the  chosen  people  and  to  mankind. 
He  makes  it  his  purpose  to  shew  that 
Jesus,  who  is  declared  by  that  human 
name  to  be  truly  and  historically  man, 
is  at  once  the  Christ,  in  whom  all  types 
and  prophecies  were  fulfilled1,  and  also 
the  Son  of  God,  who  is,  in  virtue  of  that 
divine  being,  equally  near  to  all  the 
children  of  God — His  Father  and  their 
Father  (xx.  17) — scattered  throughout  the 
world  (xi.  52  ;  comp.  i.  49).  The  whole 
narrative  must  therefore  be  interpreted 
with  a  continuous  reference  to  these  two 
ruling  truths,  made  clear  by  the  expe- 
rience of  the  first  stage  in  the  life  of  the 
Church ;  and  also  to  the  consequence 
which  flows  from  them,  that  life  is  to  be 
found  in  vital  union  with  Him  who  is 
made  known  in  this  character  (ev  r<2  oVo- 
(JLCLTL  avrov).  Each  element  in  the  funda- 
mental conviction  is  set  forth  as  of  equal 
moment.  The  one  (Jesus  is  the  Christ] 
bears  witness  to  the  special  preparation 
which  God  had  made ;  the  other  (Jesus 
is  the  Son  of  God)  bears  witness  to  the 
inherent  universality  of  Christ's  mission. 
The  one  establishes  the  organic  union  of 
Christianity  with  Judaism;  the  other 


1  It  is  not  without  instruction  to  notice  that 
writers  of  very  different  schools  have  uncon- 
sciously omitted  the  words  "the  Christ"  in 
quoting  this  verse,  and  thereby  obscured  the  full 
design  of  the  Apostle.  Among  others  I  may 
quote  as  representatives  : 

Reuss,  '  Hist,  de  la  Theologie  Chretienne '  ed. 
2,  n.  426,  "Ceci,  dit-il  dans  ses  dernieres 
lignes,  ceci  est  ecrit,  afin  que  vous  croyiez  que 
Jesus  est  le  Fils  de  Dieu,  et  afin  que  vous  ayez 
la  vie  par  cette  croyance." 

Weisz,  '  Lehrbuch  d.  Bibl.  Theol.'  Ausg.  2, 
s.  636,  "Der  Glaube,  welcher  die  Bedingung  des 
Heilsaneignung  bildet...ist  die  zuversichtliche 
Ueberzeugung  davon,  dasz  Jesus  der  Sohn 
Gottes  ist." 

Lias,  '  The  Doctrinal  System  of  St  John,'  p.  i. 
[The  purpose  for  which  the  Gospel  was  written] 
' '  is  stated  in  express  language  by  the  author  : 
'  These  things  have  been  written  that  ye  might 
believe  that  Jesus  is  the  Son  of  God,  and  that, 
believing,  ye  might  have  life  through  His  name* 
(John  xx.  31)." 


THE   GOSPEL  OF  ST.  JOHN. 


xli 


liberates  Christianity  from  Jewish  limita- 


tions . 

It  will  at  once  appear  that  this  preg- 
nant description  of  the  object  of  the 
Gospel  coincides  completely  with  the 
view  which  has  been  given  as  to  the  date 
and  occasion  of  its  composition.  To 
establish  that  Jesus  is  the  Christ  is  to 
prove  that  Christianity  is  the  true  spiritual 
heir  of  Judaism,  through  which  a  divine 
society  and  a  divine  service  have  been 
established  for  all  time.  To  establish 
that  Jesus  is  the  Son  of  God  is  to  place 
the  doctrine  of  $t  Paul  upon  a  firm  basis, 
inasmuch  as  the  Saviour  is  revealed  in 
His  essential  relation  of  Creator  to  all 
the  world.  To  establish  that  life  is  to 
be  had  in  His  name,  is  to  raise  all  being, 
all  thought,  into  a  new  region,  where 
rests  the  hope  (at  least)  of  the  recon- 
ciliation of  the  conflicts  and  contradic- 
tions of  our  present  order. 

So  far  then  the  fourth  Gospel  is  dis- 
tinguished from  the  other  three  in  that 
it  is  shaped  with  a  conscious  design  to 
illustrate  and  establish  an  assumed  con- 
clusion. If  we  compare  the  avowed 
purpose  of  St  John  with  that  of  St  Luke 
(i.  i — 4),  it  may  be  said  with  partial 
truth  that  the  inspiring  impulse  was  in 
the  one  case  doctrinal,  and  in  the  other 
case  historical.  But  care  must  be  taken 
not  to  exaggerate  or  misinterpret  this 
contrast.  Christian  doctrine  is  history, 
and  this  is  above  all  things  the  lesson 
of  the  fourth  Gospel.  The  Synoptic 
narratives  are  implicit  dogmas,  no  less 
truly  than  St  John's  dogmas  are  concrete 
facts.  The  real  difference  is  that  the 
earliest  Gospel  contained  the  funda- 
mental facts  and  words  which  experience 
afterwards  interpreted,  while  the  latest 
Gospel  reviews  the  facts  in  the  light  of 
their  interpretation.  But  in  both  cases 
the  exactness  of  historical  truth  is  para- 
mount. The  discovery  of  the  law  of 
phenomena  does  not  make  the  record 
of  the  phenomena  less  correct  than 
before  in  the  hands  of  him  who  has 
ascertained  it.  On  the  contrary,  such 
knowledge  keeps  the  observer  from  many 
possibilities  of  error,  while  it  enables 
him  to  regard  facts  in  new  relations, 
and  to  present  them  in  such  a  way  that 

1  This  definition  of  the  object  of  the  Gospel 
must  be  compared  with  the  parallel  definition  of 
the  object  of  the  First  Epistle,  i  John  i.  i — 4. 


they  may  suggest  to  others  the  general 
truth  which  he  has  gained.  The  historic 
interest  of  St  John  in  the  substance  of 
his  narrative  is,  in  other  words,  purified 
and  made  more  intense  by  the  dogmatic 
significance  with  which  he  feels  that  each 
incident  is  charged. 

If  the  scope  of  the  fourth  Gospel  is 
thus  distinctly  apprehended  in  all  its 
fulness  according  to  the  Evangelist's 
own  description,  it  becomes  unnecessary 
to  discuss  at  any  length  the  different 
special  purposes  which  have  been  as- 
signed as  the  motive  of  his  work.  The 
narrative  is  not  in  express  design  pole- 
mical, or  supplementary,  or  didactic,  or 
harmonizing ;  and  yet  it  is  all  this, 
because  it  is  the  mature  expression  of 
apostolic  experience  perfected  by  the 
teaching  of  the  Holy  Spirit  in  the  writer's 
own  life  and  in  the  life  of  the  Church. 

L  The  Gospel  is  not  specifically  po- 
lemical (Iren.  'Adv.  Haer.'m.  n,  Hieron. 
'  Comm.  in  Matt.'  Prol. ;  comp.  'De 
Virr.  111.'  9).  It  is  quite  true  that  many 
passages  in  the  Gospel  of  St  John  are 
conclusive  against  particular  points  of 
Ebionitic  and  Docetic  error  (comp. 
i  John  ii.  22,  iv.  2),  and  against  false 
claims  of  the  disciples  of  the  Baptist 
(comp.  Acts  xix.  3  f.) ;  but  it  does  not 
follow  that  it  was  the  particular  object 
of  St  John  to  refute  these  false  opinions. 
The  full  exhibition  of  the  Truth  was 
necessarily  their  refutation  ;  and  in  this 
respect  their  existence  may  have  called 
attention  to  points  which  had  been  over- 
looked or  misunderstood  before.  But 
the  first  Epistle  shews  with  what  direct- 
ness the  Apostle  would  have  dealt  with 
adversaries  if  controversy  had  been  the 
purpose  immediately  present  to  his 
mind. 

ii.  The  same  remark  applies  to  the 
"supplemental"  theory  (Eusebius,  *H.  E.' 
111.24;  comp.  Hieron.  'De  Virr.  111.'  9).  As 
a  matter  of  fact  the  fourth  Gospel  does 
supplement  the  other  three,  which  it  pre- 
supposes. It  supplements  them  in  the 
general  chronology  of  the  Lord's  life,  as 
well  as  in  detailed  incidents.  But  this, 
is  because  the  Gospel  is  the  vital  analysis 
of  faith  and  unbelief.  It  traces  in  order 
the  gradual  development  of  the  popular 
views  of  Christ  among  those  to  whom 
He  came.  As  a  natural  consequence 
it  records  the  successive  crises  in  the 


INTRODUCTION   TO 


divine  revelation  which  happened  in 
Jerusalem,  the  centre  of  the  religious 
activity  of  the  Jewish  theocracy.  The 
scope  of  the  Gospel  is  from  the  nature 
of  the  case  supplementary  to  that  of  the 
other  three ;  and  this  being  so,  the  his- 
tory is  also  supplementary. 

iii.  But  though  the  scope  of  the  fourth 
Gospel  is  supplementary  to  that  of  the 
other  three,  it  cannot  rightly  be  said  that 
the  aim  of  the  Evangelist  was  essentially 
didactic  (comp.  Clem.  Alex.  ap.  Euseb. 
'  H.  E.'  vi.  14)  in  such  a  sense  that  he 
has  furnished  an  interpretation  of  the 
Gospel  rather  than  a  historical  record. 
The  substance  of  the  narrative  is  dis- 
tinctly affirmed  to  be  facts  (these  signs 
are  written) ;  and  the  end  contemplated 
is  practical  (that  ye  may  have  life),  and 
speculative  only  so  far  as  right  opinion 
leads  to  right  action. 

iv.  Once  again  :  The  conciliatory — 
irenical — effect  of  the  Gospel  cannot  be 
questioned,  but  this  effect  is  due  to  the 
teaching  on  Christ's  Person  which  it 
discloses,  and  not  to  any  conscious  aim 
of  the  writer.  Just  as  it  rises  above  con- 
troversy while  it  condemns  error,  it  pre- 
serves the  characteristic  truths  which 
heresy  isolated  and  misused.  The  fourth 
Gospel  is  the  most  complete  answer  to 
the  manifold  forms  of  Gnosticism,  and 
yet  it  was  the  writing  most  used  by 
Gnostics.  It  contains  no  formal  narra- 
tive of  the  institution  of  sacraments,  and 
yet  it  presents  most  fully  the  idea  of 
sacraments.  It  sets  forth  with  the 
strongest  emphasis  the  failure  of  the 
ancient  people,  and  yet  it  points  out 
most  clearly  the  significance  of  the  dis- 
pensation which  was  committed  to  them. 
It  brings  together  the  many  oppositions 
—  antitheses — of  life  and  thought,  and 


leaves  them  in  the  light  of  the  one 
supreme  fact  which  reconciles  all,  the 
Word  became  Flesh;  and  we  feel  from 
first  to  last  that  this  light  is  shining  over 
the  record  of  sorrow  and  triumph,  of 
defeat  and  hope. 

4.   The  Plan. 

The  view  which  has  been  given  of  the 
object  of  the  Gospel  enables  us  to  form 
a  general  conception  of  what  we  must 
call  its  plan.  This  is,  to  express  it  as 
briefly  as  possible,  the  parallel  develop- 
ment of  faith  and  unbelief  through  the 
historical  Presence  of  Christ.  The  Evan- 
gelist is  guided  in  the  selection,  and  in 
the  arrangement,  and  in  the  treatment 
of  his  materials  by  his  desire  to  fulfil  this 
purpose.  He  takes  a  few  out  of  the  vast 
mass  of  facts  at  his  disposal  (xxi.  25, 
xx.  30),  which  are  in  his  judgment  suited 
to  produce  a  particular  effect.  Every 
part  of  his  narrative  is  referred  to  one 
final  truth  made  clear  by  experience,  that 
"Jesus  is  the  Christ,  the  Son  of  God." 
He  makes  no  promise  to  compose  a  life 
of  Christ,  or  to  give  a  general  view  of 
His  teaching,  or  to  preserve  a  lively  pic- 
ture of  the  general  effect  which  He  pro- 
duced on  average  observers,  or  to  com- 
pose a  chapter  on  the  general  history  of 
his  own  times,  or  to  add  his  personal 
recollections  to  memoirs  of  the  Lord 
already  current ;  nor  have  we  any  right 
to  judge  his  narrative  by  the  standard 
which  would  be  applicable  to  any  one  of 
such  writings.  He  works  out  his  own 
design,  and  it  is  our  first  business  to 
consider  how  he  works  it  out.  When 
this  is  done  we  shall  be  in  a  position 
to  consider  fairly  the  historical  charac- 
teristics of  the  Gospel. 


The  development  and  details  of  St  John's  plan  are  considered  at  length  else- 
where. Here  it  will  be  sufficient  to  indicate  in  a  tabular  form  the  outlines  of  the 
history. 

THE  PROLOGUE,  i.  i — 18. 

The  Word  in  His  absolute,  eternal  Being;  and  in  relation  to  Creation. 

THE  NARRATIVE,  i.  19 — xxi.  23. 

The  Self-revelation  of  Christ  to  the  world  and  to  the  Disciples. 

I. — THE  SELF-REVELATION  OF  CHRIST  TO  THE  WORLD  (i.  19 — xii.  50). 
i.   The  Proclamation  (i.  19 — iv.  54). 


THE   GOSPEL   OF   ST.  JOHN.  xliii 

i.  The  testimony  to  Christ  (i.  19 — ii.  n) 
oft.  the  Baptist,  i.  19 — 34, 
disciples,  i.  35—51, 
signs  (water  turned  to  wine),  ii.  i — n. 

ii.  The  work  of  Christ  (ii.  13 — iv.  54) 

in  Jud<za  (Nicodemus),  ii.  13 — iii.  36, 

Samaria  (the  woman  of  Samaria),  iv.  i — 42, 
Galilee  (the  nobleman's  son  healed),  iv.  43 — 54. 
Unbelief  as  yet  passive. 

2.   The  Conflict  (v.  i — xii.  50). 
i.  The  Prelude  (v.,  vi.), 

(a)  In  Jerusalem  (the  impotent  man  healed  on  the  Sabbath),  v. 

The  Son  and  the  father. 

(b)  In  Galilee  (the  five  thousand  fed),  vi. 

Christ  and  men. 

ii.  The  great  Controversy  (vii. — xii.). 

(a)  The  Revelation  of  faith  and  unbelief,  vii. — x. 
The  Feast  of  Tabernacles,  vii.,  viii. 
The  Feast   of  Dedication    (the   blind   man   healed   on   the 

Sabbath),  ix.,  x. 
(V)  The  decisive  Judgment,  xi.,  xii. 

The  final  sign  and  its  issues  (the  raising  of  Lazarus),  xi. 
The  close  of  Christ's  public  ministry,  xii. 

II. — THE  SELF-REVELATION  OF  CHRIST  TO  THE  DISCIPLES  (xiii. — xxi.). 

1.  The  last  ministry  of  love  (xiii. — xvii.). 

i.    The  last  acts  of  love  (xiii.  i — 30). 

ii.  The  last  discourses  (xiii.  31 — xvi.  33), 

In  the  chamber,  xiii.  31 — xiv., 

On  the  way,  xv.,  xvi. 
iii.  The  prayer  of  consecration,  xvii. 

2.  The  Victory  through  death  (xviii. — xx.). 

i.    The  Betrayal  (xviii.  i — n). 

ii.  The  double  Trial  (xviii.  12 — xix.  16). 

iii.  The  end  (xix.  17 — 42). 

iv.  The  new  life  (xx.). 

3.  The  Epilogue,  xxi. 

i.    The  Lord  and  the  body  of  disciples  (the  miraculous  draught  of 
fishes),  xxi.  i — 14. 

ii.  The  Lord  and  individual  disciples  (xxi.  15 — 23). 
Concluding  notes,  xxi.  24,  25'. 

1  The  data  for  fixing  the  chronology  are  very  meagre.     The  following  appears  to  be  the  best 
arrangement  of  the  main  events. 

Early  spring  :  the  calling  of  the  first  disciples,  i.  19 — ii.  ii. 
First  Passover  (April),  ii.  13 — iii.  21; 
iii.  22 — iv.  54. 

The  Feast  of  the  New  Year  (September),  v.     See  Additional  Note. 
Second  Passover  (April),  vi. 
The  Feast  of  Tabernacles  (October),  vii.,  viii. 
The  Feast  of  Dedication  (December),  ix.,  x. ; 

xi.,  xii. 
Third  Passover  (April),  xiii. — xx. 


xliv 


INTRODUCTION   TO 


Such  in  a  rough  outline  appears  to 
be  the  distribution  of  the  parts  of  the 
Gospel.  It  will  be  felt  at  once  how 
fragmentary  the  record  is,  and  yet  how 
complete.  The  incidents  all  contribute 
to  the  orderly  development  of  the  truths 
which  it  is  the  object  of  the  Evangelist 
to  commend  to  his  readers.  In  deve- 
loping the  plan  thus  broadly  denned 
he  dwells  on  three  pairs  of  ideas,  wit- 
ness and  truth,  glory  and  light,  judg- 
ment and  life.  There  is  the  manifold 
attestation  of  the  divine  mission:  there 
is  the  progressive  manifestation  of  the 
inherent  majesty  of  the  Son:  there  is  the 
continuous  and  necessary  effect  which 
this  manifestation  produces  on  those  to 
whom  it  is  made;  and  the  narrative  may 
be  fairly  described  as  the  simultaneous 
unfolding  of  these  three  themes,  into 
which  the  great  theme  of  faith  and  un- 
belief is  divided.  A  rapid  survey  of 
their  treatment  will  bring  out  many  in- 
structive features  in  the  composition. 

(a)  The  Truth  and  the  Witness.  It 
is  characteristic  of  Christianity  that  it 
claims  to  be  "  the  Truth."  Christ  spoke 
of  Himself  as  "the  Truth"  (xiv.  6).  God 
is  revealed  in  Christ  as  "the  only  true 
(aA.r?0ivos)  God"  (xvii.  3).  The  message 
of  the  Gospel  is  "the  Truth."  This  title 
of  the  Gospel  is  not  found  in  the  Synop- 
tists,  the  Acts  or  the  Apocalypse  ;  but 
it  occurs  in  the  Catholic  Epistles  (James 
v.  19;  i  Pet.  i.  22;  2  Pet.  ii.  2),  and  in 
the  Epistles  of  St  Paul  (2  Thess.  ii.  12; 
2  Cor.  xiii.  8;  Eph.  i.  13,  &c.).  It  is 
specially  characteristic  of  the  Gospel  and 
Epistles  of  St  John. 

According  to  the  teaching  of  St  John, 
the  fundamental  fact  of  Christianity  in- 
cludes all  that  "is"  in  each  sphere. 
Christ  the  Incarnate  Word  is  the  per- 
fect revelation  of  the  Father:  as  God, 
He  reveals  God  (i.  18).  He  is  the  per- 
fect pattern  of  life,  expressing  in  act  and 
word  the  absolute  law  of  love  (xiii.  34). 
He  unites  the  finite  and  the  infinite 
(i.  14,  xvi.  28).  And  the  whole  history 
of  the  Christian  Society  is  the  progressive 
embodiment  of  this  revelation. 

In  the  presence  of  Pilate,  the  repre- 
sentative of  earthly  power,  Christ  re- 
vealed the  object  of  His  coming,  as  a 
permanent  fact,  to  be  that  He  might 
"bear  witness  to  the  truth"  (yeycW^/xai, 
a,  not  rj\&ov,  Iva  /xaprvpiycra)  TTJ 


ia,  xviii.  37).  This  "Truth,"  it  is  im- 
plied, was  already,  in  some  sense,  among 
men  even  if  it  was  unrecognised.  There 
were  some  who  "were  of  the  Truth,"draw- 
ing,  as  it  were,  their  power  of  life  from  it 
(comp.  i  John  ii.  21,  iii.  19).  Over  these 
Christ  claimed  the  supremacy  of  a  King. 
Among  the  chosen  people  this  testi- 
mony of  conscience  was  supplemented 
by  the  voice  of  the  representative  of  the 
prophets.  The  Baptist  bore,  and  still 
bears,  witness  to  the  Truth  (v.  33, 


But  Christ  came  not  only  to  maintain 
a  Truth  which  was  present  among  men, 
but  to  make  known  a  new  fulness  of 
Truth.  The  "Truth  came  (eyeWo  "was 
realised  as  the  right  issue  of  things") 
through  Him  "  (i.  17  ;  comp.  v.  14  TrA?//^? 
...aA^etas).  His  teaching  was  "the 
Truth"  (viii.  40;  comp.  xvii.  17,  d  Ao'yos 

0  0-09).    He  is  Himself  the  Truth  (xiv.  6). 

And  this  work  is  carried  out  step  by 
step  by  the  Spirit  (xvi.  13  ff.)  who  is 
sent  in  Christ's  name  by  the  Father 
(xiv.  26),  as  He  also  is  sent  by  Christ 
Himself  (xvi.  7).  Under  this  aspect  the 
Spirit,  like  Christ,  is  the  Truth  which  He 
makes  known  (i  John  v.  6). 

And  again,  the  whole  sum  of  the  know- 
ledge of  Christ  and  of  the  Spirit  is  "  the 
Truth"  (i  John  ii.  21;  2  John  i),  which 
can  be  recognised  by  man  (John  viii.  32, 
yi/oxr€o-0e  rffv  aA^flciav),  and  become  the 
object  of  fixed  knowledge  (i  John  ii.  21, 
oiSar«  rrjv  aA.);  though  on  the  Other 
hand  men  can  withstand  and  reject  its 
claims  (viii.  44  f.  ;  comp.  Rom.  i.  18). 

So  far  the  Truth  is  regarded  as  a 
whole  without  us  (objectively),  working 
and  witnessing  (3  John  8,  12).  But  at 
the  same  time  the  Spirit,  as  the  Spirit  of 
Truth,  or  rather  of  "  the  Truth,"  brings 
the  Truth  into  direct  communication 
with  man's  spirit  (xiv.  17,  xv.  26,  xvi.  13; 

1  John   iv.  6,   opposed  to  TO  TTV.   T!J<S 
7rAav77<;);   and  "the  Truth"  becomes  an 
inward  power  in  the  believer  (i  Johni.  8, 
ii.  4;  2  John  2). 

Truth  therefore  reaches  to  action.  We 
do  or  do  not  the  Truth  (iii.  2  1  ;  i  John  i.  6)1. 
It  follows  that  the  reception  of  the  Truth 

1  This  aspect  of  the  Truth  is  brought  out 
specially  by  St  Paul,  who  contrasts  "unright- 
eousness" with  "truth":  Rom.  i.  18,  ii.  8; 
i  Cor.  xiii.  6;  i  Thess.  ii.  12.  Comp.  Eph. 
iv.  24,  v.  9. 


THE   GOSPEL  OF  ST.  JOHN. 


xlv 


brings  freedom  (viii.  32),  because  the 
Truth  corresponds  with  the  law  of  our 
being.  By  the  Truth  we  are  sanctified 
(xvii.  17). 

No  one  therefore  can  fail  to  see 
how  inconsistent  it  is  with  the  apostolic 
conception  of  Christianity  to  represent 
the  Faith  as  antagonistic  to  any  form  of 
Truth.  It  is  interpreted  by  every  frag- 
ment of  Truth.  All  experience  is  a  com- 
mentary on  it.  And  we  must  be  careful 
to  keep  ourselves  open  to  every  influence 
of  light. 

The  message  which  St  John  has  to 
convey  in  his  Gospel  is  "the  Truth," 
and  this  is  commended  to  men  by  various 
forms  of  witness  (^aprvpia).  There  is 
nothing  in  the  Synoptic  Gospels  to  pre- 
pare for  the  remarkable  development 
which  he  gives  of  this  idea.  It  evidently 
belongs  to  a  time  when  men  had  begun 
to  reason  about  the  faith,  and  to  analyse 
the  grounds  on  which  it  rested.  The 
end  of  the  witness  is  the  confirmation 
of  the  truth  (xviii.  37);  and  the  Evan- 
gelist, looking  back  upon  his  own  expe- 
rience, is  able  to  distinguish  the  several 
forms  which  the  witness  assumed  and 
still  essentially  retains. 

The  witness  to  Christ  which  he  records 
is  therefore  manifold,  and  extends  over 
the  whole  range  of  possible  attestation 
of  divine  things.  In  due  succession 
there  is,  (i)  the  witness  of  the  Father; 
(2)  the  witness  of  Christ  Himself;  (3)  the 
witness  of  works;  (4)  the  witness  of  Scrip- 
ture; (5)  the  witness  of  the  Forerunner; 
(6)  the  witness  of  disciples;  and  that 
which  illuminates  and  quickens  all,  (7) 
the  witness  of  the  Spirit. 

(i)  The  witness  of  the  Father  is  that 
to  which  Christ  appeals  as  the  proper 
witness  of  Himself:  /  (ey°>)  receive  not  my 
witness  from  a  man... the  Father  which 
sent  me,  He  (eVeu/os)  hath  borne  witness 
concerning  me  (v.  34,  37).  If  I  (ryw) 
bear  witness  concerning  myself,  my  witness 
is  not  true.  There  is  another  that  beareth 
witness  of  me,  and  I  know  that  the  wit- 
ness which  He  beareth  concerning  me  is 
true  (v.  31  f;  contrast  viii.  14).  I  am 
he  that  beareth  witness  concerning  myself, 
and  the  Father  that  sent  me  beareth  wit- 
ness concerning  me  (viii.  1 8).  This  witness 
then  is  distinguished  from  the  witness  of 
a  prophet  (e.g.  John  the  Baptist),  and 
from  the  witness  of  Christ  standing  (if 


we  can  so  conceive)  in  the  isolation  of 
His  Personality.  It  lies  in  the  absolute 
coincidence  between  the  will  and  words 
and  works  of  Christ  and  the  will  of  the 
Father,  realised  by  Christ  in  His  divine- 
human  Person  (/  know,  v.  32).  Such 
witness  carries  conviction  to  men  so  far 
as  they  have  themselves  been  brought 
into  unity  with  God.  Man  can  feel 
what  is  truly  divine  while  he  reaches 
after  it  and  fails  to  attain  to  it.  The 
sense  of  his  own  aspirations  and  of  his 
own  shortcomings  enables  him  to  ap- 
preciate the  perfection  of  Christ.  Thus 
the  witness  of  the  Father  is  (what  we 
speak  of  as)  the  "  character  "  of  Christ 
The  witness  is  continuous,  present  and 
abiding  (fj-aprvpel,  p.t[iapTvpr)Ke),  and  it 
reposes  upon  the  general  conception  of 
God  as  Father  (the  Father  not  my  Father), 
standing  in  this  paternal  relation  to  all 
men.  As  soon  as  the  thought  of  "the 
Fatherhood  of  God"  is  gained,  it  is  felt 
that  "the  Son"  expresses  it  absolutely. 
The  witness  of  this  perfect  coincidence 
therefore  finds  its  cogency  in  the  re- 
sponse which  it  calls  out  from  the  soul 
of  man.  Man  recognises  the  voice  as 
naturally  and  supremely  authoritative 
(i  John  v.  9). 

(2)  The  witness  of  the  Father  finds 
a  special  expression  in  the  witness  of 
the  Son  concerning  Himself.  This  wit- 
ness is  valid  because  it  reposes  on  a 
conscious  fellowship  with  God  (comp. 
x.  30),  in  which  no  element  of  selfish- 
ness can  find  any  place,  and  on  a  direct 
and  absolute  knowledge  of  divine  things 
(iii.  ii,  32  f.),  and  of  a  divine  mission 
seen  in  its  totality  (viii.  14;  comp.  v.  55). 
In  this  sense  Christ  said,  Even  if  I  bear 
witness  concerning  myself  my  witness  is 
true,  becatise  I  know  whence  I  came  and 
whither  I  go  (viii.  14).  Such  witness 
necessarily  derives  power  from  what  can 
be  seen  of  the  witness  of  the  Father 
in  Christ's  character.  And  more  than 
this,  Christ's  claim  to  universal  sove- 
reignty lay  in  the  fact  that  He  came  into 
the  world  in  order  to  bear  witness  to  the 
truth  (xviii.  37).  Every  one  therefore, 
He  adds,  that  is  of  the  truth  heareth 
my  voice  (id.).  Thus  it  is  seen  that  the 
final  power  of  the  witness  of  Christ  to 
Himself  is  derived  from  man's  affinity 
to  truth  which  is  found  perfectly  in 
Him.  His  sheep,  according  to  the  fa- 


xlvi 


INTRODUCTION   TO 


miliar  image,  know  His  voice  (x.  4  f.). 
And  He  has  a  special  message  for  each: 
He  calleth.  (<£uveZ)  His  own  sheep  by  name 
(x.  3).  The  end  of  this  is  that  he  that 
believeth  on  Him  hath  the  witness  in  him- 
self (i  John  v.  10). 

(3)  This  divine  witness,  the  internal 
witness  which  is  addressed  to  man's 
moral  constitution,  takes  a  special  and 
limited  form  in  the  witness  of  works. 
Thus  Christ  said,  The  witness  which  I 
have  is  greater  than  that  of  John  ;  for  the 
works  which  the  Father  hath  given  me  to 
accomplish,  the  very  works  that  I  do  bear 
witness  concerning  me  that  the  Father  hath 
sent  me  (v.  36,  note).  Within  a  narrow 
range  and  in  a  concrete  and  sensible 
manner,  His  works  revealed  His  perfect 
communion  with  the  Father  (v.  17  ff.). 
Men  could  see  in  them,  if  not  otherwise, 
tokens  of  His  real  nature  and  authority. 
The  works  which  I  do  in  my  Father's 
name,  claiming  a  special  connexion  with 
Him,  making  Him  known  as  my  Father, 
these  bear  witness  concerning  me  (x:  25; 
comp.  xiv.  u,  xv.  24).  And  this  kind  of 
witness  which  was  given  in  one  form  by 
Christ  Himself  during  His  historical  pre- 
sence is  still  continued.  His  disciples 
are  enabled  to  perform  greater  works 
than  those  to  which  He  appealed  (xiv. 
12  ff.).  The  Christian  Society  has  still 
the  living  witness  of  "signs." 

For  in  the  record  of  the  "works"  of 
Christ  St  John  draws  no  line  between 
those  which  we  call  natural  and  super- 
natural. The  separate  "works"  are  frag- 
ments of  the  one  "work"  (iv.  34,  xvii.  4). 
Whether  they  are  predominantly  works 
of  power  or  of  love,  wrought  on  the 
body  or  on  the  spirit,  they  have  the 
same  office  and  end  (comp.  v.  20  f.,  36, 
ix.  3  f.,  xiv.  10).  They  are  "shewn:" 
they  require  that  is  a  sympathetic  in- 
terpretation (x.  32  ;  comp.  v.  20).  The 
earliest  emotion  which  they  produce  may 
be  simply  "wonder"  (v.  20),  but  wonder 
is  the  first  step  to  knowledge.  This  fol- 
lows both  in  its  decisive  apprehension 
and  in  its  progressive  extension  (x.  38, 

LVO.  yvwrc  Kal  yivoJcnojTe). 

Works  therefore  according  to  St  John 
are  signs  (vi.  26);  and  their  witness,  from 
their  want  of  directness  and  from  their 
outwardness  of  form,  is  secondary  to 
that  of  "words  "(xiv.  n,  xv.  22  ff.). 
The  internal  witness,  according  to  our 


mode  of  speaking,  is  placed  above  the 
external.  The  former  is  an  appeal  to 
the  spiritual  consciousness,  the  latter  to 
the  intellect. 

(4)  So  far  we  have  seen  that  the  wit- 
ness to  Christ  is  found  in  Himself,  in 
what  He  is,  and  in  what  He  did  and 
does  through   His   disciples.     But   He 
stood  also  in  a  definite  relation  to  the 
past     Witness  was  borne  to  Him  both 
by  the  records  of  the  ancient  dispensa- 
tion and  by  the  last  of  the  prophets. 
Ye  search  the  Scriptures,  Christ  said  to 
the  Jews,  because  ye  think  that  in  them 
ye  have  eternal  life — that   they   are   in 
themselves  the  end,  and  not  the  prepa- 
ration for  the  end — and  they  are  they 
which  witness  concerning  me  ;  and  ye  will 
not  come  to   me  that  ye  may  have  life 
(v.   39,  40).     Without   Christ   the   Old 
Testament  is  an   unsolved   riddle.     By 
the  writings  of  Moses  and  the  prophets 
(v.  46,  i.  45)  He  was  seen  to  be  the 
goal  and  fulfilment  of  immemorial  hopes 
which  became  a  testimony  to  Him  in 
whom    they   were    satisfied.     The    Old 
Testament  was  to  the  first  age  and  is 
to   all   ages,   if   regarded  in   its   broad 
and  indisputable  outlines,  a  witness  to 
Christ. 

(5)  The  witness  of  the  Old  Testament 
found  a  final  expression  in  the  latest  of 
the   prophets.     John  the  Baptist  occu- 
pied  a  position   which  was  wholly  pe- 
culiar.     He  came  for  witness,   to   bear 
witness  concerning  the  Light,  that  all  men 
might  believe  through   him  (i.   7).      His 
own   light  was    borrowed   and   kindled 
(v.   35,   i.    8);    yet   it   was   such   as   to 
attract   and   arrest  (v.   35),  and   served 
to  prepare  men  for  that  which  should 
follow.     In    this  sense  Christ  appealed 
to  it.     Ye  have  sent  to  John,  and  he  hath 
borne  witness  to  the  truth.     But  I  receive 
not  my  witness  from  a  man,  but  these  things 
I  say  that  ye  may  be  saved  (v.  33  f.)-  The 
witness  was,  so  to  speak,  an  accommo- 
dation to  the  moral  condition  of  those 
for  whom  it  was  given.     It  was  the  at- 
testation of  a  personal  conviction  based 
upon   a    specific    proof.      The    Baptist 
realised    his   own   character  and    office 
(i.  19  ff);  and  he  recognised  Christ  by 
the  sign  which  had  been  made  known  to 
him  (i.  32  ff.).     He  realised  the  sternest 
form  of  Judaism,  and  at  the  same  time 
perceived   the  universality    of   that   in 


THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  JOHN. 


xlvii 


which  Judaism  should  be  crowned.  In 
a  signal  example  he  offered  the  witness 
of  the  leader  of  men  who  sways  the 
thoughts  of  the  multitude. 

(6)  The  witness  of  the  Baptist  was  to 
one  decisive  event.    By  this  was  revealed 
to  him  the  relation  of  Christ  to  the  old 
covenant  of  which  he  was  himself  the 
last  representative.      His  was  the  indi- 
vidual witness  of  an   exceptional  man. 
To   this  was  added  the  witness,  so  to 
speak,  of  common  life.     The  witness  of 
the  disciples  was  in  various  degrees  a 
witness  to  what  they  had  experienced  in 
their  intercourse  with  Christ,  a  witness 
to   facts.      Ye  also,  Christ   said   to   the 
eleven,  bear  witness,  because  ye  are  with 
me  from  the  beginning  (xv.  27).     He  that 
hath  seen  hath  borne  witness  (xix.  35). 
This  is  the  disciple  that  witnesseth  con- 
cerning these  things  and  wrote  these  things 
(xxi.  24;  comp.  i  John  i.  2,  iv.  14). 

(7)  But  in  all  these  cases  there  was 
need  of  an  interpreter.    Neither  the  mis- 
sion nor  the  Person  of  Christ  could  be 
understood  at  once.     It  was  necessary 
that  He  should  be  withdrawn  in  order 
that  the  disciples  might  be  able  to  re- 
ceive the  full  revelation  of  His  Nature. 
This  was  their  consolation  in  the  pros- 
pect of  persecution  and  hatred.      WJicn 
the  Paraclete  is  come  wJwm  I  will  send 
from  the  Father,  even  the  Spirit  of  Truth, 

which  proccedeth  from  the  Father,  He  shall 
bear  witness  concerning  me  (xv.  26).  In 
this  witness  lies  the  continual  unfolding 
of  the  infinite  significance  of  the  Incar- 
nation. The  Spirit  takes  of  that  which 
is  Christ's,  and  declares  it  (xvi.  14).  It 
is  the  Spirit,  as  St  John  himself  says 
elsewhere,  that  bearcth  witness,  because 
the  Spirit  is  the  truth  (i  John  v.  6). 

If  now  we  look  back  over  these  seven 
types  of  witness  to  which  St  John  ap- 
peals in  the  Gospel,  it  will  be  seen  that 
they  cover  the  whole  range  of  the  pos- 
sible proof  of  religious  truth,  internal 
and  external.  The  witness  of  the  Father 
and  of  Christ  Himself  is  internal,  and 
rests  on  the  correspondence  of  the  Gos- 
pel with  that  absolute  idea  of  the  divine 
which  is  in  man.  The  witness  of  works 
and  of  Scripture  is  external  and  historical, 
and  draws  its  force  from  the  signs  which 
the  Gospel  gives  of  fulfilling  a  divine  pur- 
pose. The  witness  of  the  prophet  and 
of  the  disciples  is  personal  and  experi- 


ential, and  lies  in  the  open  declaration 
of  what  men  have  found  the  Gospel  to 
be.  Lastly,  the  witness  of  the  Spirit  is 
for  the  believer  the  crown  of  assurance 
and  the  pledge  of  the  progress  of  the 
Truth. 

(b)  Light  and  Glory.  The  second 
pair  of  words,  Light  and  Glory,  which 
characterize  St  John's  narrative  corre- 
spond to  a  certain  extent  with  the  Wit- 
ness and  the  Truth.  The  Witness  be- 
comes effective  through  Light.  The 
Truth  is  revealed  in  Glory. 

The  description  of  God  as  Light 
(i  John  i.  5)  expresses  in  its  final  form 
that  idea  of  self-communication  which 
is  realised  in  many  ways.  The  works 
of  God  are  a  revelation  of  Him  (i.  4  f., 
note) ;  and  among  these  man's  own  con- 
stitution, though  this  is  not  specially 
brought  out  by  St  John  (comp.  Matt, 
vi.  23;  Luke  xi.  35).  The  Word  as 
Light  visited  men  (ix.  5,  OTO.V)  before 
the  Incarnation  (i.  9  f.;  comp.  v.  38; 
Rom.  ii.  15  f.),  at  the  Incarnation  (viii. 
12,  xii.  46,  iii.  19 — 21 ;  comp.  xi.  9  f.), 
and  He  still  comes  (xiv.  21);  even 
as  the  Spirit  who  still  interprets  His 
"name"  (xiv.  26,  xvi.  13;  comp. 
i  John  ii.  20  ff.,  27). 

St  John  draws  no  distinction  in  essence 
between  these  three  different  forms  of 
revelation,  in  nature,  in  conscience,  in 
history:  all  alike  are  natural  or  super- 
natural, parts  of  the  same  harmonious 
plan.  But  man  has  not  independently 
light  in  himself.  The  understanding  of 
the  outward  revelation  depends  upon 
the  abiding  of  the  divine  word  within 
(v.  37  f.).  Love  is  the  condition  of 
illumination  (xiv.  22  ff.).  And  the  end 
of  Christ's  coming  was  that  those  who 
believe  in  Him  may  move  in  a  new 
region  of  life  (xii.  46),  and  themselves 
become  sons  of  light  (xii.  35  f.),  and  so, 
as  the  last  issue  of  faith,  have  the  light  of 
life  (viii.  12). 

Under  the  action  of  the  Light  the 
Truth  is  seen  in  Christ  as  Glory.  Christ, 
"the  Light  of  the  world,"  is  seen  by  the 
believer  to  be  the  manifested  glory  of 
God. 

(i)  Step  by  step  the  Gospel  of  St  John 
lays  open  the  progress  of  this  manifesta- 
tion. The  summary  of  its  whole  course 
is  given  by  the  Apostle  at  the  outset: 
The  Word  became  flesh  and  tabernacled 


xlviii 


INTRODUCTION   TO 


among  us,  and  we  beheld  His  glory,  glory 
as  of  an  only  son  from  a  father  (i.  14), 
absolutely  representing,  that  is,  Him 
from  whom  He  came.  The  beginning 
of  Christ's  signs  was  a  manifestation  of 
His  glory  (ii.  1 1),  and  that  it  might  be 
so,  it  was  shewn  only  when  the  hour  was 
come  (ii.  4).  For  the  glory  of  the  Son 
was  not  of  His  own  seeking  (viii.  50), 
but  was  wholly  the  expression  of  His 
Father's  will  through  Him  (viii.  54). 
And  conversely  the  Son  by  His  perfect 
conformity  to  the  Father's  will  glorified 
the  Father  upon  earth  in  the  fulfilment  of 
His  appointed  work  (xvii.  4),  wherein  He 
was  also  glorified  Himself  (xvii.  10). 

(2)  The  glory  of  Christ  was  therefore 
in  a  true  sense  the  glory  of  God.     This 
sickness,    the    Lord    said    in    regard    to 
Lazarus,  is  not  unto  death,  as  its  real 
issue,  but  for  the  glory  of  God,  that  the 
Son   of  God   may   be  glorified   through 
it  (xi.  4).      And  so  the  restoration  of 
Lazarus  to  life  was  a  vision  of  the  glory 
of  God  (xi.  40),  as  producing  faith  in 
Him  whom  He  sent  (xi.  42).    The  glori- 
fication of  "the  name"  of  the  Father  was 
the  historic  work  of  the  Son  (xii.   28). 
When   the   crisis  was  past,  Jesus  saith, 
Now  was  the  Son  of  man  glorified  (e'So- 
|ao-#r/),  and  God  was  glorified  in  Him 
(xiii.  31).     At  the  end  the  correlation 
is  not  between  the  Son  and  the  Father, 
but  between  the  Son  of  man  and  God. 
In  Him,  little  by  little,  under  the  con- 
ditions of  human  existence,  the  absolute 
idea  of  manhood  was  fulfilled. 

(3)  It    follows   that   the   thought   of 
Christ's  glory  is  extended   beyond   the 
Incarnation.     The  glory  which  was  con- 
summated  through   the  Incarnation  he 
had  with   the  Father  before   the   world 
was   (xvii.   5);   and   when   the   prophet 
was  allowed  to  look  upon  the  Lord,  sit- 
ting upon  a  throne,  high   and  lifted  up 
(Is.  vi.  i  ff.),  what  he  saw  was  the  glory 
of  Christ  (xii.  41). 

(4)  And  on  the   other  hand,  as  the 
glory  of  the  Son  is  extended  backward, 
so  also  the  glory  Q{  Jesus,  the  Son  of  man, 
consummated  on  the  divine  side  even  in 
God  (xiii.  32)  at  the  Ascension  (vii.  39, 
xii.  1 6),  to  which  the  way  was  opened 
by  the  Passion  (xii.  23,  xiii.  31),  is  to 
be  realised  by  men  little  by  little  in  the 
course  of  ages.     The  petitions  of  be- 
lievers are  granted  that  the  Father  may 


be  glorified  in  the  Son  (xiv.  13):  their 
fruitfulness,  already  regarded  as  attained, 
is  a  source  of  this  glory  (xv.  8).  And 
one  chief  office  of  the  Spirit  is  to  glorify 
Christ  by  making  Him  more  fully  known 
(xvi.  14). 

(c)  Judgment  and  Life.  The  glory  of 
Christ  and  of  God  in  Christ,  which  is 
thus  presented  as  the  substance  of  reve- 
lation, belongs  to  a  spiritual  sphere.  It 
can  therefore  only  be  perceived  by  those 
who  have  true  spiritual  vision.  As  an 
inevitable  consequence,  the  revelation  of 
the  divine  glory  carries  with  it  a  judg- 
ment, a  separation. 

The  fundamental  notion  of  this  Judg- 
ment lies  in  the  authoritative  and  final 
declaration  of  the  state  of  man  as  he  is 
in  relation  to  God  and  standing  apart 
from  God.  It  follows  as  a  necessary 
consequence  that  Judgment  in  this  sense 
is  contrasted  with  "salvation,"  "life." 
He  that  believeth  [on  the  Son]  is  not 
judged  (iii.  18).  He  hath  passed  out  of 
death  into  life  (v.  24 ;  comp.  v.  29). 
For  Christ  has  life  (i.  4,  v.  26),  and 
His  words  are  life  (vi.  53 ;  comp.  vi.  68, 
xii.  50).  He  came  to  offer  life  to  men 
(x.  28,  xvii.  2),  that  they  too  may  have 
it  (iii.  15  f,  v.  40,  vi.  40,  x.  10).  He 
is  indeed  Himself  "the  Life"  (xi.  25, 
xiv.  6)  and  the  support  of  life  (vi.  33, 
35,  48,  51;  comp.  iv.  14).  To  know  the 
Father  and  Him  is  eternal  life  (xvii.  3); 
and  he  that  "believeth  in  Him,"  he  that 
is  united  with  Him  by  faith,  hath  the  life 
as  a  present  possession  (iii.  36,  v.  24, 
vi.  47,  54;  comp.  viii.  12),  which  other- 
wise he  cannot  have  (vi.  53).  The  re- 
lation of  the  believer  to  Christ  is  made 
parallel  with  the  relation  of  the  Son  to 
the  Father  (vi.  57).  Because  I  live,  Christ 
said  to  the  eleven,  ye  shall  live  also  (xiv. 
19).  Thus  the  believer,  in  virtue  of  the 
vital  connexion  which  he  has  realised 
with  God  in  His  Son,  is  no  longer 
considered  apart  from  Him.  Judgment 
therefore  in  his  case  is  impossible. 

This  conception  of  judgment  explains 
the  apparent  contradiction  in  the  views 
which  are  given  of  the  part  of  Christ  in 
regard  to  it.  On  the  one  side  judgment 
is  realised  as  self-fulfilled  in  the  actual 
circumstances  of  life.  This  is  the  judg- 
ment, that  the  light  is  come  into  the  world 
and  men  loved  the  darkness  rather  than 
the  light,  for  their  works  were  evil  (iii.  1 9); 


THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  JOHN. 


xlix 


and  by  this  contrast  the  unbeliever  is 
convicted  from  within :  he  hath  one  that 
judgeth  him:  the  word  that  I  spake,  Christ 
said,  shall  judge  him  at  the  last  day  (xii. 
48).  Hence  it  is  said:  God  sent  not  the 
Son  into  the  world  to  judge  the  world,  but 
that  the  world  may  be  saved  through  Him 
(iii.  17).  /  came  not  to  judge  the  world, 
but  to  save  the  world  (xii.  47). 

And  yet  on  the  other  side  judgment 
belongs  to  Christ,  and  satisfies  the  ut- 
most ideal  of  judgment  because  it  re- 
poses upon  adequate  knowledge.  Thus 
we  read :  the  Father  hath  given  all  judg- 
ment unto  the  Son  (v.  22;  comp.  v.  27); 
and  for  judgment  (npifj-a)  came  I  into  this 
world.,  .(ix.  39;  comp.  viii.  26).  I  judge 
no  man;  yea,  and  if  I  (cyw)  judge, 
my  judgment  is  true  (aXyOwri,  viii.  15  f.). 
As  I  hear  I  judge,  and  my  judgment  is 
just  (v.  30). 

Striking  as  the  contrast  between  these 
passages  appears  to  be,  it  is  only  neces- 
sary to  consider  what  the  judgment  is  in 
order  to  feel  their  harmony.  Spiritual 
judgment  is  a  consequence  involved  in 
the  rejection  of  the  revelation  which 
Christ  made.  His  will  was  to  unite 
men  to  Himself,  so  that  they  might 
have  life  and  not  be  judged.  So  far 
then  as  they  rejected  Him  and  stood 
away  from  Him,  His  Presence  shewed 
them  as  they  truly  were.  He  judged 
them ;  and  judgment  was  equivalent  to 
condemnation.  Thus  the  exhibition  of 
the  contrast  of  the  true  and  the  false 
became  one  of  the  means  for  developing 
belief  and  unbelief  according  to  the  cha- 
racter of  Christ's  hearers  (viii.  26).  What- 
ever might  be  the  result,  His  message 
must  be  delivered. 

In  one  sense  therefore  judgment,  like 
the  gift  of  life,  is  immediate.  It  lies 
in  the  existence  of  an  actual  relation 
(iii.  1 8)  which  carries  with  it  its  final 
consequences.  In  another  sense  it  is 
still  future,  so  far  as  it  will  be  realised 
in  a  spiritual  order  of  being  in  the  last 
day  (xii.  48).  There  is  a  resurrection  of 
life  and  a  resurrection  of  judgment  (v.  29;, 
in  which  the  issues  of  both  begun  here 
will  be  completely  fulfilled.  Meanwhile 
the  process  is  going  on  upon  earth.  The 
manifestation  of  perfect  holiness  presen- 
ted to  the  world  in  perfect  self-sacrifice 
(v.  30)  has  set  up  a  standard  which 
cannot  be  put  out  of  sight.  Under  this 


aspect  Christ's  coming  was  a  sentence  of 
judgment  (Kpi/xa,  ix.  39).  The  judgment 
of  the  sovereign  power  of  the  world  in 
the  Passion  (xii.  31)  has  left  men  no 
excuse  (see  xvi.  n,  note).  In  that  they 
can  see  the  mind  of  God,  and  according 
as  they  surrender  themselves  to  it  or 
resist  it,  they  find  life  or  judgment. 

So  far  the  judgment  is  self- fulfilled. 
It  cannot  but  be  carried  out.  The  word 
of  Christ  sooner  or  later  must  justify 
itself  (xii.  48).  There  is  no  need  that 
He  should  seek  to  assert  and  vindicate 
its  supremacy.  There  is  one  that  seeketh 
and  judgeth  (viii.  50),  the  eternal  power 
of  righteousness  symbolized  in  the  Law 
(v.  45),  and  expressed  in  the  Gospel 
(xii.  48  ff.). 

But  though  this  is  so,  the  idea  of 
divine  action  is  never  lost  in  the  Bible 
in  an  abstraction,  however  emphatic. 
And  while  the  eternal  necessity  of  judg- 
ment is  thus  set  forth,  the  historical 
execution  of  judgment,  both  present  and 
final,  is  recognised  as  a  work  of  the 
Son;  and  though  it  was  not  the  purpose 
of  His  mission,  yet  it  was  committed  to 
Him  in  virtue  of  His  mission.  The 
Father  doth  not  judge  any  man,  but  hath 
given  all  judgment  to  the  Son  (v.  22). 
Even  as  the  Father  gave  Him  to  have 
life  in  Himself,  and  so  to  be  a  spring  of 
life  to  all  who  are  united  with  Him,  so 
also  He  gave  Him  authority  to  execute 
judgment  because  He  is  a  Son  of  man — not 
the  Son  of  man — (v.  27),  because  He  is 
truly  man,  and  not  only  the  representa- 
tive of  humanity.  His  judgment  there- 
fore (comp.  Hebr.  iv.  14  ff.)  is  essen- 
tially united  with  His  complete  sympathy 
with  man's  nature,  and  extends  to  the 
fulness  of  human  life.  It  finds  place 
always  and  everywhere. 

These  contrasts  bring  out  into  full 
relief  the  conflict  between  faith  and  un- 
belief, which,  as  has  been  said,  is  the 
main  subject  of  St  John's  Gospel.  In 
the  Synoptic  Gospels  faith  occupies  a 
different  position.  It  is  in  these  almost 
exclusively  relative  to  a  particular  object 
(Matt.  viii.  10,  ix.  2,  22,  29,  &c. ;  Mark 
ix.  23,  &c.).  Only  once  does  the  full 
expression  for  faith  in  the  Person  of 
Christ  occur  (irLo-Tfvfiv  €«,  Matt,  xviii.  6, 
||  Mark  ix.  42).  In  St  John,  on  the  other 
hand,  this  is  the  characteristic  form  under 
which  faith  is  presented.  The  simple 


1 


INTRODUCTION   TO 


noun  is  not  found  in  his  Gospel.  Faith 
is  the  attitude  of  the  whole  believing 
man.  Such  faith  in  Christ  is  the  con- 
dition of  eternal  life  (i.  12,  vi.  40).  To 
produce  it  was  the  object  of  the  Evan- 
gelist (xx.  31).  And  the  history  marks 
in  typical  crises  the  progress  of  its  de- 
velopment 

The  first  sign  is  followed  by  an  access 
of  faith  in  the  disciples  (ii.  n).  The  first 
entrance  into  Jerusalem  was  followed  by 
faith  disturbed  by  preconceived  ideas 
(ii.  23,  iii.  12  ff.).  The  preaching  in 
Samaria  called  out  a  complete  confession 
of  faith  (iv.  39  ff.),  which  stands  in  con- 
trast with  the  faith  resting  on  signs  which 
followed  in  Galilee  (iv.  48  ff. ). 

From  this  point  active  unbelief  ap- 
pears side  by  side  with  faith.  By  claim- 
ing authority  over  the  Sabbath,  and 
"making  Himself  equal  with  God"  (v. 
17  f.),  the  Lord  offered  a  test  of  devo- 
tion to  those  who  followed  Him:  He 
fulfilled  that  to  which  Moses  pointed 
(v.  39,  45  ff.).  The  decisive  trial  in 
Galilee  caused  a  fresh  division  between 
those  who  had  hitherto  been  disciples. 
It  was  now  revealed  that  life  was  to  be 
gained  by  the  personal  appropriation  of 
the  virtue  of  Christ's  Life  and  Death 
(vi.  53  ff.).  Some  turned  aside,  and 
St  Peter  confessed  the  Apostolic  faith 
even  in  the  mysterious  prospect  of  the 
Passion  (vi.  66  ff.).  At  the  Feast  of 
Tabernacles  the  antagonism  of  the.  hier- 
archy was  more  decided  (vii.  32,  47  ff.), 
and  the  Lord  traced  it  to  its  source  in 
an  analysis  of  the  spirit  of  those  who 
believed  Him  with  a  view  to  the  execu- 
tion of  their  own  designs  (viii.  31,  note). 
At  the  same  time  He  revealed  His  pre- 
existence  (viii.  31  ff.,  58).  The  separa- 
tion between  the  old  Church  and  the 
new,  which  was  implicitly  included  in 
these  discourses,  was  openly  shewn  in 
the  scenes  which  followed.  Christ  offered 
Himself  openly  as  the  object  of  faith  as 
"the  Son  of  man"  (ix.  35  ff.),  and  de- 
clared the  universality  of  His  work 
(x.  1 6).  The  raising  of  Lazarus,  which 
carried  with  it  the  condemnation  of  the 
Lord,  shewed  Him  to  be  the  conqueror 
of  death  and  through  death  (xi.  25  f.,  50, 
xii.  23  ff.).  So  the  public  revelation  was 
completed,  and  with  it  faith  and  unbelief 
were  brought  to  their  last  issue  (xii.  37  ff.). 

The  last  discourses  and  the  last  prayer 


point  to  the  future  victories  of  faith;  and 
the  narrative  closes  with  the  beatitude  of 
the  Risen  Christ:  Blessed  are  they  that 
have  not  seen,  and  yet  have  believed  (xx. 
29),  which  crowned  the  loftiest  confes- 
sion of  faith  triumphant  over  doubt :  My 
Lord  and  my  God  (xx.  28). 

Even  from  this  rapid  summary  it  will 
be  seen  that  the  self-revelation  of  Christ 
became  stage  by  stage  the  occasion  of 
fuller  personal  trust  and  more  open  per- 
sonal antagonism.  In  Him  thoughts  from 
many  hearts  were  revealed  (Luke  ii.  35). 
And  St  John  lays  open  the  course  of  the 
original  conflict  which  is  the  pattern  of 
all  conflicts  to  the  end  of  time. 

5.  The  Style. 

The  characteristic  repetition  and  de- 
velopment of  the  three  pairs  of  ideas, 
Witness  and  Truth,  Glory  and  Light, 
Judgment  and  Life,  in  the  structure  of 
St  John's  Gospel,  serve  to  indicate  the 
peculiarities  of  the  style  of  the  book. 
There  is  both  in  the  vocabulary  and 
in  the  form  of  the  sentences  a  surprising 
simplicity,  which  becomes  majestic  by  its 
solemn  directness. 

(a)  It  is  not  necessary  to  dwell  upon 
the  vocabulary.    Any  one  who  will  trace 
out  the  use  of  the  six  words  already  dis- 
cussed will  feel  how  the  apparent  mono- 
tony contains  a  marvellous  depth  and 
fulness.    An  examination  of  other  words, 
as  sign  (o-^/xetov),  and  works  (epya),  and 
name  (iv  TW  ovo/xart,    eis   TO   ovo/xa),   the 
Father   (o    irar^p),   and    my  Father   (o 
TTCITT/P  [J-ov),  the  world  (/cocrjao?,  not  d  alwv 
ouros   and   the   like),   to   love,  to   know 
(etSevat  and  yivowTKeiv),  will   lead  to  the 
same   conclusion    (compare    Additional 
Notes   on   i.    10,    iv.   21).     The   appa- 
rent sameness  of  phraseology  produces 
throughout  an  impressive  emphasis. 

(b)  This  emphatic  monotony  is   still 
more  observable  in  the  form  and  in  the 
combination  of  the  sentences.    The  con- 
structions are  habitually  reduced  to  the 
simplest  elements.    To  speak  of  St  John's 
Gospel  as  "written  in  very  pure  Greek" 
is  altogether  misleading.     It  is  free  from 
solecisms,  because  it  avoids  all  idiomatic 
expressions.    The  grammar  is  that  which 
is  common  to  almost  all  language.     Di- 
rectness,    circumstantiality,     repetition, 
and   personality,  are   the    characteristic 
marks  of  the  separate  sentences.     And 


THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  JOHN. 


li 


the  sentences  and  thoughts  are  grouped 
together  in  a  corresponding  manner. 
They  are  co-ordinated  and  not  subor- 
dinated. The  sequence  of  the  reasoning 
is  not  wrought  out,  but  left  for  sympa- 
thetic interpretation. 

The  narrative  is  uniformly  direct. 
Even  the  words  and  opinions  of  others 
are  given  directly  and  not  obliquely. 
Any  one  of  the  detailed  incidents  in 
St  John's  narrative  will  illustrate  this 
characteristic  of  his  style.  Thus  we  read 
in  the  opening  scene :  This  is  the  witness 
of  John  when  the  Jews  sent... to  ask  him, 
Who  art  thou?  and  he  confessed...!  a m 
not  the  Christ.  And  they  asked  him, 
What  then  ?  Art  thou  Elijah  ?  And  he 
saith,  I  am  not...(\.  19  ff.).  And  again, 
Certain  of  the  multitude  therefore,  when 
they  heard  these  words,  said,  This  is  of  a 
truth  the  Prophet.  Others  said,  This  is 
the  Christ.  But  some  said,  What,  dolh 
the  Christ  come  out  of  Galilee  ?  (vii.  40  f. ; 
comp.  ii.  3  ff.,  iv.  27  ff.,  v.  10  ff.,  vi.  14, 
viii.  22,  ix.  2  ff.,  &C.)1. 

It  is  a  part  of  the  same  method  that 
illustrative  details  are  added  parentheti- 
cally or  as  distinct  statements,  and  not 
wrought  into  the  texture  of  the  narrative 
(vi.  10,  iv.  6,  x.  22,  xiii.  30,  xviii.  40). 

The  circumstantiality  of  St  John's 
style  is  a  necessary  result  of  this  direct- 
ness. Each  element  in  the  action  is 
distinguished,  as  a  general  rule,  and  set 
out  clearly.  Thus  while  the  other  Evan- 
gelists write  habitually  according  to  the 
common  Greek  idiom  [Jesus]  answering 
said  (a7roKpi0€is  etTre),  St  John  never  uses 
this  form,  but  writes  instead  [Jesus]  an- 
swered and  said  (dirtKpiOr)  KCU  etTrcv).  He 
places  the  two  parts  of  the  act  in  equal 
prominence;  and  though  it  might  appear 
at  first  sight  that  the  phrases  are  exactly 
equivalent,  yet  the  co-ordination  of  de- 
tails brings  a  certain  defmiteness  to  the 

1  This  directness  of  construction  is  so  universal 
in  the  Gospel  that  the  only  example  (so  far  as  I 
have  observed)  of  an  oblique  sentence  is  in  iv.  51, 
where  the  true  reading  appears  to  be  met  him, 
saying  that  his  son  liveth,  in  place  of  met  him 
and  told  him,  saying,  Thy  son  liveth ;  for,  on 
the  other  hand,  the  common  oblique  reading  in 
xiii.  24  is  incorrect;  and  the  vivid  phrase,  and 
saith  to  him,  Say,  who  is  it  ?  must  be  substituted 
for  that  he  should  ask  who  it  should  be  of  whom  he 
spake. 

This  is  in  fact  a  characteristic  of  the  New 
Testament  style  generally ;  see  Winer,  §  LX.  9 ; 
but  in  St  John  it  is  most  marked. 


picture  which  fixes  the  thought  of  the 
reader.  The  same  tendency  is  shewn  in 
St  John's  analysis  of  other  actions,  Jesus 
cried  aloud  and  said  (xii.  44).  Jesus  cried 
aloud  in  the  temple,  teaching  and  saying 
(vii.  28).  John  beareth  witness  of  Him 
and  hath  cried,  say  ing... (\.  15).  They 
questioned  him,  and  said  (i.  25).  In  these 
and  similar  cases  it  will  be  found  that 
the  separation  of  the  whole  into  its  parts 
adds  to  the  impressiveness,  and  to  the 
meaning  of  the  description. 

One  remarkable  illustration  of  this 
particularity  is  found  in  the  combination 
of  the  positive  and  negative  expression 
of  the  same  truth.  All  things  were  made 
through  Him,  and  without  Him  was  not 
any  thing  made  (i.  3).  He  confessed,  and 
denied  not  (i.  20).  Jesus  did  not  trust 
Himself  unto  thetn,  for  that  He  knew  all 
men,  and  because  He  needed  not  that  any 
one  should  bear  witness  concerning  man 
(ii.  24 f.).  God... gave  His  only  Son  that 
whosoever  believeth  on  Him  may  not  perish, 
but  have  eternal  life  (iii.  16).  Comp.  x.  5, 
xviii.  20;  i  John  i.  6,  ii.  4,  27. 

The  circumstantiality  of  St  John's  style 
leads  to  frequent  repetition  of  the  sub- 
ject or  of  the  significant  word  in  a  sen- 
tence (i.  i,  Word;  i.  7,  witness;  i.  10, 
world;  iv.  22,  worship;  v.  3 if.,  witness; 
vi.  27,  meat;  xi.  33,  weeping}. 

Such  repetitions  are  singularly  marked 
in  the  record  of  dialogues,  in  which  the 
persons  are  constantly  brought  into  pro- 
minence. Sentence  after  sentence  be- 
gins with  words,  "Jesus  said,"  "the  Jews 
said,"  and  the  like,  so  that  the  characters 
in  the  great  conflict  are  kept  clearly  pre- 
sent to  the  mind  of  the  reader  in  sharp 
contrast  (ii.  18  ff.,  iv.  7  ff.,  viii.  48  ff., 
x.  23  ff). 

This  usage  leads  to  what  has  been 
called  above  the  personality  of  St  John's 
narrative.  This  is  shewn  by  the  special 
frequency  with  which  he  introduces  a 
demonstrative  pronoun  to  call  back  the 
subject,  when  a  clause  has  intervened 
between  the  subject  and  the  verb.  This 
he  does  in  two  ways.  Sometimes  he 
employs  the  pronoun  of  present  refer- 
ence: Pie  that  abideth  in  me  and  I  in 
him,  this  man  (OVTOS)  beareth  much  fruit 
(xv.  5;  comp.  vii.  18,  &c.);  and  some- 
times, which  is  the  more  characteristic 
usage,  the  pronoun  of  remote,  isolated 
reference:  He  that  entereth  not  by  the 


INTRODUCTION   TO 


door... that  man  (exeiVos)  is  a  thief  and  a 
robber  (x.  i;  comp.  i.  18,  33,  v.  1 1,  37,  38, 
xii.  48,  xiv.  21,  26,  xv.  26). 

Another  feature  of  the  same  kind  is 
the  frequency  of  St  John's  use  of  the 
personal  pronouns,  and  especially  of  the 
pronoun  of  the  first  person.  In  this  re- 
spect much  of  the  teaching  of  the  Lord's 
discourses  depends  upon  the  careful  re- 
cognition of  the  emphatic  reference  to 
His  undivided  Personality.  Yea,  and  if 
I  (tyu>)  judge — I,  who  am  truly  God,  and 
truly  man — my  judgment  is  true;  for  I 
am  not  alone,  but  I  and  the  Father  that 
sent  me  (viii.  16).  In  this  case,  as  in 
most  cases,  the  pronoun  calls  attention 
to  the  nature  of  the  Lord:  elsewhere  it 
marks  the  isolation  (so  to  speak)  of  His 
personality;  so  that  we  read  two  sen- 
tences which,  being  in  appearance  di- 
rectly contradictory,  are  harmonized  by 
giving  due  emphasis  to  the  exact  force 
of  the  pronoun  (v.  31,  viii.  14  note). 

(c)  The  method  of  combining  sen- 
tences in  St  John  corresponds  com- 
pletely to  the  method  of  their  separate 
construction.  The  simplicity,  directness, 
circumstantiality,  repetition,  which  mark 
the  constituent  sentences,  mark  also 
whole  sections  of  his  work.  Words,  sen- 
tences, paragraphs  follow  one  another 
in  what  must  appear  to  an  unreflecting 
reader  needless  iteration,  though  in  fact 
it  is  by  this  means  that  the  central 
thought  is  placed  in  varied  lights,  so 
that  its  fulness  can  at  last  be  grasped. 
The  multiplication  of  simple  elements  in 
this  instance,  as  elsewhere,  produces  in 
the  end  an  effect  of  commanding  gran- 
deur, and  so  the  student  learns  to  pause 
in  order  that  he  may  carefully  consider 
the  parts  which  separately  contribute  to 
it.  (See,  for  example,  ch.  xvii.) 

The  most  obvious  illustration  of  this 
feature  lies  in  St  John's  constant 
habit  of  framing  his  record  of  events 
and  discourses  without  connecting  par- 
ticles. When  the  feeling  is  most  in- 
tense clause  follows  clause  by  simple 
addition.  No  conjunction  binds  the 
parts  together.  The  details  are  given 
severally,  and  the  reader  is  left  to  seize 
them  in  their  unity  (iv.  7,  10  ff.,  xi.  34, 
35,  xiv.  1 5  if.,  xv.  1—20). 

At  the  same  time  St  John  does  in 
fact  insist  more  than  the  other  Evan- 
gelists upon  the  connexion  of  facts,  even 


if  he  commonly  leaves  them  in  simple 
juxtaposition.  His  most  characteristic 
particle  in  narrative  (it  is  rare  in  the  dis- 
courses) is  therefore  (ovv),  and  this  serves 
in  very  many  cases  to  call  attention  to 
a  sequence  which  is  real,  if  not  obvious. 
There  arose  therefore  a  question  on  the 
part  of  John's  disciples  with  a  Jew  about 
purifying  (iii.  25).  When  therefore  He 
heard  that  he  was  sick,  He  abode  for  the 
time  two  days  in  the  place  where  He  was 
(xi.  6).  Comp.  iii.  29,  iv.  46,  vii.  28. 

In  like  manner  the  unusual  frequency 
of  the  phrase  in  order  that  (<W),  which 
marks  a  direct  object,  is  a  sign  of  the 
habitual  tendency  of  St  John  to  regard 
things  in  their  moral  and  providential 
relations.  Even  where  the  usage  departs 
most  widely  from  the  classical  standard, 
it  is  possible  to  see  how  the  irregular 
construction  springs  out  of  a  character- 
istic mode  of  thought  (e.g.  iv.  34,  v.  36, 
vi.  29,  viii.  56,  xii.  23,  xiii.  34,  xvii.  3); 
and  frequently  the  particle  suggests  a 
profound  interpretation  of  the  divine 
counsel  (v.  20,  x.  17,  xii.  38,  xv.  8,  xvi.  2). 

The  simple  coordination  of  clauses  is 
frequently  assisted  by  the  repetition  of  a 
marked  word  or  phrase,  such  as  occurs 
in  separate  sentences.  In  this  way  a 
connexion  is  established  between  two 
statements,  while  the  idea  is  carried  for- 
ward in  a  new  direction.  Sometimes 
the  subject  is  repeated :  /  am  the  good 
Shepherd.  The  good  Shepherd  layeth  down 
his  life  for  the  sheep  (x.  n).  Some- 
times a  word  is  taken  up  from  a  former 
clause  and  repeated  with  significant  em- 
phasis: Greater  love  hath  no  man  than 
this,  that  a  man  lay  down  his  life  for 
his  friends.  Ye  are  my  friends. .  .No  longer 
do  I  call  you  servants... but  I  have  called 
you  friends... (w.  13  ff.).  Sometimes  a 
clause  is  repeated  which  gives  (so  to 
speak)  the  theme  of  the  passage:  /  am 
the  door  of  the  sheep... I  am  the  door:  by 
me  if  any  man  enter  in,  he  shall  be  saved... 
(x.  7  ff.).  /  am  the  good  Shepherd:  the 
good  shepherd  layeth  down  his  life  for  the 
sheep...!  am  the  good  Shepherd... and  I 
lay  down  my  life  for  my  sheep  (x.  n,  14). 
/  am  the  true  vine...!  am  the  vine:  ye 
are  the  branches  (xv.  i,  5).  Sometimes  a 
clause  is  repeated  which  gives  a  closing 
cadence:  The  world  hated  them  because 
they  are  not  of  the  world,  even  as  I  am 
not  of  the  world... They  are  not  of  the 


THE   GOSPEL   OF   ST.  JOHN. 


liii 


world,  even  as  I  am  not  of  the  world. . . 
Sanctify  tliem  in  the  truth... that  they 
themselves  may  be  sanctified  in  truth 
(xvii.  i4ff.).  Three  times  in  the  sixth 
chapter  the  clause  recurs  :  /  will  (may) 
raise  him  up  at  the  last  day  (39,  40,  44). 
And  even  in  the  simple  narrative  of 
St  Peter's  denial  the  scene  is  impressed 
upon  the  reader  by  the  solemn  repeti- 
tion of  the  words:  Peter  was  standing 
and  warming  himself  (xviii.  18,  25)'. 

(d)  This  repetition  in  some  cases 
leads  to  a  perfect  poetic  parallelism: 
(xiv.  26,  27). 

And  in  fact  the  spirit  of  parallelism, 
the  instinctive  perception  of  symmetry 
in  thought  and  expression,  which  is  the 
essential  and  informing  spirit  of  Hebrew 
poetry,  runs  through  the  whole  record, 
both  in  its  general  structure  and  in  the 
structure  of  its  parts.  From  first  to  last 
the  Truth  is  presented,  so  to  speak,  in 
ever-widening  circles.  Each  incident, 
each  discourse,  presupposes  what  has 
gone  before,  and  adds  something  to  the 
result. 

6.     Historical  Exactness. 

Our  inquiry  up  to  this  point  has  estab- 
lished beyond  doubt  that  the  structure 
of  the  fourth  Gospel  corresponds  with 
the  fulfilment  of  a  profound  purpose. 
It  is  composed  both  generally  and  in 
detail  with  singular  symmetry.  There  is 
a  growing  purpose  wrought  out  from 
stage  to  stage  in  the  great  divisions  of 
the  record  ;  and  there  are  subtle  and 
minute  traits  in  each  separate  narrative 
which  reveal  to  careful  examination  the 
presence  of  an  informing  idea  throughout 
it.  The  correspondences  of  part  with 
part  may  indeed  be  due  as  much  to  the 
one  fundamental  conception  of  the  whole 
work  as  to  special  and  conscious  adapta- 
tion of  details;  but  none  the  less  we 
must  feel  that  the  historical  elements  are 
means  to  an  end ;  that  the  narrative  ex- 
presses distinctly  (as  it  professes  to  do) 
the  writer's  interpretation  of  the  events 
with  which  he  deals.  We  must  feel  that 
it  is  not  an  exhaustive  exposition  (so  far 
as  the  Evangelist's  knowledge  went)  of 
the  incidents  of  the  Lord's  life ;  that  it 

1  So  also  words  are  repeated  through  con- 
siderable sections  of  the  Gospel:  love,  to  love 
(xiii. — xvii.);  life  (v.,  vi.);  light  (viii. — xii.). 

New  Test.— VOL.  II. 


does  not  preserve  some  features  of  His 
work  which  were  unquestionably  promi- 
nent ;  that  we  could  not  put  together 
from  it  a  complete  picture  of  Jesus  of 
Nazareth  as  He  went  about  doing  good, 
and  healing  all  that  were  oppressed  of  the 
devil  (Acts  x.  38).  We  allow,  or  rather 
we  press,  the  fact  that  the  fourth  Gospel, 
so  far  as  it  is  regarded  as  a  biography, 
or  as  a  biographical  sketch,  is  confined  to 
certain  limited  aspects  of  the  Person  and 
Life  and  Work  with  which  it  deals.  But 
while  we  make  the  fullest  acknowledg- 
ment of  these  tmths,  we  affirm  also  that 
the  literal  accuracy  of  the  contents  of  the 
Gospel  is  not  in  any  way  prejudiced  by 
the  existence  of  this  particular  purpose. 
The  historical  illustrations  of  the  writer's 
theme — if  we  even  so  regard  the  inci- 
dents which  he  relates — are  no  less  his- 
torical because  they  are  illustrations  :  the 
Evangelist's  conception  of  the  real  sig- 
nificance of  Christ's  Presence  is  not  to 
be  set  aside  because  it  is  his  conception  : 
the  special  traits  which  are  given  are  in 
no  degree  open  to  suspicion,  because 
they  are  special  traits  emphasized  with  a 
definite  object.  Neither  the  apostolical 
authorship  nor  the  historical  trustworthi- 
ness of  the  narrative  is  affected  by  the 
admission  that  the  writer  fulfils  his  work, 
according  to  his  own  words,  with  an 
express  purpose  in  view. 

The  first  point  is  not  before  us  now ; 
but  there  is  one  argument  directly  bear- 
ing upon  it,  which  underlies  very  much 
of  the  popular  criticism  of  the  Gospel 
though  it  is  not  very  often  put  into  a 
distinct  shape,  which  may  be  most  con- 
veniently noticed  here.  It  is  sometimes 
plainly  said,  and  more  often  silently  as- 
sumed, that  an  Apostle  could  not  have 
spoken  of  One  with  whom  he  had  lived 
familiarly,  as  the  writer  of  the  fourth 
Gospel  speaks  of  the  Lord.  In  reply  to 
this  argument  one  sentence  only  is  ne- 
cessary. In  order  to  have  any  force  the 
argument  takes  for  granted  all  that  is 
finally  at  issue,  and  implies  that  it  is  not 
true  that  "  the  Word  became  flesh."  If, 
on  the  other  hand,  this  revelation  is  true, 
as  we  believe,  then  the  fourth  Gospel 
helps  us  to  understand  how  the  over- 
whelming mystery  was  gradually  made 
known:  how  the  divine  Nature  of  Christ 
was  revealed  little  by  little  to  those  with 
whom  He  had  conversed  as  man.  Un- 


liv 


INTRODUCTION   TO 


less  our  faith  be  false,  we  may  say  that 
we  cannot  conceive  any  way  in  which  it 
could  have  been  historically  realised  ex- 
cept that  which  is  traced  out  in  the  ex- 
perience reflected  in  the  writings  of  St 
John.  The  Incarnation  is  confessedly 
a  great  mystery,  in  every  sense  of  the 
word,  but  no  fresh  difficulty  is  occasioned 
by  the  fact  that  in  due  time  it  was  laid 
open  to  those  among  whom  the  Son  of 
God  had  moved. 

Moreover,  it  may  be  added,  the  diffi- 
culty of  admitting  that  an  Apostle  came 
to  recognise  the  true  divinity  of  One  with 
whom  he  had  lived  as  man  with  man 
is  not  done  away  by  denying  the  apos- 
tolic authorship  of  the  Gospel.  The  most 
conspicuous  critics  who  refuse  to  assign 
the  Gospel  to  St  John  agree  in  assigning 
the  Apocalypse  to  him ;  and  it  is  no 
easier  for  us  to  understand  how  (not  to 
quote  xxii.  13)  an  Apostle  could  speak  of 
the  Master  whom  he  had  followed  to  the 
Cross  as  being  the  Holy  and  the  True, 
who  has  the  key  of  David,  "  who  openeth, 
and  no  man  shutteth ;  and  shutteth,  and 
no  man  openeth  "  (iii.  7),  as  joined  with 
"  Him  that  sitteth  on  the  throne,"  in 
being  "  worthy  to  receive  blessing,  and 
honour,  and  glory,  and  might,  for  ever 
and  ever"  (v.  13),  than  to  understand 
how  he  could  look  back  upon  His  life  as 
the  life  of  the  Incarnate  Word.  The 
Christology  of  the  Gospel  and  the  Christ- 
ology  of  the  Apocalypse  are  alike,  we 
may  venture  to  say,  historically  inexplica- 
ble unless  we  take  as  the  key  to  their 
interpretation  the  assertion  of  the  fact, 
"  the  Word  became  flesh,"  apprehended 
under  the  action  of  the  Spirit,  in  the 
consciousness  of  those  who  had  known 
Christ  "  from  the  Baptism  of  John  to  the 
Resurrection." 

These  considerations  however  carry  us 
away  from  our  immediate  subject;  for 
we  are  not  concerned  at  present  with  the 
apostolic  authorship  of  the  Gospel.  We 
have  to  inquire  how  far  its  trustworthiness 
is  affected  by  the  existence  of  a  specific 
didactic  design  in  the  writing.  But  before 
discussing  this  question  one  other  topic 
must  be  referred  to,  only  to  be  set  aside, 
which  will  be  examined  in  detail  after- 
wards. The  arguments  against  the  trust- 
worthiness of  the  Gospel  drawn  from  the 
fact  that  its  contents  do  not  for  the  most 
part  coincide  with  the  contents  of  the 


Synoptic  Gospels  may  be  dismissed,  or, 
at  least,  held  in  suspense.  For  this  end 
it  will  be  enough  to  insist  on  the  obvious 
fact  that  a  general  difference  in  the  con- 
tents of  two  narratives  relating  to  a  com- 
plex history,  which  are  both  avowedly 
incomplete,  cannot  be  used  to  prejudice 
the  accuracy  of  either.  And  the  most 
cursory  consideration  of  the  fragmentari- 
ness  of  the  records  of  Christ's  life  will 
make  it  evident  that  the  mere  addition 
of  the  facts  related  by  St  John  to  those 
preserved  in  the  other  Gospels  cannot 
create  any  difficulty.  They  do  not  differ 
in  kind  from  incidents  related  by  the 
Synoptists;  and  we  have  no  external 
means  for  determining  the  principles  by 
which  the  choice  of  incidents  embodied 
in  the  Synoptic  narratives  was  deter- 
mined. There  is  certainly  no  reason  for 
supposing  that  these  narratives  would 
have  included  the  incidents  peculiar  to 
St  John,  if  they  had  been  familiarly 
known  at  the  time  when  the  records 
were  drawn  up.  The  Synoptists  indicate 
summarily  cycles  of  events  which  they 
do  not  relate ;  and  St  John  refers  defi- 
nitely to  "many  other  signs"  with  which 
he  was  personally  acquainted. 

Thus  we  are  brought  back  to  the  pro- 
per subject  of  our  inquiry.  Does  the 
author  of  the  fourth  Gospel  forfeit  his 
claim  to  observe  accuracy  of  fact  because 
the  facts  are  selected  with  a  view  to  a 
definite  purpose  ?  He  professes  to  write, 
as  we  have  seen,  in  the  hope  of  creating 
in  others  the  faith  which  he  holds  him- 
self (xix.  35,  xx.  31).  Now  that  faith  is 
in  reality  a  special  interpretation  of  all 
history  drawn  from  a  special  interpreta- 
tion of  One  Life.  We  may  therefore 
modify  our  question  and  ask,  Does  the 
Evangelist  forfeit  his  claim  to  be  a 
truthful  historian,  because  he  turns  his 
eye  steadily  to  the  signs  of  the  central 
laws  of  being  ?  The  answer  to  the  ques- 
tion must  be  sought  finally  in  the  con- 
ditions of  the  historian's  work.  These 
conditions  include  in  every  case  choice, 
compression,  combination  of  materials. 
And  he  fulfils  his  work  rightly  who 
chooses,  compresses,  combines  his  ma- 
terials according  to  a  certain  vital  pro- 
portion. In  other  words,  the  historian, 
like  the  poet,  cannot  but  interpret  the 
facts  which  he  records.  The  truth  of 
history  is  simply  the  truth  of  the  inter- 


THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  JOHN. 


pretation  of  an  infinitude  of  details  con- 
templated together.  The  simplest  state- 
ment of  a  result  presents  a  broad  gene- 
ralization of  particulars.  The  generaliza- 
tion may  be  true  or  false ;  it  may  be 
ruled  by  an  outward  or  by  an  inward 
principle ;  but  in  any  case  it  only  repre- 
sents a  total  impression  of  the  particulars 
seen  in  one  way.  It  does  not  represent 
either  all  the  particulars  or  all  the  im- 
pressions which  they  are  capable  of  pro- 
ducing. What  is  called  pure  "objective" 
history  is  a  mere  phantom.  No  one 
could  specify,  and  no  one  would  be  will- 
ing to  specify,  all  the  separate  details 
which  man's  most  imperfect  observation 
can  distinguish  as  elements  in  any  one 
"fact;"  and  the  least  reflection  shews 
that  there  are  other  elements  not  less 
numerous  or  less  important  than  those 
open  to  our  observation,  which  cannot 
be  observed  by  us,  and  which  yet  go 
towards  the  fulness  of  the  "  fact."  The 
subjectivity  of  history  is  consequently  a 
mere  question  of  degree.  A  writer  who 
looks  at  the  outside  of  things,  and  repro- 
duces the  impression  which  this  would 
convey  to  average  men,  is  as  far  from 
the  whole  truth  as  the  writer  who  brings 
his  whole  power  to  bear  upon  an  indi- 
vidual realisation  of  it.  Thus  every 
record  of  a  "  fact "  is  necessarily  limited 
to  the  record  of  representative  details 
concerning  it.  The  truthfulness  of  the 
historian  as  a  narrator  lies  therefore  in 
his  power  of  selecting  these  details  so  as 
to  convey  to  others  the  true  idea  of  the 
fact  which  he  has  himself  formed.  In 
this  respect  the  literal  accuracy  of  any 
number  of  details  is  no  guarantee  for  the 
accuracy  of  the  impression  conveyed  by 
the  sum  of  them  regarded  as  a  whole ; 
and  it  is  no  paradox  to  say  that  a  "  true  " 
detail  which  disturbs  the  proportion  of 
the  picture  becomes  in  the  connexion 
false. 

What  has  been  said  of  separate  "facts" 
is  obviously  true  of  the  sequence  of  facts. 
It  is  impossible  not  to  feel  that  a  true 
conception  of  the  character  of  a  life  or 
(if  such  a  phrase  may  be  used)  of  the 
spirit  of  a  social  movement  would  illu- 
minate the  connexion  and  meaning  of 
the  external  details  in  which  they  are 
manifested,  and  that  many  details  re- 
garded externally  would  be  liable  to  the 
gravest  misapprehension  if  the  concep- 


tion were  either  false  or  wanting.  And 
further,  it  is  no  less  clear  that  the  neces- 
sity for  this  inteipretative  power  becomes 
more  urgent  as  the  subject  becomes 
more  complex. 

There  is  undoubtedly  at  present  a 
strong  feeling  in  favour  of  realistic,  ex- 
ternal, history ;  but  it  may  reasonably  be 
questioned  whether  this  fashion  of  opinion 
will  be  permanent,  and  it  is  obviously 
beset  by  many  perils.  Realistic  history 
often  treats  only  of  the  dress  and  not  of 
the  living  frame,  and  it  can  never  go 
beyond  the  outward  circumstances  of  an 
organization  which  is  inspired  by  one 
vital  power.  The  photographer  is  wholly 
unable  to  supply  the  function  of  the 
artist;  and  realism  must  be  subordinated 
to  the  interpretation  of  the  life,  if  history 
is  to  take  its  true  place  as  a  science. 
This  is  the  thought  which  underlies  the 
Hebrew  type  of  historic  record.  In  the 
Old  Testament  the  prophet  is  the  his- 
torian. The  facts  which  he  records  are 
significant,  if  fragmentary,  expressions  of 
an  inner  divine  law  wrought  out  among 
men.  His  interest  is  centred  in  the  life 
which  is  manifested  in  action,  but  not 
exhausted  by  it.  His  aim  is  to  reveal 
this  life  to  others  through  the  phenomena 
which  the  life  alone  makes  truly  intelli- 
gible to  him. 

We  are  not  now  concerned  to  inquire 
whether  the  prophetic  interpretation  of 
the  life  of  men  and  nations  and  human- 
ity be  true  or  false.  All  that  needs  to 
be  insisted  upon  is  that  the  historian 
must  have  some  view  of  the  life  whereby 
the  events  which  he  chronicles  are  held 
together.  This  view  will  influence  him 
both  in  the  choice  of  incidents  and  in 
the  choice  of  details.  And  he  will  be 
the  best  historian  who  grasps  the  con- 
ception of  the  life  most  firmly,  and  who 
shews  the  absolute  and  eternal  in  the 
ordinary  current  of  events.  For  him 
each  event  will  be  a  sign. 

Now  whatever  debates  may  arise  on 
other  points  it  cannot  be  doubted  that 
the  writer  of  the  fourth  Gospel  has  a 
distinct  conception  of  a  spiritual  law  of 
the  life  of  humanity  which  found  its  final 
realisation  in  the  Incarnation.  This  con- 
ception is  therefore  his  clue  in  the  choice 
and  arrangement  of  facts.  He  takes 
just  so  many  events  and  so  much  of 
each  as  will  illustrate  the  central  truth 

e  2 


INTRODUCTION   TO 


which  he  finds  in  a  particular  view  of 
the  Person  of  Christ.  If  his  view  of 
Christ  be  right,  it  cannot  be  seriously 
questioned  that  the  traits  on  which  he 
chiefly  dwells  are  intrinsically  natural ; 
and  no  other  view  appears  to  be  able 
to  explain  the  phenomena  of  the  belief 
attested  by  the  earliest  Christian  litera- 
ture, the  letters  of  St  Paul  and  the 
Apocalypse,  and  by  the  existence  of  the 
Christian  Church.  Thus  the  Gospel  of 
St  John  adds  that  express  teaching  on 
the  relation  of  Christ  to  God — of  the 
Son  to  the  Father — which  underlies  the 
claims  to  exclusive  and  final  authority 
made  by  Him  in  the  Synoptists.  And 
the  definiteness  of  the  Evangelist's  aim 
does  not  diminish  but  rather  increases 
his  interest  in  the  exact  conditions  and 
circumstances  under  which  Christ  acted 
and  spoke ;  for  our  historic  interest  must 
always  vary  directly  with  our  sense  of 
the  importance  of  the  history. 

Some  of  these  points  will  come  before 
us  again  in  greater  detail,  but  so  much 
at  least  is  clear,  that  the  "  subjectivity " 
of  the  fourth  Evangelist  affords  in  itself 
no  presumption  against  his  historical 
accuracy.  Every  historian  is  necessarily 
subjective.  And  it  must  be  shewn  that 
the  Evangelist's  view  of  the  Person  of 
Christ,  which  is  established  independently 
of  his  Gospel,  is  false,  before  any  argu- 
ment against  his  trustworthiness  can  be 
drawn  from  a  representation  of  Christ's 
works  and  words  which  corresponds  with 
that  view. 

It  is  then  no  disparagement  of  the 
strict  historical  character  of  the  fourth 
Gospel  that  the  writer  has  fulfilled  the 
design  which  he  set  before  himself,  of 
recording  such  "  signs  "  out  of  the  whole 
number  of  Christ's  works  as  he  con- 
sidered likely  to  produce  a  specific  effect. 
But  even  if  it  is  admitted  that  historical 
exactness  is  generally  reconcileable  in 
theory  with  the  execution  of  a  particular 
design  in  the  selection  and  exhibition 
and  combination  of  facts,  and  further 
that  this  particular  design  may  be  the 
interpretation  of  the  innermost  meaning 
of  the  life,  while  it  includes  only  a  small 
fraction  of  the  outward  events,  yet  it  will 
be  urged  that  this  method  of  explanation 
does  not  apply  to  all  the  phenomena  of 
St  John's  Gospel :  that  the  discourses  of 
the  Lord,  in  especial  as  given  there, 


cannot  be  regarded  otherwise  than  as 
free  compositions  of  the  Evangelist ; 
that  their  contents  are  monotonous  and 
without  progress  from  first  to  last ;  that 
they  are  of  the  same  character  under  diffe- 
rent circumstances  ;  that  they  have  no  in- 
dividuality of  style ;  that,  on  the  contrary, 
they  are  almost  undistinguishable  in  form 
and  substance  from  the  first  epistle  in 
which  the  writer  speaks  in  his  own  person, 
and  from  the  speeches  which  he  places 
in  the  mouth  of  other  characters,  as  the 
Baptist.  These  objections,  it  will  be 
seen,  are  quite  independent  of  any  sup- 
posed incompatibility  of  the  accounts  of 
St  John  and  of  the  Synoptists,  and  re- 
quire a  separate  examination.  They  arise 
out  of  the  study  of  the  book  itself,  and 
must  be  considered  first.  The  apparent 
contrasts  between  the  records  of  the 
teaching  of  the  Lord  given  in  the  first 
three  Gospels  and  in  the  fourth  will  be 
noticed  afterwards. 

i.  What  has  been  already  said  as  to 
the  conditions  which  determine  the  selec- 
tion of  representative  details  and  of  re- 
presentative incidents  in  a  narrative  of 
events  applies  with  necessary  limitations 
to  the  historical  record  of  teaching.  It 
is  obvious  that  if  a  record  of  a  debate  of 
several  hours  length  is  to  be  compressed 
into  a  few  sentences,  the  value  of  the 
record  will  depend  not  upon  the  literal 
reproduction  of  the  exact  words  used 
here  and  there  or  in  a  brief  episode  of 
the  discussion,  but  upon  the  power  of 
the  historian  to  enter  into  the  spirit  of 
the  debate  and  to  sketch  its  outline  in 
right  proportion.  The  thoughts  of  the 
speakers  are  more  important  than  the 
style  of  the  speakers.  And  it  is  quite 
conceivable  that  the  meaning  and  effect 
of  a  long  discourse,  when  reduced  to  a 
brief  abstract,  may  be  conveyed  most 
truly  by  the  use  of  a  different  style,  and 
even,  to  a  certain  extent,  of  different 
language  from  that  actually  employed. 

Again :  the  style  of  a  speaker  enters 
in  very  various  degrees  into  his  teaching, 
according  to  his  subject  and  his  circum- 
stances. At  one  time  it  is  of  the  essence : 
at  another  time,  it  is  wholly  subordinate 
to  the  general  drift  of  the  exposition. 
The  keen,  pregnant  saying,  the  vivid 
illustration  must  be  preserved  exactly, 
or  their  character  is  lost.  The  subtle 
argument  may  be  best  touched  suggest- 


THE   GOSPEL  OF  ST.  JOHN. 


Ivii 


ively,  so  that  the  sympathetic  reader  can 
supply  the  links  which  cannot  be  given 
in  full.  A  many-sided  speaker  will  thus 
furnish  materials  for  very  different  studies. 
But  it  would  be  wholly  wrong  to  con- 
clude that  the  sketch  which  preserves 
most  literally  those  fragments  of  his 
words,  which  are  capable  of  being  so 
preserved,  is  more  true  than  the  sketch 
which  gives  a  view  of  the  ultimate  prin- 
ciples of  his  doctrine.  The  former  may 
give  the  manner  and  even  the  outward 
characteristics:  the  latter  may  reveal  the 
soul. 

Now  to  apply  these  principles  to  the 
discourses  contained  in  the  fourth  Gos- 
pel, it  is  undeniable  that  the  discourses 
of  the  Lord  which  are  peculiar  to  St 
John's  Gospel  are,  for  the  most  part, 
very  brief  summaries  of  elaborate  dis- 
cussions and  expositions  in  relation  to 
central  topics  of  faith.  It  is  wholly  out 
of  the  question  that  they  can  be  literally 
complete  reports  of  what  was  said.  From 
the  necessities  of  the  case  the  Evangelist 
has  condensed  his  narrative.  He  has 
not  given,  and  he  could  not  have  given, 
consistently  with  the  nature  of  this  work, 
all  the  words  which  were  actually  spoken ; 
and  this  being  so,  it  follows  that  he  can- 
not have  given  the  exact  words  or  only 
the  words  which  were  spoken.  Compres- 
sion involves  adaptation  of  phraseology. 
And  when  once  we  realise  the  inevitable 
conditions  of  condensation,  we  find  our- 
selves constrained  to  trust  (in  this  case  as 
in  others)  to  the  insight  and  power  of 
him  who  selects,  arranges,  emphasizes 
words  which  are  in  his  judgment  best 
suited  to  convey  the  proportionate  im- 
pression of  discourses  which  he  appre- 
hends in  their  totality. 

One  or  two  illustrations  will  shew  how 
a  conversation  is  compressed  in  St  John's 
narrative.  A  simple  example  is  found  in 
xii.  34.  The  question  of  the  Jews  turns 
upon  the  title  "  Son  of  man,"  which  has 
not  been  recorded  in  the  context.  But 
it  is  easy  to  see  how  the  previous  refer- 
ences to  the  sufferings  of  Christ  in 
connexion  with  the  universality  of  His 
mission  gave  a  natural  opportunity  for 
the  use  of  it.  The  Evangelist  however 
has  noticed  only  the  fundamental  facts. 
The  reader  himself  supplies  what  is 
wanting  for  the  explanation  of  the  abrupt 
use  of  names.  The  idea  of  "elevation" 


is  the  key  to  the  thought,  and  that  word 
St  John  has  preserved  in  his  record  of 
what  had  gone  before  (v.  32) :  the  title 
"  Son  of  man  "  was  already  familiar,  and 
he  passes  over  the  particular  phrase  in 
which  it  occurred. 

In  viii.  34 ff.  there  is  a  more  complicated 
and  still  more  instructive  example  of  the 
compression  of  an  argument.  The  re- 
corded words  do  no  more  than  give  the 
extreme  forms :  the  course  which  the 
spoken  words  must  have  followed  can 
only  be  determined  by  careful  thought, 
though  it  can  be  determined  certainly. 
Men  are  sinners,  and  if  sinners  then 
slaves  of  sin.  What,  therefore,  is  the 
essential  conception  of  slavery?  It  is 
an  arbitrary,  an  unnatural,  relation  :  the 
opposite  of  sonship,  which  expresses  a 
permanent,  an  absolute  connexion  an- 
swering to  the  very  constitution  of  things. 
The  communication  of  sonship  to  the 
slave  is  consequently  the  establishment 
of  his  freedom.  And  in  spiritual  things 
He  alone  can  communicate  the  gift  to 
whom  the  dispensation  of  it  has  been 
committed.  If,  therefore,  "  the  Son  " — 
the  one  absolute  Son — give  freedom, 
they  who  receive  it  are  free  indeed.  The 
imagery  of  a  whole  parable  lies  implicitly 
in  the  brief  sentence. 

In  other  cases  "  answers  "  of  the  Lord 
evidently  point  to  detailed  expressions  of 
feeling  or  opinion  with  which  the  Evan- 
gelist was  familiar,  and  which  yet  he  has 
not  detailed:  e.g.  xii.  23,  35.  At  the 
close  of  his  account  of  the  public  minis- 
try of  Christ  he  gives,  without  any  con- 
nexion of  place  or  time,  a  general  sum- 
mary of  the  Lord's  judgment  on  His 
hearers  (xii.  44 — 50).  The  passage  is 
apparently  a  compendious  record  and 
not  a  literal  transcription  of  a  single 
speech. 

And  so  elsewhere  it  is  probable  that 
where  no  historical  connexion  is  given, 
words  spoken  at  different  times,  but  all 
converging  on  the  illumination  of  one 
truth,  may  be  brought  together :  e.g.  x. 
(Xo'yos,  v.  19). 

The  force  of  these  considerations  is 
increased  if,  as  seems  to  be  surely 
established,  most  of  the  discourses  re- 
corded by  St  John  were  spoken  in  Ara- 
maic. Whatever  may  have  been  the 
case  in  some  other  parts  of  Palestine,  a 
large  and  miscellaneous  crowd  gathered 


Iviii 


INTRODUCTION   TO 


at  Jerusalem  was  able  to  understand 
what  was  spoken  to  them  "  in  the  Hebrew 
tongue"  (Acts  xxi.  40),  and  the  favour 
of  the  multitude  was  conciliated  by  the 
use  of  it.  The  divine  voice  which  St 
Paul  heard  was  articulate  to  him  in  He- 
brew words  (Acts  xxvi.  14).  St  Peter 
evidently  spoke  in  an  Aramaic  dialect 
in  the  court  of  the  high-priest,  and 
the  bystanders  not  only  understood  him 
.but  noticed  his  provincialism  (Matt. 
xxvi.  73;  Mark  xiv.  70).  Aramaic,  it  is 
said,  in  the  Acts  (i.  19),  was  the  proper 
language  of  "  the  dwellers  in  Jerusalem  " 
(rfj  Sia/\.eKT<i>  avrwv).  And  again,  the  title 
with  which  Mary  addressed  the  risen 
Lord  was  "  Hebrew "  ('Pa/3/3ouvei,  John 
xx.  1 6).  The  phrase  which  the  Lord 
quoted  from  the  Psalms  upon  the  cross 
was  "Hebrew"  (Mark  xv.  34).  These 
indications,  though  they  are  not  absolutely 
conclusive,  are  yet  convergent,  and  lea.d 
to  the  conclusion  that  at  the  Holy  City 
and  in  intercourse  with  the  inner  circle 
of  the  disciples  Christ  used  the  ver- 
nacular Aramaic  dialect.  As  claiming 
to  be  the  fulnller  of  the  Law,  He  could 
hardly  have  done  otherwise  without  of- 
fering violence  to  the  religious  instincts 
of  the  nation.  If  then  He  spoke  in  Ara- 
maic on  those  occasions  with  which  St 
John  chiefly  deals,  the  record  of  the 
Evangelist  contains  not  only  a  com- 
pressed summary  of  what  was  said,  but 
that  also  a  summary  in  a  translation  '. 

It  may  be  remarked  yet  further  that 
the  providential  office  of  St  John  was  to 
preserve  the  most  universal  aspect  of 
Christ's  teaching.  His  experience  fitted 
him  to  recall  and  to  present  in  due  pro- 
portions thoughts  which  were  not  under- 
stood at  first.  In  this  way  it  is  probable 
that  his  unique  style  was  slowly  fash- 
ioned as  he  pondered  the  Lord's  words 
through  long  years,  and  delivered  them 
to  his  disciples  at  Ephesus.  And  there 
is  nothing  arbitrary  in  the  supposition 
that  the  Evangelist's  style  may  have  been 
deeply  influenced  by  the  mode  in  which 
Christ  set  forth  the  mysteries  of  His  own 

1  It  may  be  sufficient  to  add,  without  entering 
further  into  the  subject,  that  the  testimony  of 
Josephus  'Antt.'  XX.  u  i  is  explicit  as  to  the 
feeling  with  which  Jews  regarded  Greek  as  a 
foreign  language,  and  to  the  fact  that  the  Jews 
of  Jerusalem  habitually  spoke  Aramaic  ('c.Apion.' 
I.  9,  n6vos  afrrbt  ffvvlijv). 


Person.  Style  changes  with  subject,  ac- 
cording to  the  capacity  of  the  speaker; 
and  St  John's  affinity  with  his  Lord, 
which  enabled  him  to  reproduce  the 
higher  teaching,  may  reasonably  be  sup- 
posed to  have  enabled  him  also  to  pre- 
serve, as  far  as  could  be  done,  the 
characteristic  form  in  which  it  was  con- 
veyed. 

However  this  may  have  been,  such  a 
view  of  St  John's  record  of  the  Lord's 
discourses  as  has  been  given  derogates 
in  no  respect  from  their  complete  au- 
thority and  truthfulness.  A  complete  re- 
production of  the  words  spoken  would 
have  been  as  impossible  as  a  complete 
reproduction  of  the  details  of  a  compli- 
cated scene.  Even  if  it  had  been  possible 
it  would  not  have  conveyed  to  us  the  right 
impression.  An  inspired  record  of  words, 
like  an  inspired  record  of  the  outward 
circumstances  of  a  life,  must  be  an  inter- 
pretation. The  power  of  the  prophet 
to  enter  into  the  divine  thoughts  is  the 
measure  of  the  veracity  of  his  account. 

Thus  the  question  finally  is  not  whether 
St  John  has  used  his  own  style  and  lan- 
guage in  summarising  the  Lord's  teach- 
ing, but  whether  he  was  capable  of  so 
entering  into  it  as  to  choose  the  best 
possible  method  of  reproducing  its  sub- 
stance. It  may  or  may  not  be  the  case 
that  the  particular  words,  in  this  sentence 
or  that,  are  his  own.  We  are  only  con- 
cerned to  know  whether,  under  the  cir- 
cumstances, these  were  the  words  fitted 
to  gather  into  a  brief  space  and  to  con- 
vey to  us  the  meaning  of  the  Lord.  We 
may  admit  then  that  St  John  has  recorded 
the  Lord's  discourses  with  "  freedom." 
But  freedom  is  exactly  the  reverse  of 
arbitrariness,  and  the  phrase  in  this  con- 
nexion can  only  mean  that  the  Evangelist, 
standing  in  absolute  sympathy  with  the 
thoughts,  has  brought  them  within  the 
compass  of  his  record  in  the  form  which 
was  truest  to  the  idea1. 

These  considerations  seem  to  be 
amply  sufficient  to  meet  the  objections 
which  are  urged  against  the  general  form 

1  In  this  connexion  the  notes  which  are  given 
by  the  Evangelist  in  ii.  21,  vii.  39,  xii.  33.  are 
of  the  greatest  importance.  If  he  had  not  kept 
strictly  to  the  essence  of  what  Christ  said,  he 
might  easily  have  brought  out  in  the  saying 
itself  the  sense  which  he  discovered  in  it  at 
a  later  time. 


THE   GOSPEL  OF   ST.  JOHN. 


lix 


of  the  discourses  in  St  John.  A  more 
particular  examination  will  shew  now 
far  the  more  special  objections  which  are 
based  upon  their  alleged  monotony  are 
valid. 

2.  St  John,  as  we  have  seen,  writes  with 
the  purpose  of  revealing  to  his  readers  the 
Person  of  the  Lord,  and  shews  Him  to 
be  "  the  Christ,"  and  "  the  Son  of  God." 
As  a  natural  consequence  he  chooses  for 
his  record  those  discourses  which  bear 
most  directly  upon  his  theme,  and  dwells 
on  that  side  of  those  discourses  which  is 
most  akin  to  it.  It  will  be  seen  later 
that  the  Synoptists  have  preserved  clear 
traces  of  this  teaching,  but  it  was  not 
their  object  to  follow  it  out  or  to  dwell 
upon  it  predominantly.  With  St  John  it 
was  otherwise.  He  wished  to  lead  others 
to  recognise  Christ  as  what  he  had  him- 
self found  Him  to  be.  There  is  there- 
fore in  the  teaching  which  he  preserves 
an  inevitable  monotony  up  to  a  certain 
point.  The  fundamental  truths  of  the 
Gospel  as  an  object  of  faith  are  essen- 
tially simple.  They  do  not,  like  questions 
of  practice  and  morals,  admit  of  varied 
illustration  from  life.  Christ  is  Himself 
the  sum  of  all,  and  St  John  brings  to- 
gether just  those  words  in  which  on 
exceptional  occasions  (as  it  appears) 
He  revealed  Himself  to  adversaries  and 
doubters  and  friends.  For  there  is  an 
indication  that  the  discourses  recorded 
by  St  John  are  not  (so  to  speak)  average 
examples  of  the  Lord's  popular  teaching, 
but  words  called  out  by  peculiar  circum- 
stances. Nothing  in  the  fourth  Gospel 
corresponds  with  the  circumstances  under 
which  the  Sermon  on  the  Mount,  or  the 
great  group  of  parables  were  spoken. 
On  the  other  hand,  the  private  discus- 
sions with  Nicodemus  and  the  woman  of 
Samaria  find  no  parallels  in  the  other 
Gospels,  and  yet  they  evidently  answer 
to  conditions  which  must  have  arisen. 
The  other  discourses,  with  the  exception 
of  those  in  ch.  vi.,  which  offer  some  pe- 
culiar features,  were  all  held  at  Jeru- 
salem, the  centre  of  the  true  and  false 
theocratic  life.  And  more  than  this:  they 
were  distinctively  festival  discourses,  ad- 
dressed to  men  whose  religious  feelings 
and  opinions  were  moved  by  the  circum- 
stances of  their  meeting.  On  such  oc- 
casions we  may  naturally  look  for  special 
revelations.  The  festivals  commemorated 


the  crises  of  Jewish  history;  and  a  closer 
examination  of  the  discourses  shews  that 
they  had  an  intimate  connexion  with  the 
ideas  which  the  festivals  represented. 
As  long  as  the  Jewish  system  remained, 
this  teaching  would  be  for  the  most 
part  unnoticed  or  unintelligible.  When 
the  old  was  swept  away,  then  it  was  pos- 
sible, as  the  result  of  new  conditions  of 
religious  growth,  to  apprehend  the  full 
significance  of  what  had  been  said. 

Yet  further :  while  there  is  so  far  a 
"monotony"  in  the  discourses  of  St 
John  that  the  Lord,  after  the  beginning 
of  His  public  ministry,  turns  the  thoughts 
of  His  hearers  in  each  case  to  Himself, 
as  the  one  centre  of  hope,  yet  the  form 
in  which  this  is  done  presents  a  large 
variety  of  details  corresponding  with  the 
external  circumstances  under  which  the 
several  discourses  were  held,  and  there 
is  also  a  distinct  progress  in  the  revela- 
tion. The  first  point  will  be  touched 
upon  in  the  next  section :  the  second 
becomes  evident  at  once,  if  account  be 
taken  of  the  order  of  the  successive  ut- 
terances of  the  Lord,  and  of  the  limits  of 
possible  change  in  the  variable  element 
which  they  contain. 

It  is  undoubtedly  true  that  as  we  read 
St  John's  Gospel  in  the  light  of  the  Pro- 
logue we  transfer  the  full  teaching  which 
that  contains  into  all  the  later  parts  of 
the  narrative,  and  that  they  derive  their 
complete  meaning  from  it.  But  if  the  dis- 
courses are  examined  strictly  by  them- 
selves, it  will  be  seen  that  they  offer  in 
succession  fresh  aspects  of  the  Lord's 
Person  and  work:  that  the  appearances 
of  repetition  are  superficial:  that  each 
discourse,  or  rather  each  group  of  dis- 
courses, deals  completely  with  a  special 
topic.  Thus  in  ch.  v.  the  Son  and  the 
Jews  are  contrasted  in  their  relation  to 
God,  and  from  this  is  traced  the  origin  of 
unbelief.  In  ch.  vi.  the  Son  is  shewn  to 
be  the  Giver  and  the  Support  of  life.  In 
cc.  vii.,  viii.  He  is  the  Teacher  and  the 
Deliverer  :  in  cc.  ix.,  x.,  the  Founder  of 
the  new  Society.  The  discourses  of  the 
eve  of  the  Passion  have,  as  will  be  seen 
afterwards,  a  character  of  their  own. 

3.  There  is,  then,  a  clear  advance 
and  historical  development  in  the  self- 
revelation  of  Christ  as  presented  by  St 
John.  There  is  also  an  intimate  cor- 
respondence between  the  several  dis- 


INTRODUCTION   TO 


courses  and  their  external  conditions. 
For  the  most  part  the  discourses  grew 
(so  to  speak)  out  of  the  circumstances 
by  which  they  were  occasioned.  The 
festival  discourses,  for  example,  are  co- 
loured by  the  peculiar  thoughts  of  the 
season.  The  idea  of  the  Passover  is 
conspicuous  in  ch.  vi.,  that  of  the  Feast 
of  Tabernacles  in  cc.  vii.,  viii.,  that  of 
the  Dedication  in  ch.  x.  The  traits  of 
connexion  are  often  subtle  and  unem- 
phasized,  but  they  are  unmistakable. 
There  is  a  psychological  harmony  be- 
tween the  words  and  the  hearers  for  the 
time  being.  Nothing  less  than  a  com- 
plete and  careful  analysis  of  the  Gospel 
can  bring  home  the  force  of  this  argu- 
ment, but  two  illustrations  will  indicate 
the  kind  of  details  on  which  it  rests. 
The  scene  by  the  well  at  Sychar  illus- 
trates one  type  of  teaching  (iv.  4 — 42) : 
the  discourse  after  the  healing  at  Beth- 
esda  another  (v.  19 — 47). 

There  can  be  no  question  as  to  the 
individuality  of.  the  discourse  with  the 
woman  of  Samaria.  The  scene,  the 
style,  the  form  of  opinion  are  all  charac- 
teristic. The  well,  the  mountain  (v.  20), 
the  fertile  corn-fields  (v,  35),  form  a 
picture  which  every  traveller  recognises. 
The  style  of  the  conversation  is  equally 
life-like.  The  woman,  with  ready  intelli- 
gence, enters  into  the  enigmatic  form  of 
the  Lord's  sentences.  She  gives  question 
for  question,  and,  like  Nicodemus,  uses 
His  imagery  to  suggest  her  own  difficul- 
ties. At  the  same  time,  her  confession 
keeps  within  the  limits  of  her  traditional 
faith.  For  her  the  Christ  is  a  prophet. 
And  it  is  easy  to  see  how  the  fuller  tes- 
timony of  her  countrymen  unparalleled 
in  the  Gospels  was  based  upon  later 
teaching  (v.  42),  which  their  position  en- 
abled them  to  receive  as  the  Jews  could 
not  have  done. 

The  discourse  in  ch.  v.  is  characteristic 
in  other  ways.  It  is  the  recorded  begin- 
ning of  Christ's  prophetic  teaching.  He 
unfolds  the  nature  of  His  work  and  of 
His  Person  in  answer  to  the  first  accu- 
sations of  the  Jews  before  some  authori- 
tative body  (see  v.  19,  note).  It  is  not 
a  popular  discourse,  but  the  outline  of  a 
systematic  defence.  It  springs  naturally 
out  of  the  preceding  act,  and  it  appears 
to  refer  to  the  circumstances  of  the 
Feast  It  is  not  so  much  an  argument 


as  a  personal  revelation.  At  the  same 
time  it  offers  an  analysis  of  the  religious 
crisis  of  the  time.  It  discloses  the  rela- 
tion in  which  Jesus  stood  to  the  Baptist 
(33 — 35)>  to  Moses  (46),  to  revelation 
generally  (37  f.),  to  Judaism  (39  f.).  It 
deals,  in  other  words,  with  just  those 
topics  which  belong  to  the  beginnings  of 
the  great  controversy  at  Jerusalem l. 

One  other  illustration  may  be  given  to 
shew  the  inner  harmony  which  underlies 
the  progress  of  the  self-revelation  of  the 
Lord  as  recorded  by  St  John.  Without 
reckoning  the  exceptional  personal  reve- 
lations to  the  woman  of  Samaria  (iv. 
26),  and  to  the  man  born  blind  (ix.  37), 
the  Lord  reveals  Himself  seven  times 
with  the  formula  "I  am,"  five  times  in 
His  public  ministry,  and  twice  in  the 
last  discourses.  It  must  be  enough  here 
to  enumerate  the  titles.  Their  general 
connexion  will  be  obvious. 

(1)  vi.  35  ff.     I  am  the  Bread  of  life. 
viii.  12.      /   am    the    Light   of  the 

world. 

x.  7.  I  am  the  Door  of  the  sheep. 

x.  1 1.         /  am  the  good  Shepherd. 
xi.  25.       /  am  the  Resurrection  and 

the  Life. 

(2)  xiv.  6.        /  am  the    Way,    and  the 

Truth,  and  the  Life. 
xv.  i  ff.     I  am  the  true  Vine. 

4.  But  it  is  said  that  the  language 
attributed  to  the  Baptist  and  that  of  the 
Evangelist  himself  are  undistinguishable 
from  that  of  the  discourses  of  the  Lord. 
What  has  been  said  already  shews  to 
what  extent  this  must  be  true.  St  John 


1  It  may  be  added  also  that  the  occasion  and. 
contents  of  the  discourse  are  in  complete  agree- 
ment with  the  Synoptic  narrative.  In  these  no 
less  than  in  St  John  the  open  hostility  of  the 
Jews  starts  from  the  alleged  violation  of  the 
Sabbath  (Matt.  xii.  2;  Mark  ii.  27  f.);  and  they 
offer  the  following  correspondences  of  thought 
with  St  John's  record : 

v.  14,  Matt.  xii.  45  (Luke  xvii.  19). 

w.  19  f.,  Matt.  xi.  27  ;  Luke  x.  22. 

•v.  20,  Matt.  iii.  17. 

•v.  22,  Matt,  xxviii.  18. 

v.  23,  Luke  x.  16  (Matt.  x.  40). 

w.  22,  27,  Matt.  xvi.  27. 

•v.  29,  Matt.  xxv.  32,  46. 

v.  30,  Matt.  xxvi.  39. 

•v.  39,  Luke  xxiv.  27  (Matt.  xxvi.  54). 

v.  43,  Matt.  xxiv.  5. 

v.  44,  Matt.  xiii.  14  ff.,  xviii.  i  ff. 

v.  46,  Luke  xvi.  31. 


THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  JOHN. 


Ixi 


deals  with  one  aspect  of  the  truth,  and 
uses  the  same  general  forms  of  speech  to 
present  the  different  elements  which  con- 
tribute to  its  fulness.  But  beneath  this 
superficial  resemblance  there  are  still 
preserved  the  characteristic  trails  of  the 
teaching  of  each  speaker.  There  is,  as 
has  been  pointed  out,  a  clear  progress  in 
the  Lord's  revelation  of  Himself  The 
words  of  the  Baptist,  coming  at  the  com- 
mencement of  Christ's  work,  keep  strictly 
within  the  limits  suggested  by  the  Old 
Testament.  What  he  says  spontaneously 
of  Christ  is  summed  up  in  the  two 
figures  of  the  "Lamb"  and  "the  Bride- 
groom," which  together  give  a  compre- 
hensive view  of  the  suffering  and  joy, 
the  redemptive  and  the  completive  work 
of  Messiah  under  the  prophetic  imagery. 
Both  figures  appear  again  in  the  Apoca- 
lypse ;  but  it  is  very  significant  that  they 


do  not  occur  in  the  Lord's  teaching  in 
the  fourth  Gospel  or  in  St  John's  epis- 
tles. His  specific  testimony,  again,  this 
is  the  Son  of  God  (i.  34),  is  no  more 
than  the  assertion  in  his  own  person  of 
that  which  the  Synoptists  relate  as  a 
divine  message  accompanying  the  Bap- 
tism (Matt.  iii.  17,  and  parallels).  And 
it  is  worthy  of  notice,  that  that  which 
he  was  before  prepared  to  recognise  in 
Christ  (i.  3.3)  was  the  fulness  of  a  pro- 
phetic office  which  the  other  Evangelists 
record  him  to  have  proclaimed  as  ready 
to  be  accomplished  (Matt.  iii.  n)'. 

Even  in  style  too,  it  may  be  added, 
the  language  assigned  to  the  Baptist 
has  its  peculiarities.  The  short  answers, 
lam  not;  No;  I  am  not  the  Christ  (i.  20  f. ), 
are  unlike  anything  else  in  St  John,  no 
less  than  the  answer  in  the  words  of  pro- 
phecy (i.  23).  Comp.  iii.  29,  note. 


The  correspondences  of  expression  between  the  language  attributed  to  the 
Lord  in  the  Gospel  and  the  Epistles  of  St  John  are  more  extensive  and  more 
important.  They  are  given  in  the  following  table : 


John  iii.   n.      We  speak  that  we  do 
know,  and  testify  that  ive  have  seen. 


v.  32  ff.  There  is  another  that  beareth 
witness  of  me ;  and  I  know  that  the.  wit- 
ness which  he  witnesseth  of  me  is  true  ... 
/  receive  not  witness  from  man  . . . 

v.  24.  He  that  hear -eth  my  word ...  is 
passed  from  death  unto  life. 

v.  38.  ...ye  have  not  his  word  abiding 
in  you. 

vi.  56.  He  that  eateth  my  flesh  and 
drinkcth  my  blood,  dwelleth  in  me,  and  I 
in  him.  Comp.  xiv.  17. 

viii.  29.  I  do  always  those  things  that 
please  him. 

viii.  44.  He  (the  devil]  was  a  mur- 
derer from  the  beginning. 

viii.  46.  Which  of  you  convinceth  me 
of  sin  ? 

viii.  47.  He  that  is  of  God  heareih 
God's  words :  ye  therefore  hear  them  not, 
because  ye  are  not  of  God. 

x.  15.  /  lay  down  my  life  for  the 
sheep. 


i  John  i.  i — 3.  That  which  was  from 
the  beginning . . .  which  we  have  seen  with 
our  eyes  . . .  for  the  life  was  manifested,  and 
we  have  seen  it,  and  bear  witness  (testify} 
. . .  that  which  we  have  seen  and  heard  de- 
dare  we  unto  you. 

v.  9  ff.  If  we  receive  the  witness  of  men, 
the  witness  of  God  is  greater :  for  this  is 
the  witness  of  God  which  he  hath  testified 
of  his  Son... 

iii.  14.  We  know  that  we  have  passed 
from  death  unto  life,  because  we  love  the 
brethren. 

ii.  14.  ...  the  word  of  God  abideth  in 
you. 

iv.  15.  Whosoever  shall  confess  that 
Jesus  is  the  Son  of  God,  God  dwelleth 
in  him,  and  he  in  God.  Comp.  v.  16 ; 
iii.  24. 

iii.  22.  ...because  we... do  those  things 
that  are  pleasing  in  his  sight. 

iii.  8.  ...  the  devil  sinncth  from  the 
beginning.  Comp.  iii.  12,  15. 

iii.  5.      ...in  him  is  no  sin. 

iv.  6.  We  are  of  God:  he  that  know- 
eth  God  hear  eth  us  ;  he  that  is  not  of  God 
heareth  not  us. 

iii.  1 6.      ...he  laid  down  his  life  for  us. 


1  The  passage,  iii.  31 — 36,  is  to  be  attributed  to  the  Evangelist  and  not  to  the  Baptist.     See  note. 


Ixii 


INTRODUCTION   TO 


John  xii.  35.  He  that  walketh  in  dark- 
ness knoweth  not  whither  he  goeth. 

xiii.  34.  A  new  commandment  I  give 
unto  yoit,  That  ye  love  one  another ;  as  I 
liave  loved  you,  that  ye  also  love  one 
another. 


xv.  10.     If  ye  keep  my  commandments, 
ye  shall  abide  in  my  love. 

xv.  1 8.     If  the  world  hate  you  . . . 

xvi.  24.     Ask  and  )\e  shall  receive  that 
your  joy  may  be  fulfilled. 

xvi.  33.     I  have  overcome  the  world. 


i  John  ii.  ii.  ...he  that  hateth  his  bro- 
ther . . .  walketh  in  darkness,  and  knoweth 
not  whither  he  goeth  . . . 

iii.  23.  This  is  his  commandment,  That 
we  should  believe  in  the  name  of  his  Son 
Jesus  Christ,  and  love  one  another,  as  he 
gave  us  commandment. 

iv.  n.  Bdoved,  if  God  so  loved  us, 
we  ought  also  to  love  one  another.  Comp. 
ii.  7  ff.,  iii.  ii,  16. 

iv.  1 6.  God  is  love,  and  he  that  dwell- 
eth  in  love  dwelleth  in  God,  and  God  in 
him. 

iii.  13.  Marvel  not,  my  brethren,  if 
the  world  hate  you. 

i.  4.  These  things  write  we  unto  you, 
that  yaur  joy  may  be  fulfilled.  Comp.  2 
John  12. 

v.  4  f.  This  is  the  victory  that  over- 
cometh  (^  vt/oycrao-a)  the  world,  even  our 
faith. 


Compare  also  the  following  passages : 

iv.  22  f.  v.  20. 

vi.  69  (7r€7riOT.  K.  eyvwK.).  iv.  1 6. 

viii.  35.  ii.  17. 


In  addition  to  these  phrases  there  are 
single  terms,  niore  or  less  characteristic, 
which  are  common  to  the  Lord's  dis- 
courses and  the  Epistle  :  "  true "  (aXw- 
0u/o's),  "  murderer,"  "  to  ask "  (epurrav), 
"to  receive  witness,"  "the  Son;"  and 
the  frequent  use  of  .the  final  particle 
(?va)  is  found  in  both  (xv.  12,  xvii.  3; 
compared  with  iii.  23). 

An  examination  of  the  parallels  can 
leave  little  .doubt  that  the  passages  in  the 
Gospel  are  the  originals  on  which  the 
others  are  moulded.  The  phrases  in  the 
Gospel  have  a  definite  historic  con- 
nexion :  they  belong  to  circumstances 
which  explain  them.  The  phrases  in  the 
Epistle  are  in  part  generalisations,  and 
in  part  interpretations  of  the  earlier  lan- 
guage in  view  of  Christ's  completed  work 
and  of  the  experience  of  the  Christian 
Church.  This  is  true  of  the  whole  doc- 
trinal relation  of  the  two  books,  as  will 


be  seen  later  on.  The  Epistle  presup- 
poses the  Gospel,  and  if  St  John  had 
already  through  many  years  communi- 
cated his  account  of  the  Lord's  teaching 
orally  to  his  circle  of  disciples,  it  is  easy 
to  see  how  the  allusions  would  be  intel- 
ligible to  the  readers  of  the  Epistle  if 
it  preceded  the  publication  of  the  Gospel. 
If  the  Epistle  was  written  after  the  Gos- 
pel was  published,  the  use  of  the  Lord's 
words  in  what  is  practically  a  com- 
mentary upon  them  can  cause  no  diffi- 
culty. 

The  Prologue  to  the  Gospel  offers  the 
real  parallel  to  this  Epistle.  In  this 
there  is  the  same  application  of  the 
teaching  of  the  Gospel  from  the  point  of 
view  of  the  advanced  Christian  society. 
The  exposition  of  the  truth  assumes  the 
facts  and  words  which  follow  in  the  nar- 
rative, while  it  deals  with  them  freely 
and  in  the  Apostle's  own  phraseology. 


This  will  appear  from  the  following  table: 
v.  i.     In  the  beginning  was  the  Word. 


...the  Word  was  with  God  (rjv 
Contrast  xvii.  5. 

...  the  Word  was  God. 


i.  i.  That  which  was  from  the  begin- 
ning . . .  concerning  the  word  of  life . . . 

i.  2.  ...  the  eternal  life,  which  was 
with  the  Father  (rjv 

V.  20. 


THE   GOSPEL  OF  ST.  JOHN. 


Ixiii 


v.  g.  The  true  light...  was  coming 
into  the  world. 

v.  5.  The  light  shineth  in  the  dark- 
ness. Comp.  xii.  35. 

v.  12.  As  many  as  received  him,  to 
them  gave  he  right  to  become  children  of 
God... 

—  ...to  them  that  beliei>e  on  his  name. 

v.   13.      Which  were   born  ...of  God 
(eyevv.  £K). 
v.  14.     The  Word  became  flesh. 

—  . . .  we  beheld  his  glory. 

v.  1 8.  No  man  hath  seen  (f  wpa/ct v)  God 
at  any  time.  Comp.  yi.  46. 


ii.  8.     The  darkness   is  fast,  and  the 
true  light  now  shineth. 


iii.  i.  Behold,  what  manner  of  love 
the  Father  hath  given  unto  us,  that  we 
should  be  called  children  of  God,  and  such 
we  are  (xal  coy/.a'). 

v.  1 3.  ...  you  that  believe  on  the  name 
cf  the  Son  of  God. 

v.  i.  Whosoever  believeth  that  Jesus  is 
the  Christ  is  born  of  God  (yeyew.  IK). 

iv.  2.  Every  spirit  that  confesseth  that 
Jesus  Christ  is  come  in  the  flesh  is  of  God. 

i.  i.     That  which  we  beheld. 

iy.  12.     No  man  hath  beheld  ( 
God  at  any  time.     Comp.  v.  20. 


These  parallels,  which  are  found  in 
eighteen  verses  only,  offer,  as  it  will  be 
felt,  a  close  affinity  to  the  Epistle  not  in 
language  only,  but  in  formulated  thought. 
And  further,  the  Prologue  and  the  Epistle 
stand  in  the  same  relation  of  dependence 
to  the  discourses.  In  this  respect  it  is 
interesting  to  compare  what  is  said  in 
the  Prologue  on  "  the  Life,"  and  "  the 
Light,"  and  "the  Truth,"  with  the  pas- 
sages in  the  Lord's  words  from  which 
the  Evangelist  draws  his  teaching. 

(1)  The  Life.     Comp.  v.  2(7,  xi.  25, 
xiv.  6. 

(2)  The  Light.     Comp.  viii.  12,  ix.  5, 
xii.  46. 

(3)  The  Truth.    Comp.  viii.  32,  xiv.  6. 

It  will  be  remembered  that  the  car- 
dinal phrases  "  the  Word,"  "  born  (be- 
gotten) of  God,"  are  not  found  in  the 
discourses  of  the  Lord !. 

Elsewhere  in  the  Gospel  there  are  in 
the  narrative  natural  echoes,  so  to  speak, 
of  words  of  the  Lord  (ii.  4  compared 
with  vii.  30,  his  hour  was  not  yet  come) ; 
and  correspondences  which  belong  to 
the  repetition  of  corresponding  circum- 
stances (iv.  1 2  ||  viii.  53;  iii.  2||ix.  33), 
or  to  the  stress  laid  upon  some  central 
truth  (vii.  28  ||  ix.  29  f.  ||  xix.  9).  Still 
the  conclusion  remains  unshaken  that 
the  discourses  of  the  Lord  have  a  marked 

1  The  remarks  made  upon  the  Prologue  gene- 
rally, including  the  brief  comment  on  the  Bap- 
tist's testimony  (i.  16 — 18),  apply  also  to  the 
two  comments  of  the  Evangelist  upon  the  conver- 
sation with  "the  teacher  of  Israel"  (iii.  16 — 21), 
and  on  the  Baptist's  last  testimony  (iii.  31 — 36). 
See  notes. 


character  of  their  own,  that  they  are  the 
source  of  St  John's  own  teaching,  that 
they  perfectly  fit  in  with  the  conditions 
under  which  they  are  said  to  have  been 
deliy.ered. 

7.     The  Last  Discourses. 

But  it  may  be  said  that  the  last  dis- 
courses, in  which  there  may  have  been 
some  compression  yet  not  such  as  to 
alter  their  general  form,  offer  peculiar 
difficulties :  that  they  are  disconnected, 
indefinite,  and  full  of  repetitions:  that 
it  is  most  improbable  that  thoughts 
so  loosely  bound  together  could  have 
been  accurately  preserved  in  the  memory 
for  half  a  century :  that  we  must  there- 
fore suppose  that  the  Evangelist  here  at 
least  has  allowed  his  own  reflections  to 
be  mingled  freely  with  his  distant  recol- 
lections of  what  the  Lord  said. 

It  may  be  at  once  admitted  that  these 
discourses  offer  a  unique  problem.  They 
belong  to  an  occasion  to  which  there 
could  be  no  parallel,  and  it  may  be  ex- 
pected that  at  such  a  crisis  the  Lord 
would  speak  much  which  "  the  disciples 
understood  not  at  the  time,"  over  which 
still  some  of  them  would  untiringly  re- 
flect. Our  modes  of  thought  again  follow 
a  logical  sequence;  Hebrew  modes  of 
thought  follow  a  moral  sequence.  With 
us,  who  trust  to  the  instruction  of  books, 
the  power  of  memory  is  almost  un- 
trained :  a  Jewish  disciple  was  disci- 
plined to  retain  the  spoken  words  of  his 
master. 

Thus  we  have   to   inquire   primarily 


Ixiv 


INTRODUCTION   TO 


whether  the  teaching  really  suits  the 
occasion?  whether  there  is  a  discernible 
coherence  and  progress  in  the  discourses? 
If  these  questions  are  answered  in  the 
affirmative,  it  will  be  easy  to  understand 
how  a  sympathetic  hearer,  trained  as  a 
Jew  would  be  trained,  should  bear  them 
about  with  him  till  his  experience  of 
the  life  of  the  Church  illuminated  their 
meaning,  when  the  promised  Paraclete 
"taught  him  all  things  and  brought  all 
things  to  his  remembrance  which  Christ 
had  spoken." 

If  the  discourses  are  taken  as  a  whole 
it  will  be  found  that  their  main  cdntentS 
offer  several  peculiarities.  Three  topics 
are  specially  conspicuous  :  the  mission 
of  the  Paraclete,  the  departure  and  the 
coming  of  Christ,  the  Church  and  the 
world.  And  generally  a  marked  stress 
is  laid  throughout  upon  the  moral  aspects 
of  the  Faith. 

It  is  scarcely  necessary  to  point  out 
the  fitness  of  such  topics  for  instruction 
at  such  a  time.  If  the  Lord  was  what 
the  Apostles  announced  Him  to  be  it  is 
scarcely  conceivable  that  He  should  not 
have  prepared  them  by  teaching  of  this 
kind  before  His  departure,  in  order  that 
they  might  be  fitted  to  stand  against  the 
antagonism  of  the  Jewish  Church,  and 
to  mould  the  spiritual  revolution  which 
they  would  have  to  face.  The  book  of 
the  Acts— "the  Gospel  of  the  Holy 
Spirit " — is  in  part  a  commentary  upon 
these  last  words. 

At  the  same  time  it  is  most  important 
to  observe  that  the  ideas  are  not  made 
definite  by  exact  limitations.  The  teach- 
ing gains  its  full  meaning  from  the  later 
history,  but  the  facts  of  the  later  history 
have  not  modified  it.  The  promises  and 
warnings  remain  in  their  typical  forms. 
At  first  they  could  not  have  been  intelli- 
gible in  their  full  bearing.  The  fall  of 
Jerusalem  at  length  placed  them  in  their 
proper  light,  and  then  they  were  re- 
corded. 

The  moral  impress  of  the  last  dis- 
courses is  clear  throughout.  They  are  a 
sermon  in  the  chamber  to  the  Apostles, 
completing  the  Sermon  on  the  Mount  to 
the  multitudes.  In  this  section  only 
Christ  speaks  of  His  "  commandments  " 
(eiroXai,  evToAi;,  xiv.  15,  21,  xv.  10,  xiii. 
34,  xv.  12  ;  comp.  xv.  14,  17),  and  by 
the  use  of  the  word  claims  for  them  a 


divine  authority.  The  commandments 
are  summed  up  in  one,  "  to  love  one 
another."  The  love  of  Christian  for 
Christian  is  at  once  the  pattern  and  the 
foundation  of  the  true  relation  of  man  to 
man.  And  as  the  doctrine  of  love  springs 
out  of  Christ's  self-sacrifice  (xv.  13,  xiii. 
34)j  so  is  it  peculiar  to  these  discourses 
iri  the  Gospel.  The  time  had  come  when 
it  could  be  grasped  under  the  influence 
of  the  events  which  were  to  follow. 

The  successive  forms  under  which  the 
principle  of  love  is  inculcated  illustrate 
the  kind  of  progress  which  is  found 
throughout  the  chapters  (e.g.  xiii.  34, 
xv.  12).  The  three  following  passages 
will  indicate  what  is  meant  : 


xv.    15.     If  ye  love  me,  ye  will 
)  my  commandments. 

xiv.  21.  He  that  hath  my  command- 
ments, and  keepeth  them,  he  it  is  that  loveth 
me:  and  he  that  loveth  me  shall  be  loved 
of  my  Father,  and  I  will  love  him,  and 
will  manifest  myself  to  him, 

xv.  10.  If  ye  keep  my  commandments, 
ye  shall  abide  in  my  love  ;  even  as  I  hare 
kept  my  Father's  commandments,  and  abide 
in  his  love. 

At  a  first  reading  it  might  be  easy  to 
miss  the  advance  from  obedience  resting 
on  love  to  progressive  knowledge,  and 
then  to  a  divine  certainty  of  life.  When 
the  relation  of  the  three  connected  texts 
is  seen,  it  is  difficult  not  to  feel  that  what 
appears  to  be  repetition  is  a  vital  move- 
ment. 

A  similar  progress  is  noticeable  in  the 
four  chief  passages  which  describe  the 
work  of  the  Paraclete  : 

xiv.  1  6,  17. 
/  will  ask  the  Father,  and 

he  shall  give  you  another  Paraclete, 
that  he  may  be  with  you  for  ever  ; 
even  the  Spirit  of  truth, 

whom  the  world  cannot  receive.  .  . 

xiv.  26. 

The  Paraclete,  even  the  Holy  Spirit, 
whom  the  Father  will  send  in  my  name, 
he  shall  teach  you  all  things,  and 
bring   to   your    remembrance    all 
things  that  I  said  unto  you. 

xv.  26. 

When  the  Paraclete  is  come 
whom  I  will  send  unto  you  from  the 
Father 


THE   GOSPEL   OF  ST.  JOHN. 


Ixv 


even  the  Spirit  of  truth, 

which  proceedeth  from  the  Father, 
he  shall  bear  witness  of  me. 

xvi.  7  if. 
If  I  go  not  away,  the  Paraclete  will  not 

come  to  you  ; 

but  if  I  go,  I  will  send  him  unto  you. 
And  he,  when  he  is  come,  will  convict 

the  world. . . 
...when  he  is  come,  even  the  Spirit  of 

truth, 
he  will  guide  you  into  all  the  truth... 

Step  by  step  the  relation  of  the  Para- 
clete to  Christ  is  made  clear :  (i)  /  will 
ask,  another  Paraclete;  (2)  the  Father 
will  send  in  my  name;  (3)  I  will  send; 
(4)  if  I  go  I  will  send  him.  And  again 
His  work  is  defined  more  and  more 
exactly:  (i)  be  with  you  for  ever;  (2) 
teach  all  things... that  I  said  unto  you; 
(3)  bear  witness  of  me;  (4)  convict  the 
world,  guide  into  all  the  truth.  Such 
subtle  correspondences  are  equally  far 
from  design  and  accident :  they  belong 
to  the  fulness  of  life. 

The  teaching  on  the  relation  of  the 
Church  to  the  world,  which  is  peculiar 
to  this  section,  moves  forward  no  less 
plainly.  In  xiv.  17,  22  ff.,  it  is  shewn 
that  the  world  is  destitute  of  that  sym- 
pathy with  the  divine  Spirit  which  is  the 
necessary  condition  of  the  reception  of 
revelation.  Afterwards  the  hatred  of  the 
world  is  foretold  as  natural  (xv.  18  ff.); 
and  then  this  hatred  is  followed  out  to 
its  consequences  (xvi.  i  ff.).  Yet,  on  the 
other  hand,  it  is  promised  that  the  Spirit 
shall  convict  the  world ;  and  at  last 
Christ  declares  that  He  Himself  has 
already  conquered  the  world  (xvi.  33). 

The  same  general  law  of  progress  ap- 
plies to  the  notices  of  Christ's  departure 
and  return  in  cc.  xiv.,  xvi.  In  the  first 
passage  the  central  thought  is  "I  come;" 
attention  is  concentrated  on  what  Christ 
will  do  (xiv.  3,  1 8,  23).  In  the  second 
the  thought  is  rather  of  the  relation  of 
the  disciples  to  Him  (xvi.  16,  22). 

These  examples  indicate  at  least  the 
existence  of  a  real  coherence  and  de- 
velopment of  thought  in  the  discourses. 
It  is  unquestionably  difficult  to  follow 
out  the  development  of  thought  in  detail. 
In  the  notes  an  endeavour  has  been 
made  to  do  this.  Here  it  must  be  suffi- 
cient to  give  a  brief  outline  of  the  general 


course  which  the  addresses  take.  These 
form  two  groups,  the  discourses  in  the 
chamber  (xiii.  31 — xiv.)  and  on  the  way 
(xv.,  xvi.).  The  predominant  thoughts 
in  the  first  are  those  of  separation  from 
Christ  as  He  had  been  hitherto  known, 
and  of  sorrow  in  separation  :  in  the 
second,  of  realised  union  with  Christ  in 
some  new  fashion,  and  of  victory  after 
conflict. 

I.    THE  DISCOURSES  IN  THE  CHAMBER 
(xiii.  31 — xiv.). 

i.     Separation,   its  necessity  and  issue 
(xiii.  31—38). 

(a)  Victory,  departure,  the  new  Society 

(3J— 35)- 

(/3)  The  discipline  of  separation  (St 
Peter)  (36-38). 

2.    Christ  and  the  Father  (xiv.  i — 1 1 ). 

(a)  The  goal  and  purpose  of  departure 
(i—4). 

(ft)  The  way  to  the  divine  (St  Tho- 
mas) (5—7). 

(y)  The  knowledge  of  the  Father  (St 
Philip)  (8— n). 

3.  Christ  and  the  disciples  (xiv.  1 2 — 2 1 ). 

(a)  The  disciples  continue  Christ's 
work  (12 — 14). 

(/3)  He  still  works  for  them  (15 — 17). 

(y)  He  comes  to  them  Himself  (18— 
21). 

4.  The  law  and  the  progress  of  revelation 

(22—31). 

(a)  The  conditions  of  revelation  (St 
Jude)  (22 — 24). 

(ft)  The  mode  of  revelation  (25 — 27). 

(y)  Christ's  work  perfected  by  His 
return  (28 — 31). 

The  teaching  springs  from  the  facts  of 
the  actual  position,  and  then  deals  with 
successive  difficulties  which  it  occasions. 


II.     THE  DISCOURSES  ON  THE  WAY 
(xv.,  xvi.). 

i.     The  living  union  (xv.  i — 10). 

(a)  The  fact  of  union  (i,  2). 

(/3)  The  conditions  of  union  (3 — 6). 

(y)  The  blessings  of  union  (7 — 10). 


Ixvi 


INTRODUCTION   TO 


2.  The  issues  of  union :  the  disciple  and 

Christ  (n— 1 6). 

(a)  Christ's  joy  comes  from  sacrifice 

(I2>  I3)- 

(ft)    The    disciple's    connexion    with 

Christ  is  by  love  (14,  15). 

(y)  It  is  stable  as  resting  on  His  choice 
(v.  1 6). 

3.  The  issues  of  union  :  the  disciples  and 

the  world  (17 — 27). 

(a)  Love  of  Christ  calls  out  hatred 
of  the  world  (17 — 21). 

(ft)  With  this  inexcusable  hatred  the 
disciples  must  contend  (22 — 27). 

4.     The  world  and  the  Paraclete 
(xvi.  i — n). 

(a)  The  last  issues  of  hatred  (i — 4). 
(ft)  The  necessity  of  separation  (4 — 7). 
(y)  The  conviction  of  the  world  (8 — 
Ii). 

5.  The  Paraclete  and  the  disciples 

(12—15). 

(a)  He  completes  Christ's  work  ( 1 2, 13), 
(ft)  and  glorifies  Christ  (14,  15). 

6.  Sorrow  turned  to  joy  (16 — 24). 

(a)  A  new  relation  (16,  17). 
(ft)  Sorrow  the  condition  of  joy  (19  — 
22). 
(y)  Joy  fulfilled  (23,  24). 

7 .     Victory  at  last  (2  5— 3 3 ). 

(a)  A  summary  (25 — 28). 

(ft)  A  confession  of  faith  (29,  30). 

(y)  Warning  and  assurance  (31 — 33). 

The  form  of  the  discourse  is  changed. 
The  Lord  reveals  uninterruptedly  the 
new  truths,  till  the  close,  when  the  dis- 
ciples again  speak  no  longer  separately, 
but,  as  it  were,  with  a  general  voice. 
The  awe  of  the  midnight  walk  has  fallen 
upon  them. 

It  is  not  of  course  affirmed  that  this 
view  of  the  development  of  the  discourses 
is  exhaustive  or  final ;  but  at  least  it  is 
sufficient  to  shew  that  they  are  bound 
together  naturally,  and  that  the  depend- 
ence of  the  parts  is  such  as  could  be 
easily  apprehended  and  retained  by  those 
who  listened.  There  is  novelty  under 
apparent  sameness:  there  is  variety  under 
apparent  repetition :  there  is  a  spiritual 


connexion  underneath  the  apparently 
fragmentary  sentences.  This  is  all  that 
it  is  necessary  to  shew.  As  far  as  we 
can  venture  to  judge  the  words  befit  the 
occasion  :  they  form  a  whole  harmonious 
in  its  separate  parts :  they  are  not 
coloured  by  later  experiences  :  they 
might  easily  have  been  preserved  by  the 
disciple  who  was  in  closest  sympathy 
with  the  Lord. 


III.    CHARACTERISTICS  OF  THE  GOSPEL. 
i.     Relation  to  the  Old  Testament. 

St  John  recognises  in  his  narrative  the 
divine  preparation  for  the  advent  of 
Christ  which  was  made  among  the  na- 
tions. Such  a  discipline  is  involved  in 
the  view  which  he  gives  of  the  general 
action  of  the  Word  before  His  Incarna- 
tion (i.  5),  and  particularly  in  his  affirma- 
tion of  His  universal  working  (i.  9).  Nor 
was  this  discipline  wholly  without  imme- 
diate effect.  At  the  time  of  the  advent 
Christ  had  other  sheep,  which  were  not 
of  the  Jewish  fold  (x.  16).  There  were 
children  of  God  scattered  abroad  (xi.  52): 
some  who  had  yielded  themselves  to  the 
guidance  of  the  divine  light  which  had 
been  given  to  them,  and  who  were  eager 
to  welcome  its  fuller  manifestation  (iii. 
20  ff.) :  citizens  of  a  kingdom  of  truth 
waiting  for  their  king  (xviii.  37). 

But  while  these  broader  aspects  of  the 
divine  counsel  find  a  place  in  the  fourth 
Gospel,  St  John  brings  out  with  especial 
force  that  the  discipline  of  Israel  was 
the  true  preparation  for  the  Messiah, 
though  Judaism  had  been  perverted  into 
a  system  antagonistic  to  Christianity,  and 
Christ  had  been  rejected  by  His  own 
people.  If  he  affirms  more  distinctly 
than  the  other  apostolic  writers,  from  the 
circumstances  of  his  position,  that  the 
Jews  had  proved  to  be  ignorant  of  the 
contents  and  scope  of  the  revelation 
which  had  been  committed  to  them  (v. 
37  ff.),  and  of  the  nature  of  the  LORD 
whom  they  professed  to  worship  with 
jealous  reverence  (xvi.  3,  vii.  28,  viii.  19, 
54  f.,  xv.  21);  if  he  affirms  that  their 
proud  confidence  in  the  literal  interpre- 
tation of  the  facts  of  their  providential 
history  was  mistaken  and  delusive  (v.  37 ; 
contrast  Gen.  xxxii.  30;  Exocl.  xx.  i8ff., 
xxiv.  10 ;  Deut.  iv.  12,  36,  v.  4,  22: — vi. 


THE  GOSPEL   OF  ST.  JOHN. 


Ixvii 


32,  cf.  Ps.  Ixxviii.  24) ;  he  affirms  no  less 
distinctly  that  the  old  Scriptures  did 
point  to  Christ,  and  that  the  history  was 
instinct  with  a  divine  purpose.  This 
appears  by  (a)  his  general  recognition 
of  the  peculiar  privileges  of  the  Jews  ; 
(b]  his  interpretation  of  types ;  (c)  his 
application  of  prophecies;  and  particu- 
larly by  his  treatment  of  the  Messianic 
expectations  of  the  people. 

(a)  The  words  of  the  Prologue,  He 
came  to  His  own  home  (TO.  iSta),  and  His 
own  people  (ot  18101)  received  Him  not  (i. 
n,  note),  place  beyond  question  the 
position  which  the  Evangelist  assigned 
to  his  countrymen  in  the  divine  order. 
They  were  in  a  peculiar  sense  the  sub- 
jects of  the  Christ.  In  this  sense  Christ 
claimed  their  allegiance,  and  sovereign 
authority  in  the  centre  of  their  religious 
life.  His  greeting  to  Nathanael  was: 
Behold  an  Israelite  indeed  (i.  47):  His 
command  in  the  temple  at  His  first  visit : 
Make  not  my  Father's  house  a  house  of 
merchandise  (ii.  16).  In  answer  to  the 
questionings  of  the  Samaritan  woman, 
who  placed  the  tradition  of  her  fathers 
side  by  side  with  that  of  the  Jews, 
He  asserted  the  exceptional  knowledge 
and  the  unique  office  of  His  people  :  we 
worship  that  which  we  know  (iv..  22), 
and  salvation — the  promised  salvation 
(-./  o-toTT/pia) — is  from  (<V)  the  Jews  (iv. 
22),  two  phrases  which  mark  at  once  the 
progressive  unfolding  of  the  divine  truth 
(Heb.  i.  i),  and  the  office  of  the  old  dis- 
pensation to  furnish  the  medium  out  of 
which  the  new  should  spring.  In  the 
beginning  of  His  conflict  with  official 
Judaism,  Christ  assigns  to  the  Scriptures 
their  proper  function  towards  Himself 
(v.  39,  46  f).  From  this  point  "the 
Jews  "  take  up  a  position  of  antagonism, 
and  their  privileges  perish  in  their  hands 
(comp.  pp.  Ixxxv.,  Ixxxvi.). 

(b}  It  is  a  significant  fact  that  three 
and  three  only  of  the  old  saints,  Abra- 
ham, Moses,  and  Isaiah,  are  mentioned 
by  the  Lord  or  by  the  Evangelist  in  con- 
nexion with  Messiah.  These  three  cover 
and  represent  the  three  successive  periods 
of  the  training  of  the  people :  so  subtle 
and  so  complete  are  the  harmonies  which 
underlie  the  surface  of  the  text.  Christ 
claimed  for  Himself  testimonies  from 
the  patriarchal,  the  theocratic,  and  the 
monarchical  stages  of  the  life  of  Israel. 


viii.  56.  Your  father  Abraham  re- 
joiced to  see — in  the  effort  to  see  (fva  tSr;) 
— my  day :  and  he  saw  it,  and  was  glad. 

The  point  of  the  reference  lies  in  the 
view  which  it  gives  of  the  first  typical 
example  of  faith  as  reaching  forward  to  a 
distant  fulfilment.  It  was  not  stationary, 
but  progressive.  In  that  onward  strain 
lies  the  secret  of  the  Old  Testament. 

The  second  reference  to  the  patri- 
archal history  in  the  Gospel  of  St  John 
is  the  complement  of  this  effort  after  the 
remote.  Abraham  looked  onwards  to 
that  which  was  not  yet  revealed :  Jacob 
rested  in  his  present  covenant  with  God. 
This  aspect  of  faith  also  is  recognised  by 
the  Lord. 

i.  51.  Verily,  verily,!  say  unto  you,  ye 
shall  see  heaven  opened,  and  the  angels  of 
God  ascending  and  descending  upon  the 
Son  of  man. 

The  desire  of  Abraham  was  fulfilled 
in  the  universal  sovereignty  of  Christ : 
the  vision  of  Jacob  was  fulfilled  in  the 
abiding  presence  of  Christ.  A  greater 
than  Abraham  brought  freedom  for  all 
through  the  Truth  :  a  greater  than  Jacob 
opened  a  well  whose  waters  sprang  up 
within  the  believer  unto  eternal  life. 

The  references  to  Moses  are  not  less 
pregnant  It  is  shewn  that  just  as  Christ 
was  the  object  to  whom  the  patriarch 
looked  in  the  future  and  in  the  present, 
so  He  was  the  object  in  regard  of  whom 
all  the  discipline  of  the  law  was  shaped. 
Jesus  said  to  the  leaders  of  the  Jews: 
Had  ye  believed  (Did  ye  believe)  Moses,  ye 
would  have  believed  (would  believe)  me,  for 
he  wrote  of  me  (v.  46). 

This  thought  is  brought  out  by  refer- 
ences both  to  details  of  the  Law  and  also 
to  the  circumstances  which  accompa- 
nied the  promulgation  of  the  Law. 

Twice  the  Lord  defended  Himself 
from  the  charge  of  violating  the  Sabbath. 
On  each  occasion  He  laid  open  a  prin- 
ciple which  was  involved  in  this  institu- 
tion. 

v.  17.  My  Father  worketh  even  until 
now,  and  I  work. 

The  cessation  from  common  earthly 
work  was  not  an  end,  but  a  condition  for 
something  higher  :  it  was  not  a  rest  from 
work,  but  for  work  (see  note  ad  loc.). 

vii.  22.  For  this  cause — by  which  I 
have  been  moved  in  my  healing — hath 
Moses  given  you  circumcision  (not  that  it 


Ixviii 


INTRODUCTION   TO 


is  of  Moses ,  but  of  the  fathers),  and  on 
the  sabbath  ye  circumcise  a  man, 

The  Sabbath,  therefore,  was  subordi- 
nate to  the  restoration  of  the  fulness  of 
the  divine  covenant.  It  was  made  to 
give  way  to  acts  by  which  men  were 
"made  whole." 

The  one  reference  to  the  idea  of  the 
Passover  is  equally  significant.  These 
things,  the  Evangelist  writes  in  his  record 
of  the  crucifixion,  were  done  that  the  Scrip- 
ture should  be  fulfill&d,  A  bone  of  him 
shall  not  be  broken  (xix.  36,  note).  The 
words  come  like  an  after-thought.  They 
are  left  without  definite  application,  and 
yet  in  that  single  phrase,  by  which  the 
Lord  is  identified  as  the  true  Paschal 
Lamb,  the  meaning  of  the  old  sacrifices 
is  made  clear.  "  The  Lamb  of  God  "  is 
revealed  as  the  one  offering  to  whom  all 
offerings  pointed. 

The  two  interpretations  of  facts  in  the 
history  of  the  Exodus  which  St  John  has 
given  are  even  more  remarkable  than 
these  lights  thrown  upon  the  Mosaic  dis- 
cipline and  the  Mosaic  ritual.  Thp  first 
is  the  interpretation  of  the  brazen  ser- 
pent :  the  second  the  interpretation  of 
the  manna. 

Jesus  said  to  Nicodemus :  As  Moses 
lifted  up  the  serpent  in  the  wilderness,  even 
so  must  the  Son  of  man  be  lifted  rip  (iii. 
14).  The  Jews  said  :  Our  fathers  did 
eat  the  manna  in  the  wilderness ;  as  it  is 
written,  He  gave  them  bread  from  heaven 
to  eat.  Jesus  therefore  said  unto  them, 
Verily,  verily,  I  say  untp  you,  Moses  gave 
you  not  that  bread  from  heaven  ;  but  my 
father  giveth  you  the  true  bread  from 
heaven  ...I  am  the  bread  of  life  . . .  (vi. 
31  ff.).  Thus  the  most  significant  deliver- 
ance from  the  effects  of  sin.  and  the 
most  striking  gift  of  divine  Providence 
recorded  in  the  Pentateuch,  are  both 
placed  in  direct  connexion  with  Christ. 
In  each  case  that  which  was  temporal  is 
treated  as  a  figure  of  that  which  is  eter- 
nal. Great  depths  of  thought  are  opened. 
The  life-long  wanderings  of  the  Jews  are 
shewn  to  be  an  image  of  all  life '. 

(c)  St  John's  dealing  with  the  later 
teaching  of  the  prophets,  the  interpreters 
of  the  kingdom,  is  of  the  same  character. 
He  does  not  deal  so  much  with  external 
details  as  with  the  inner  life  of  prophecy. 

1  Compare  also  the  notes  on  vii.  37,  viii.  12, 
and  above,  p.  vii. 


He  presents  Christ  as  being  at  once  the 
Temple  (ii.  19),  and  the  King  (xi{.  13). 
He  makes  it  clear  that  the  new  dispensa- 
tion towards  which  the  prophets  worked 
was  one  essentially  of  spiritual  blessing. 
The  sense  of  complete  devotion  to  God, 
of  the  union  of  man  with  God  in  Christ, 
of  the  gift  of  the  Spirit  through  Him, 
were  the  thoughts  in  which  he  found  the 
stamp  of  their  inspiration.  Thus  it  is 
that  he  has  preserved  the  words  in  which 
the  Lord  gives  us  the  prophetic  descrip- 
tion of  the  Messianic  times  :  They  shall 
all  be  taught  of  God  (vi.  45) ;  and  those 
again  in  which  He  gathers  up  the  whole 
doctrine  of  Scripture  on  this  head  :  If 
any  man  thirst,  let  him  come  unto  me  and 
drink.  He  that  believeth  on  me,  as  the 
scripture  hath  said,  out  of  his  belly  shall 
flow  rivers  of  living  water  (vii.  37  f., 
note) ;  and  those  in  which  He  shewed 
that  the  conception  of  the  union  of  God 
and  man  was  not  foreign  to  the  Old 
Testament,  when  it  was  said  even  of  un- 
just judges,  Ye  are  gods,  because  the 
Word  of  God,  in  which  was  a  divine 
energy,  came  to  them  (x.  34  f.,  note). 

On  the  other  hand  St  John  has  re- 
corded how  the  Lord  recognised  the 
hostile  unbelief  of  the  Jews  in  the  spirit 
of  their  fathers,  who  hated  the  Lord's 
Anointed  without  a  cause  (xv.  25),  and 
pointed  out  how  the  treachery  of  Judas 
had  its  counterpart  in  that  of  Ahitophel, 
of  whom  it  was  written,  He  that  eateth 
bread  with  me  hath  lifted  up  his  heel 
against  me  (xiii.  18). 

There  is  the  same  mysterious  depth, 
the  same  recognition  of  a  spiritual  under- 
current in  common  life,  in  the  references 
which  the  Evangelist  himself  makes  to  the 
later  books  of  Scripture.  Once  at  the  begin- 
ning of  the  Gospel  he  tells  how  the  dis- 
ciples were  enabled  to  see  fulfilled  in  the 
Lord  the  words  of  the  suffering  prophet, 
The  zeal  of  thine  house  shall  consume  me 
(ii.  17) ;  and  at  the  close  of  the  account 
of  the  public  ministry  he  points  out  how 
the  unbelief  of  the  Jews,  the  most  tragic 
of  all  mysteries,  had  been  foreshadowed 
of  old.  These  things,  he  writes,  said 
Isaiah,  because — because,  not  when  (on 
not  ore,  see  note) — he  saw  Christ's  glory, 
and  spake  of  Him  in  the  most  terrible 
description  of  the  unbelief  and  blindness 
of  Israel  (xii.  37  ff.1). 

1  The  following  table  of  the  prophecies  quoted 


THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  JOHN. 


Ixix 


It  seems  to  be  impossible  to  study 
such  passages  without  feeling  that  the 
writer  of  the  fourth  Gospel  is  penetrated 
throughout  —  more  penetrated  perhaps 
than  any  other  writer  of  the  New  Testa- 
ment— with  the  spirit  of  the  Old.  The 
interpretations  which  he  gives  and  re- 
cords, naturally  and  without  explanation 
or  enforcement,  witness  to  a  method  of 
dealing  with  the  old  Scriptures  which  is 
of  wide  application.  He  brings  them 
all  into  connexion  with  Christ  He 
guides  his  readers  to  their  abiding  mean- 
ing, which  cannot  be  broken;  he  warns  the 
student  against  trusting  to  the  letter,  while 
he  assures  him  that  no  fragment  of  the 
teaching  of  the  Word  of  God  is  without 
its  use.  And  in  doing  this  he  shews  also 
how  the  scope  of  revelation  grows  with 
the  growth  of  men.  Without  the  basis 
of  the  Old  Testament,  without  the  fullest 
acceptance  of  the  unchanging  divinity  of 
the  Old  Testament,  the  Gospel  of  St 
John  is  an  insoluble  riddle. 

2.     The  unfolding  of  the  Messianic  idea. 

The  history  of  the  Gospel  of  St  John 
is,  as  has  been  seen,  the  history  of  the 
development  of  faith  and  unbelief,  of 
faith  and  unbelief  in  Christ's  Person.  It 
is  therefore  under  another  aspect  the  his- 
tory of  the  gradual  unfolding  of  the  true 
Messianic  idea  in  conflict  with  popular 
expectations.  On  the  one  side  are  the 
hopes  and  the  preoccupations  of  the 

in    the    Gospel    will    suggest    further   illustra- 
tions : 

Prophecies, 

(1)  Design  marked  (tva  ir\ijp.  Comp.  xviii.  9). 

(a)  By  the  Evangelist. 

xii.  38. 

[xii.  40,  Sri  flirev  'H<7.] 

xix.  24. 
-   36. 

[xix.  37,  frtpa  yp.  X^et.] 
03)  By  Christ. 

xiii.  1 8. 

xv.  25. 

[xvii.  12.] 

(2)  Coincidence  marked  (xaffus  Iffri  ytyp.) 

(a)  By  the  Evangelist. 
ii.  17. 
xii.  14  f. 
(/3)  By  Christ, 
vi.  45. 

(Comp.  vii.  38.) 
x.  34. 
Compare  also  above,  pp.  xiii.  f. 

New  Test.— VOL.  II. 


Jews :  on  the  other  side  are  the  progres- 
sive revelations  of  the  Lord.  And  there 
is  nothing  which  more  convincingly  marks 
the  narrative  as  a  transcript  from  life 
than  the  clearness  with  which  this  strug- 
gle is  displayed.  A  summary  outline  of 
the  Gospel  from  this  point  of  view  will 
probably  place  the  facts  in  a  distinct 
light. 

The  opening  scene  reveals  the  con- 
trasted elements  of  expectation  as  they 
had  been  called  into  activity  by  the 
preaching  of  the  Baptist  (i.  19  fT.).  The 
Baptist's  words  and  testimonies  (i.  29, 
33>  36)  were  fitted  to  check  the  popular 
zeal,  and  at  the  same  time  to  quicken 
the  faith  of  those  who  were  ready  to  re- 
ceive and  to  follow  that  greater  One  who 
should  come  after  according  to  the  divine 
promise  (i.  29  f.,  36).  So  it  came  to 
pass  that  some  of  his  disciples  found  in 
Jesus,  to  whom  he  mysteriously  pointed, 
the  fulfilment  of  the  old  promises  and 
of  their  present  aspirations  (i.  35 — 42). 
Others  at  once  attached  themselves  to 
the  new  Teacher  (Rabbi,  i.  38) ;  and  He 
was  acknowledged  as  Messiah  (i.  41) ; 
the  Son  of  God,  and  King  of  Israel  (i.  49). 
The  "sign  "  which  followed  confirmed  the 
personal  faith  of  these  first  followers  (ii. 
n);  but  so  far  there  was  nothing  to 
shew  how  the  titles  which  had  been  at 
least  silently  accepted  were  to  be  real- 
ised. 

The  cleansing  of  the  temple  was  in 
this  respect  decisive.  Messiah  offered 
Himself  in  His  Father's  house  to  His 
own  people,  and  they  failed  to  under- 
stand, or  rather  they  misunderstood,  the 
signs  which  He  gave  them.  As  a  conse- 
quence, He  did  not  commit  himself  unto 
them,  because  He  knew  all  men;  and... 
what  was  in  man  (ii.  23  ff.).  The  origin 
of  this  misunderstanding  is  shewn  in  the 
imperfect  confession  of  Nicodemus  (iii. 
2  ff.),  and  in  the  complaint  of  the  disci- 
ples of  the  Baptist  (iii.  26).  On  the 
other  hand,  the  testimony  of  Christ  and 
the  testimony  of  the  Baptist  set  the  real 
issue  before  men,  as  the  Evangelist  shews 
in  his  comments  on  the  words.  The 
Messiah  of  those  whom  the  Evangelist 
characterizes  as  "the  Jews"  had  no  place 
in  the  work  of  Jesus ;  and  His  work  as 
Messiah  had  no  place  in  their  hearts. 

Such  was  the  situation  at  Jerusalem. 
It  was  otherwise  in  Samaria.  There  Jesus 


Ixx 


INTRODUCTION   TO 


could  openly  announce  Himself  to  be 
the  Christ,  inasmuch  as  the  claim  was 
rightly  though  imperfectly  understood 
(iv.  25  f.);  and  the  confession  of  the 
Samaritans  who  had  sought  His  fuller 
teaching  shewed  how  far  they  were  from 
resting  in  any  exclusive  or  temporal 
hopes  (iv.  42,  the  Saviour  of  the  world> 
according  to  the  true  reading). 

The  next  visit  to  Jerusalem  (ch.  v.) 
gave  occasion  for  a  fundamental  exposi- 
tion of  the  nature  and  work  of  the  Lord, 
and  of  the  manifold  witness  to  Him, 
side  by  side  with  an  analysis  of  the 
causes  of  Jewish  unbelief.  The  later 
history  is  the  practical  working  out  of 
the  principles  embodied  in  this  dis- 
course. 

The  first  decisive  division  between  the 
followers  of  Christ  was  in  Galilee.  There 
.superficial  faith  was  more  prevalent  and 
more  eager.  The  "  multitude  "  wished 
to  precipitate  the  issue  according  to  their 
own  ideas  (vi.  14  f.).  In  answer  to  this 
attempt  Christ  turned  the  minds  of  those 
who  came  to  Him  by  most  startling 
imagery  from  things  outward,  and  fore- 
shadowed His  own  violent  death  as  the 
condition  of  that  personal  union  of  the 
believer  with  Himself,  to  bring  about 
which  was  the  end  of  His  work.  So  He 
drove  many  from  Him  (vi.  60),  while  He 
called  out  a  completer  confession  of  faith 
from  the  twelve  (vi.  69).  Words  which 
had  been  used  before  (ch.  i.),  have  now 
a  wholly  different  meaning.  To  believe 
in  Christ  now  was  to  accept  with  utter 
faith  the  necessity  of  complete  self-sur- 
render to  Him  who  had  finally  rejected 
the  homage  of  force. 

The  issue  at  Jerusalem  was  brought 
about  more  slowly.  The  interval  be- 
tween ch.  v.  and  ch.  vii.  was  evidently 
filled  with  many  questionings  (vii.  3  f., 
1 1  f. ) ;  and  when  Jesus  appeared  atjerusa- 
lem  He  created  divisions  among  the  mul- 
titude (vii.  30  f.,  43).  Some  thought  that 
He  must  be  the  Christ  from  His  works 
(vii.  31),  and  from  His  teaching  (vii.  26, 
37  ff.,  46  ff).  They  even  questioned 
whether  possibly  their  leaders  had  reached 
the  same  conclusion  (vii.  26,  tyvwo-av). 
But  they  did  not  see  that  He  satisfied 
the  prophetic  tests  which  they  applied 
to  Messiah  (vii.  27,  42,  52). 

In  the  midst  of  this  uncertainty  the 
rulers  openly  declared  themselves  (vii. 


32,  48);  and  under  their  influence  the 
mass  of  the  people  fell  away  when  Christ 
set  aside  their  peculiar  claims  and  pur- 
poses (viii.  33,  58  f.).  He  still  however 
continued  to  lay  open  more  truths  as  to 
Himself,  and  revealed  Himself  to  the 
outcast  of  the  synagogue  as  "  the  Son  of 
man  "  (ix.  35,  note).  Divisions  spread 
further  (ix.  16,  x.  19);  and  at  last  the 
request  was  plainly  put :  If  thou  art  the 
Christ,  tell  ^ls  plainly  (x.  24).  Again, 
the  result  of  the  answer  was  a  more  bitter 
hostility  (x.  39),  and  wider  faith  (x.  42). 

The  end  came  with  the  raising  of 
Lazarus.  This  was  preceded  by  the 
confession  of  Martha  (xi.  27),  and  fol- 
lowed by  the  counsel  of  Caiaphas  (xi. 
47  ff.).  There  was  no  longer  any  reason 
why  Christ  should  shrink  from  receiving 
the  homage  of  His  followers.  He  ac- 
cepted openly  the  title  of  King  when 
He  entered  the  Holy  City  to  die  there 
(xii.  13  ff.) ;  and  the  public  ministry 
closed  with  the  questioning  of  the  people 
as  to  "  the  Son  of  man,"  who  seemed  to 
have  usurped  the  place  of  Him  who 
should  reign  for  ever  (xii.  34). 

Such  a  history  of  the  embodiment  of 
an  idea,  an  office,  carries  with  it  its  own 
verification.  The  conflict  and  complexity 
of  opinion,  the  growth  of  character,  the 
decisive  touches  of  personal  and  social 
traits,  which  it  reflects,  stamp  it  not  only 
as  a  transcript  from  life,  but  also  as  an 
interpretation  of  life  by  one  who  had 
felt  what  he  records.  The  whole  history 
moves  along  with  a  continuous  progress. 
Scene  follows  scene  without  repetition 
and  without  anticipation.  The  revelation 
of  doctrine  is  intimately  connected  with 
a  natural  sequence  of  events,  and  is  not 
given  in  an  abstract  form.  Thoughts 
are  revealed,  met,  defined  from  point  to 
point.  We  not  only  see  individualised 
characters,  but  we  see  the  characters 
change  under  intelligible  influences  as 
the  narrative  goes  forward.  And  this 
is  all  done  in  the  narrowest  limits  and  in 
a  writing  of  transparent  simplicity.  Art 
can  shew  no  parallel.  No  one,  it  may 
be  confidently  affirmed,  who  had  not 
lived  through  the  vicissitudes  of  feeling, 
which  are  indicated  often  in  the  lightest 
manner,  could  have  realised  by  imagina- 
tion transient  and  complicated  modes  of 
thought  which  had  no  existence  in  the 
second  century. 


THE   GOSPEL  OF  ST.  JOHN. 


Ixxi 


It  did  not  fall  within  the  scope  of  the 
Synoptists  to  trace  out  the  unfolding  of 
the  Messianic  idea  in  the  same  way ;  but 
the  teaching  upon  the  subject  which  they 
record  is  perfectly  harmonious  with  that 
of  St  John. 

The  Synoptists  and  St  John  agree  in 
describing  (a)  the  universal  expectation 
at  the  time  of  the  Advent  (Matt.  iii.  5, 
and  parallels  ;  John  i.  41,  19,  20,  iii.  26, 
iv.  25);  (/?)  the  signs  by  which  the 
Christ  should  be  heralded  (Matt.  xvi.  i ; 
John  vi.  30  f.);  the  preparation  by 
Elijah  (Matt.  xi.  14,  xvii.  10 ;  John  i. 
21),  and  (none  the  less)  the  suddenness 
of  His  appearance  (Matt.  xxiv.  26  f. ; 
John  vii.  27) ;  (y)  the  readiness  of  some 
to  welcome  Him  even  as  He  came  (Luke 
ii.  25  ff.,  Symeon;  36,  Anna;  John  i.  45, 
Philip ;  49,  Nathanael). 

They  agree  likewise  in  recording  that 
the  Lord  pointed  to  His  death  under 
figures  from  an  early  time  (Matt  ix.  15, 
and  parallels ;  John  iii.  14) ;  and  that 
open  hostility  to  Him  began  in  conse- 
quence of  His  claims  to  deal  authorita- 
tively with  the  traditional  law  of  the  Sab- 
bath (Matt.  xii.  13  ff. ;  John  v.  16);  and  of 
His  assumption  of  divine  attributes  (Mark 
ii.  6;  John  v.  18). 

There  is,  however,  one  difference  in 
this  far-reaching  agreement.  All  the 
Evangelists  alike  recognise  the  pro- 
phetic, royal,  and  redemptive  aspects  of 
Christ's  work;  but  St  John  passes  over 
the  special  reference  to  the  Daviclic 
type,  summed  up  in  each  of  the  two 
Synoptists  by  the  title  "  Son  of  David  " 
(yet  see  vii.  42;  Rev.  v.  5,  xxii.  16)'. 
The  explanation  is  obvious.  The  national 
aspect  of  Messiah's  work  passed  away 
when  "the  Jews"  rejected  Him.  It  had 
no  longer  in  itself  any  permanent  signi- 
ficance. The  Kingdom  of  Truth  (xviii. 
37)  was  the  eternal  antitype  of  Israel. 
The  Gospel  was  a  message  for  the  world. 
The  fall  of  Jerusalem  proclaimed  the 
fact ;  and  that  catastrophe  which  inter- 
preted the  earlier  experience  of  the  Apostle 
made  the  recurrence  of  like  experience 
impossible. 

Thus  the  fall  of  Jerusalem  determined 
the  work  of  St  John  with  regard  to  the 
conception  of  the  Lord's  office.  The 

1  The  title  occurs  twice  only  in  the  Epistles, 
but  in  important  passages:  Rom.  i.  3;  i  Tim. 
ii.  8. 


apprehension  of  the  absolute  office  of 
Messiah  corresponds  with  the  apprehen- 
sion of  Christianity  as  essentially  universal. 
These  truths  St  John  established  from 
Christ's  own  teaching ;  and  so  by  his 
record  the  title  of  "the  Son  of  God" 
gained  its  full  interpretation  (xx.  31;  i 
John  iv.  15,  v.  13,  20). 

St  John  shews  in  a  word  how  Christ 
and  the  Gospel  of  Christ  satisfied  the 
hopes  and  destinies  of  Israel,  though  both 
were  fatally  at  variance  with  the  domi- 
nant Judaism.  And  in  doing  this  he 
fulfilled  a  part  which  answered  to  his 
characteristic  position.  The  Judaism  in 
which  the  Lord  lived  and  the  early  Apo- 
stles worked,  and  the  Judaism  which 
was  consolidated  after  the  fall  of  Jeru- 
salem, represented  two  distinct  principles, 
though  the  latter  was,  in  some  sense,  the 
natural  issue  of  the  former.  The  one  was 
the  last  stage  in  the  providential  prepa- 
ration for  Christianity  :  the  other  was  the 
most  formidable  rival  to  Christianity. 

3.     The  Characters. 

The  gradual  self-revelation  of  Christ 
which  is  recorded  in  St  John's  Gospel 
carries  with  it  of  necessity  the  revelation 
of  the  characters  of  the  men  among 
whom  He  moved.  This  Gospel  is  there- 
fore far  richer  in  distinct  personal  types 
of  unbelief  and  faith  than  the  others. 

Attention  has  been  called  already 
(pp.  viii.  ff.)  to  the  characteristic  traits  by 
which  the  classes  of  people  who  appear 
in  the  history  are  distinguished — "  the 
multitude,"  "  the  Jews,"  "  the  Pharisees," 
"the  high-priests."  In  them  the  broad 
outlines  of  the  nature  of  unbelief  are 
drawn.  In  the  events  of  the  Passion 
three  chief  actors  offer  in  individual 
types  the  blindness,  and  the  weakness, 
and  the  selfishness,  which  are  the  springs 
of  hostility  to  Christ.  Blindness — the 
blindness  which  will  not  see — is  con- 
summated in  the  high-priest:  weakness 
in  the  irresolute  governor:  selfishness 
in  the  traitor  apostle.  The  Jew,  the 
heathen,  the  disciple  become  apostate, 
form  a  representative  group  of  enemies 
of  the  Lord. 

These  men  form  a  fertile  study.  All 
that  St  John  records  of  Caiaphas  is  con- 
tained in  a  single  sentence ;  and  yet  in 
that  one  short  speech  the  whole  soul  of 

/a 


Ixxii 


INTRODUCTION   TO 


the  man  is  laid  open.  The  Council  in 
timid  irresolution  expressed  their  fear 
lest  "  the  Romans  might  come  and  take 
away  both  their  place  and  nation  if  Christ 
were  let  alone."  They  had  petrified  their 
dispensation  into  a  place  and  a  nation, 
and  they  were  alarmed  when  their  idol 
was  endangered.  But  Caiaphas  saw  his 
occasion  in  their  terror.  For  him  Jesus 
was  a  victim  by  whom  they  could  appease 
the  suspicion  of  their  conquerors:  Ye 
know  nothing  at  all,  nor  consider  that  it  is 
expedient  for  you  that  one  man  should  die 
for  the  people,  and  that  the  whole  nation 
perish  not  (xi.  49  f.).  The  victim  was 
innocent,  but  the  life  of  one  could  not 
be  weighed  against  the  safety  of  a  society. 
Nay  rather  it  was,  as  his  words  imply,  a 
happy  chance  that  they  could  seem  to 
vindicate  their  loyalty  while  they  gratified 
their  hatred.  To  this  the  divine  hierarchy 
had  come  at  last.  Abraham  offered  his 
sou  to  God  in  obedience  to  the  Father 
whom  he  trusted :  Caiaphas  gave  the 
Christ  to  Caesar  in  obedience  to  the 
policy  which  had  substituted  the  seen 
for  the  unseen. 

Caiaphas  had  lost  the  power  of  seeing 
the  Truth  :  Pilate  had  lost  the  power  of 
holding  it.  There  is  a  sharp  contrast 
between  the  clear,  resolute  purpose  of 
the  priest,  and  the  doubtful,  wavering 
answers  of  the  governor.  The  judge 
shews  his  contempt  for  the  accusers,  but 
the  accusers  are  stronger  than  he.  It  is 
in  vain  that  he  tries  one  expedient  after 
another  to  satisfy  the  unjust  passion  of 
his  suitors.  He  examines  the  charge  of 
evil-doing  and  pronounces  it  groundless ; 
but  he  lacks  courage  to  pronounce  an 
unpopular  acquittal.  He  seeks  to  move 
compassion  by  exhibiting  Jesus  scourged 
and  mocked  and  yet  guiltless ;  and  the 
chief  priests  defeat  him  by  the  cry,  Cru- 
cify, Crucify  (xix.  6).  He  hears  His 
claim  to  be  a  "  King  not  of  this  world  " 
and  "  the  Son  of  God,"  and  is  "  the  more 
afraid ;"  but  his  hesitation  is  removed 
by  an  argument  of  which  he  feels  the 
present  power  :  If  thou  let  this  man  go, 
thou  art  not  Ccesar's  friend  (xix.  12). 
The  fear  of  disgrace  prevailed  over  the 
conviction  of  justice,  over  the  impression 
of  awe,  over  the  pride  of  the  Roman. 
The  Jews  completed  their  apostacy  when 
they  cried  :  We  have  no  king  but  Cczsar 
(xix.  15);  and  Pilate, unconvinced, baffled, 


overborne,  delivered  to  them  their  true 
King  to  be  crucified,  firm  only  in  this, 
that  he  would  not  change  the  title  which 
he  had  written  in  scorn,  and  yet  as  an 
unconscious  prophet. 

Caiaphas  misinterpreted  the  divine 
covenant  which  he  represented  :  Pilate 
was  faithless  to  the  spirit  of  the  authority 
with  which  he  was  lawfully  invested  : 
Judas  perverted  the  very  teaching  of 
Christ  Himself.  If  once  we  regard  Judas 
as  one  who  looked  to  Christ  for  selfish 
ends,  even  his  thoughts  become  intelli- 
gible. He  was  bound  to  his  Master  not 
for  what  He  was,  but  for  what  he  thought 
that  he  would  obtain  through  Him. 
Others,  like  the  sons  of  Zebedee,  spoke 
out  of  the  fulness  of  their  hearts,  and 
their  mistaken  ambition  was  purified ; 
but  Judas  would  not  expose  his  fancies 
to  reproof :  St  Peter  was  called  Satan — 
an  adversary — but  Judas  was  a  devil,  a 
perverter  of  that  which  is  holy  and  true. 
He  set  up  self  as  his  standard,  and  by 
an  easy  delusion  he  came  to  forget  that 
there  could  be  any  other.  Even  at  the 
last  he  seems  to  have  fancied  that  he 
could  force  the  manifestation  of  Christ's 
power  by  placing  Him  in  the  hands  of 
His  enemies  (vi.  70,  xviii.  6,  notes).  He 
obeys  the  command  to  "do  quickly  what 
he  did,"  as  if  he  were  ministering  to  his 
Master's  service.  He  stands  by  in  the 
garden  when  the  soldiers  went  back  and 
fell  to  the  ground,  waiting,  as  it  were, 
for  the  revelation  of  Messiah  in  His 
Majesty.  Then  came  the  end.  He  knew 
the  sovereignty  of  Christ,  and  he  saw 
Him  go  to  death.  St  John  says  nothing 
of  what  followed ;  but  there  can  be  no 
situation  more  overwhelmingly  tragic  than 
that  in  which  he  shews  the  traitor  for  the 
last  time  standing  (cumyKei)  with  those 
who  came  to  take  Jesus. 

The  types  of  faith  in  the  fourth  Gospel 
are  no  less  distinct  and  representative. 
It  is  indeed  to  St  John  that  we  owe 
almost  all  that  we  know  of  the  individual 
character  of  the  disciples.  St  Peter,  it 
is  true,  stands  out  with  the  same  bold 
features  in  all  the  Evangelists.  St  Matthew 
and  St  Mark  have  preserved  one  striking 
anecdote  of  the  sons  of  Zebedee.  St 
Luke  gives  some  traits  of  those  who 
were  near  the  Lord  in  His  Infancy,  of 
Zacchseus,  of  Martha  and  Mary.  But 
we  learn  only  from  St  John  to  trace 


THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  JOHN. 


Ixxiii 


the  workings  of  faith  in  Nathanael,  and 
Nicodemus,  and  Andrew,  and  Philip, 
and  Thomas,  and  "the  disciple  whom 
Jesus  loved ;"  in  the  woman  of  Samaria, 
and  in  Mary  Magdalene.  As  in  the  case 
of  Caiaphas,  Pilate  and  Judas,  a  few 
words  and  acts  lay  open  the  souls  of  all 
these  in  the  light  of  Christ's  presence. 

Of  St  John  it  is  not  necessary  to  speak 
again.  His  whole  nature,  his  mode  of 
thought,  his  style  of  speech,  pass  by  a 
continuous  reflection  into  the  nature,  the 
thought,  the  style,  of  the  Master  for 
whom  he  waited.  In  the  others  there  is 
a  personality  more  marked  because  more 
limited.  To  regard  them  only  from  one 
point  of  view,  in  Nicodemus  and  the 
woman  of  Samaria  we  can  trace  the 
beginnings  of  faith  struggling  through 
the  prejudice  of  learning  and  the  preju- 
dice of  ignorance.  In  St  Philip  and 
St  Thomas  we  can  see  the  growth  of 
faith  overcoming  the  hindrances  of  hesi- 
tation and  despondency.  In  St  Peter 
and  St  Mary  Magdalene  we  can  see  the 
activity  of  faith  chastened  and  elevated. 

The  contrast  between  Nicodemus  and 
the  woman  of  Samaria,  the  two  to  whom 
Christ,  according  to  the  narrative  of  St 
John,  first  unfolds  the  mysteries  of  His 
kingdom,  cannot  fail  to  be  noticed.  A 
rabbi  stands  side  by  side  with  a  woman 
who  was  not  even  qualified  in  popular 
opinion  to  be  a  scholar :  a  Jew  with  a 
Samaritan :  a  dignified  member  of  the 
Council  with  a  fickle,  impulsive,  villager. 
The  circumstances  of  the  discourses  are 
not  less  different.  The  one  is  held  in 
Jerusalem,  the  other  almost  under  the 
shadow  of  the  schismatical  temple  in 
Gerizim  :  the  one  in  the  house  by  night, 
the  other  in  the  daylight  by  the  well- 
side.  Christ  is  sought  in  the  one  case ; 
in  the  other  He  asks  first  that  so  He 
may  give  afterwards.  The  discourses 
themselves  open  out  distinct  views  of 
the  kingdom.  To  Nicodemus  Christ 
speaks  of  a  new  birth,  of  spiritual  in- 
fluence witnessed  by  spiritual  life,  of  the 
elevation  of  the  Son  of  man  in  whom 
earth  and  heaven  were  united  :  to  the 
Samaritan  He  speaks  of  the  water  of  life 
which  should  satisfy  a  thirst  assumed  to 
be  real,  of  a  worship  in  spirit  and  truth, 
of  Himself  as  the  Christ  who  should 
teach  all  things. 

But  with  all  this  difference  there  was 


one  thing  common  to  the  Jewish  ruler 
and  to  the  Samaritan  woman.  In  both 
there  was  the  true  germ  of  faith.  It  was 
quickened  in  theonebythe  miracles  which 
Jesus  did  (iii.  2);  in  the  other  by  His 
presence.  But  both  were  drawn  to  Him 
and  rested  in  Him.  Both  expressed  their 
difficulties,  half  seizing,  half  missing  His 
figurative  language.  Both  found  that 
which  they  needed  to  bring  them  into  a 
living  union  with  God.  The  pretensions 
of  superior  knowledge  and  discernment 
were  cast  down.  The  suspicions  of  rude 
jealousy  were  dispelled.  The  revelation 
of  a  suffering  Redeemer  scattered  the 
proud  fancies  of  the  master  of  Israel :  the 
revelation  of  a  heavenly  Father  raised  the 
conscience-stricken  woman  to  new  hope. 
Even  after  the  Crucifixion  Nicodemus, 
"who  came  by  night  at  first,"  openly 
testified  his  love  for  Christ;  and  the 
Samaritan  at  once,  forgetful  of  all  else, 
hastened  to  bring  her  countrymen  to 
Him  whom  she  had  found. 

Here  we  see  the  beginning  of  faith  : 
in  St  Philip  and  in  St  Thomas  we  see 
something  of  the  growth  of  faith.  It  is 
an  old  tradition  (Clem.  Alex.  'Strom.' 
in.  4,  §  25)  that  St  Philip  was  the 
disciple  who  asked  the  Lord  that  he 
might  first  go  and  bury  his  father,  and 
received  the  stern  reply,  "Follow  thou 
me,  and  let  the  dead  bury  their  dead." 
Whether  this  be  true  or  not,  it  falls  in 
with  what  St  John  tells  us  of  him.  He 
appears  to  hang  back,  to  calculate,  to 
rest  on  others.  "  Jesus,"  we  read,  "  find- 
eth  Philip  "  (i.  43).  He  had  not  himself 
come  to  Jesus,  though  the  words  imply 
that  he  was  ready  to  welcome,  or  even 
waiting  for,  the  call  which  was  first  spoken 
to  him.  So  again,  when  the  Lord  saw 
the  multitude  in  the  wilderness,  it  was  to 
Philip  He  addressed  the  question,  to 
"prove  him,"  "Whence  shall  we  buy 
bread,  that  these  may  eat  ? "  (vi.  5  ff.). 
And  even  then  he  could  only  estimate 
the  extent  of  the  want.  He  had  no  sug- 
gestion as  to  how  it  must  be  met.  But 
if  his  was  a  slow  and  cautious  and  hesi- 
tating faith,  it  was  diffusive.  He  had  no 
sooner  been  strengthened  by  the  words 
of  Christ  than  he  in  turn  found  Nathanael. 
"We  have  found,"  he  saith,  "Him  of 
whom  Moses  in  the  Law  and  the  pro- 
phets wrote"  (i.  45).  He  appealed,  as 
we  must  believe,  to  the  witness  of  their 


Ixxiv 


INTRODUCTION   TO 


common  search  in  the  Scriptures  in 
times  gone  by,  and  his  only  answer  to 
his  friend's  doubt — the  truest  answer  to 
doubt  at  all  times — was  simply  "  Come 
and  see."  Yet  his  own  eyes  were  holden 
too  in  part.  Even  at  the  last  he  could 
say,  "  Lord,  shew  us  the  Father,  and  it 
sufficeth  us  "  (xiv.  8).  But  he  said  this 
in  such  a  spirit  that  he  received  the 
answer  which  for  him  and  for  us  gives 
faith  an  object  on  which  it  can  rest  for 
ever:  "Jesus  saith  unto  him,  Have  I 
been  so  long  time  with  you,  and  yet  hast 
thou  not  known  me,  Philip?  he  that 
hath  seen  me  hath  seen  the  Father" 
(xiv.  9  f.). 

Philip  believed  without  confidence. 
Thomas  believed  without  hope.  The 
whole  character  of  Thomas  is  written  in 
the  first  sentence  which  we  hear  him 
speak :  "  Let  us  also  go,  that  we  may 
die  with  him"  (xi.  16).  He  could  love 
Christ  even  to  the  last,  though  he  saw 
nothing  but  suffering  in  following  Him. 
He  knew  not  whither  He  went;  how 
could  he  know  the  way?  (xiv.  5).  But 
even  so,  he  could  keep  close  to  Him : 
one  step  was  enough,  though  that  was 
towards  the  dark.  No  voice  of  others 
could  move  him  to  believe  that  which 
of  all  he  wished  most.  The  ten  might 
tell  him  that  the  Lord  was  risen,  but  he 
could  not  lightly  accept  a  joy  beyond  all 
that  for  which  he  had  looked.  "  Except 
I  shall  see  in  His  hands  the  print  of  the 
nails,  and  put  my  finger  into  the  print  of 
the  nails,  and  thrust  my  hand  into  His 
side,  I  will  not  believe"  (xx.  24  ff.). 
But  when  the  very  test  which  he  had 
laid  down  was  offered,  the  thought  of 
proof  was  lost  in  the  presence  of  Christ. 
He  saw  at  once  what  had  not  yet  been 
seen.  The  most  complete  devotion  found 
the  most  fervent  expression  in  those  last 
words  of  faith,  "My  Lord,  and  my  God  " 
(xx.  27  f.). 

In  this  way  disciples  were  led  on  little 
by  little  to  know  the  Master  in  whom 
they  trusted.  Often  they  failed  through 
want  of  enthusiasm  or  want  of  insight. 
Some  there  were  also  who  failed  by 
excess  of  zeal.  Mary  Magdalene,  when 
the  blindness  of  sorrow  was  removed, 
would  have  clung  to  the  Lord  whom  she 
had  again  found,  lest  again  He  should 
be  taken  from  her.  She  would  have 
kept  Him  as  she  had  known  Him.  She 


would  have  set  aside  the  lesson  that  it 
was  good  that  He  should  go  away.  Then 
came  those  words  which  at  once  satisfied 
and  exalted  her  affection,  "  Go  unto  my 
brethren,  and  say  to  them,  I  ascend  unto 
my  Father  and  your  Father,  and  my 
God  and  your  God"  (xx.  15  ff.).  She, 
the  tender,  loving  woman,  is  made  the 
messenger  of  this  new  Gospel:  she  is 
first  charged  to  declare  the  truth  in  which 
her  own  passionate  desire  was  trans- 
figured :  she  who  would  have  chained 
down  heaven  to  earth  is  commissioned 
to  proclaim  that  earth  is  raised  to  heaven. 

Something  of  the  same  kind  may  be 
noticed  in  the  history  of  St  Peter.  Un- 
like Philip  he  is  confident,  because  he 
knows  the  strength  of  his  love :  unlike 
Thomas  he  is  hopeful,  because  he  knows 
whom  he  loves.  But  his  confidence  sug- 
gests the  mode  of  his  action :  his  hope 
fashions  the  form  of  its  fulfilment.  Peter 
saith  unto  Jesus,  "  Thou  shall  never 
wash  my  feet,"  and  then  with  a  swift 
reaction,  "  Lord,  not  my  feet  only,  but 
also  my  hands  and  my  head  "  (xiii.  6  ff.). 
If  he  hears  of  a  necessary  separation,  he 
asks,  "  Lord,  why  cannot  I  follow  thee 
now?  I  will  lay  down  my  life  for  thy 
sake"  (xiii.  36  ff.).  He  draws  his  sword 
in  the  garden  (xviii.  10  f.). :  he  presses 
into  the  courtyard  of  the  high-priest 
(xviii.  1 6  ff.).  He  dares  all  and  doubts 
nothing.  But  when  the  trial  came  he 
was  vanquished  by  a  woman.  He  had 
chosen  his  own  part,  and  the  bitterness 
of  utter  defeat  placed  him  for  ever  at 
the  feet  of  the  Saviour  whom  he  had 
denied.  He  knew,  though  it  was  with 
grief,  the  meaning  of  the  last  triple 
charge  :  he  knew,  though  it  was  through 
falls,  the  meaning  of  the  answer  to  his 
last  question  :  If  I  will  that  he  tarry  till 
I  come,  what  is  that  to  thee  ?  Follow  thou 
me  (xxi.  22). 

There  is  one  other  character  common 
to  all  four  Evangelists  which  cannot  be 
altogether  passed  by.  St  John's  notices 
of  the  Baptist  have  little  externally  in 
common  with  the  Synoptic  narratives, 
but  they  reveal  a  character  which  answers 
to  the  stern  figure  of  the  preacher  of 
repentance.  His  last  testimony  to  Christ 
(iii.  27 — 30)  completely  corresponds  with 
the  position  of  one  who  is  looking  for- 
ward to  a  future  dimly  seen.  The  herald 
must  fulfil  his  herald's  work  to  the  end. 


THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  JOHN. 


Ixxv 


His  glory  is  to  accept  the  necessity  of 
decline  (iii.  30). 

It  is  needless  to  add  any  comments 
to  this  rapid  enumeration  of  the  charac- 
ters who  people  the  brief  narrative  of 
St  John.  The  vividness,  the  vigour, 
the  life,  of  their  portraitures  cannot  be 
mistaken  or  gainsaid.  The  different 
persons  shew  themselves.  They  come 
forward  and  then  pass  out  of  sight  as 
living  men,  and  not  like  characters  in  a 
legendary  history.  They  have  an  office 
not  only  separately  but  in  combination. 
They  witness,  in  other  words,  not  only  to 
the  exactness  but  also  to  the  spiritual 
completeness  of  the  record. 

This  fulness  of  characteristic  life  in 
the  fourth  Gospel  is  practically  decisive 
as  to  its  apostolic  authorship.  Those 
who  are  familiar  with  the  Christian  litera- 
ture of  the  second  century  will  know 
how  inconceivable  it  is  that  any  Christian 
teacher  could  have  imagined  or  pre- 
sented as  the  author  of  the  fourth  Gospel 
has  done  the  generation  in  which  the 
Lord  moved.  The  hopes,  the  passions, 
the  rivalries,  the  opinions,  by  which  His 
contemporaries  were  swayed  had  passed 
away,  or  become  embodied  in  new 
shapes.  A  great  dramatist  could  scarcely 
have  called  them  back  in  such  narrow 
limits  as  the  record  allows.  Direct  know- 
ledge illuminated  by  experience  and 
insight,  which  are  the  human  conditions 
of  the  historian's  inspiration,  offers  the 
only  adequate  explanation  of  the  dra- 
matic power  of  the  Gospel. 

4.     Symbolism. 

It  will  be  evident  from  the  illustrations 
which  have  been  already  given  that  there 
is  a  subtle  and  yet  unmistakable  har- 
mony within  the  different  parts  of  St 
John's  Gospel ;  that  each  narrative  which 
it  contains  is  to  be  considered  not  only 
in  itself,  but  also  in  relation  to  the  others 
with  which  it  is  connected :  that  fact  is 
interpreted  by  thought  and  thought  by 
fact :  that  the  historical  unity  of  the 
book  is  completed  by  a  moral  and  spirit- 
ual unity.  Under  one  aspect  the  lessons 
of  the  Old  Testament  are  illuminated  by 
Christ's  presence.  Under  another  aspect 
the  characters  which  move  about  the 
Lord  offer  typical  representations  of  faith 
and  unbelief  in  their  trials  and  issues. 


And  in  all  this  there  is  not  the  least 
violence  done  to  the  outward  history, 
but  there  is  simply  a  practical  recogni- 
tion of  the  necessary  fulness  which  there 
was  in  the  Life,  in  the  Words,  and  in  the 
Works  of  the  Son  of  man. 

St  John  himself  is  careful  to  explain 
that  all  which  he  saw  when  he  wrote  his 
Gospel  was  not  clear  to  the  disciples  at 
once.  The  words  of  the  Lord  to  St  Peter 
had  a  wider  application  than  to  any  one 
detail :  What  I  do  thou  knowest  not  now, 
but  thou  shalt  come  to  know  (yvwo-y)  here- 
after (xiii.  7).  The  Resurrection  was  the 
first  great  help  to  this  advance  in  know- 
ledge (ii.  22,  xii.  1 6);  and  the  meaning 
of  the  Resurrection  itself  was  extended 
when  Christ  raised  a  new  Temple  in 
place  of  the  old  after  the  fall  of  Jerusa- 
lem, and  His  Church  was  finally  estab- 
lished (ii.  19,  note). 

There  can  then  be  no  cause  for  sur- 
prise if  St  John,  looking  back  over  the 
whole  range  of  his  experience,  selects  just 
those  parts  of  Christ's  ministry  for  his 
record  which  fit  together  with  the  most 
complete  mutual  correspondences.  Such 
a  selection  would  not  be  so  much  the 
result  of  a  conscious  design  as  of  a 
spiritual  intuition.  His  Gospel  was  in 
the  truest  sense  of  the  word  a  "pro- 
phecy," a  revelation  of  the  eternal  under 
the  forms  of  time. 

In  this  respect  the  miracles  of  the 
Lord  which  he  has  related  form  an 
instructive  illustration  of  his  method. 
Taken  together  they  are  a  revelation  of 
Christ,  of  "His  glory."  A  very  brief 
examination  of  them  will  be  sufficient  to 
establish  by  this  one  example  that  prin- 
ciple of  a  spiritual  meaning  in  the  plan 
and  details  of  the  Gospel  which  I  have 
called  the  symbolism  of  St  John. 

The  two  characteristic  names  which 
miracles  bear  in  St  John's  Gospel  mark 
distinctly  the  place  which  he  assigns  to 
them  in  relation  to  the  general  course  of 
the  divine  government.  They  are  signs 
(ii.  ii,  note)  and  they  are  works  (v.  20, 
note).  They  are  "  signs  "  so  far  as  they 
lead  men  to  look  beneath  the  surface  for 
some  deeper  revelations  of  the  method 
and  will  of  God,  to  watch  for  the  action- 
of  that  spiritual  ministry — "the  angels 
ascending  and  descending  upon  the  Son 
of  man  " — which  belongs  to  the  new  dis- 
pensation. They  are  "  works  "  so  far  as 


Ixxvi 


they  take  their  place  among  the  ordinary 
phenomena  of  life  (v.  17),  differing  from 
them  not  because  they  involve  any  more 
real  manifestation  of  divine  energy  but 
simply  because  they  are  suited  to  arrest 
attention.  They  are  "signs"  in  short, 
for  they  make  men  feel  the  mysteries 
which  underlie  the  visible  order.  They 
are  "works,"  for  they  make  them  feel 
that  this  spiritual  value  is  the  attribute 
of  all  life. 

St  John  has  recorded  in  detail  seven 
miracles  of  Christ's  ministry  and  one  of 
the  risen  Christ.  Their  general  con- 
nexion with  the  structure  of  his  Gospel 
(see  p.  xlii.)  will  appear  from  the  follow- 
ing table : 

1 .  The  water  turned  to  wine,  ii.  i — 1 1 . 
The  nobleman's  son  healed,  iv.  46 — 

54- 

2 .  The  paralytic  at  Bethesda,  v.  i — 15. 
The  feeding  of  the  five  thousand, 

vi.  1—15. 

The  walking  on  the  sea,  vi.  16 — 21. 
The  restoration  of  the    man    born 

blind,  ix.  i — 12. 
The  raising  of  Lazarus,  xi.  17 — 44. 

3.  The  miraculous  draught  of  fishes, 

xxi.  i — 12. 

Of  these  the  first  two  give  the  funda- 
mental character  of  the  Gospel,  its  nature 
and  its  condition :  the  next  five  are  signs 
of  the  manifold  working  of  Christ,  as  the 
restoration,  the  support,  the  guidance, 
the  light  and  the  life  of  men  :  the  last  is 
the  figure  of  all  Christian  labour  to  the 
end  of  time. 

The  first  two  miracles,  which  the 
Evangelist  significantly  connects  together 
as  wrought  at  Cana,  seem  at  first  sight 
to  have  nothing  in  common.  They  are 
given  without  any  comment  except  the 
record  of  their  effects  (ii.  n,  iv.  53). 
But  these  two  brief  notes  give  the  clue 
to  the  interpretation  of  the  signs.  They 
shew  from  the  beginning  that  Christian- 
ity is  the  ennobling  of  all  life,  and  that  its 
blessings  are  appropriated  only  by  faith. 

The  change  of  the  water  into  wine  has 
always  been  rightly  felt  to  be  a  true 
symbol  of  Christ's  whole  work.  The 
point  of  the  second  miracle  at  Cana  lies 
in  the  discipline  of  faith.  The  request 
to  Christ  (iv.  47)  was  itself  a  confession 
of  faith,  yet  that  faith  was  not  accepted 


as  it  was.  It  was  necessary  at  once  to 
raise  faith  to  the  unseen.  Whatever 
outward  signs  may  be  granted  they  do 
but  point  to  something  beyond.  At  the 
commencement  of  His  ministry  Christ 
declared  in  act  what  He  repeated  after- 
wards at  its  close  :  Blessed  are  they  that 
see  not,  and  yet  believe. 

The  four  chief  miracles  which  are  con- 
nected with  Christ's  conflict  form  the 
basis  on  each  occasion  of  discourses  in 
which  their  lessons  are  enforced.  Here 
there  can  be  no  doubt  of  the  symbolism : 
it  is  declared  unmistakably  that  the  works 
are  "  signs,"  charged  with  a  divine  pur- 
pose. In  the  case  of  the  paralytic  suffer- 
ing is  definitely  connected  with  sin  (v. 
14).  Christ  removes  the  malady  spon- 
taneously and  on  a  Sabbath.  Such  action 
is  revealed  to  be  after  the  pattern  of 
God's  action :  My  Father  worketh  even 
until  now,  and  I  work  (v.  17).  God  seeks 
without  ceasing  to  repair  by  tenderness 
and  chastisement  the  ravages  which  sin 
has  made  in  His  creation,  and  to  lead  it 
onward  to  its  consummation. 

In  the  feeding  of  the  five  thousand  the 
teaching  is  carried  a  step  further.  Man 
needs  not  restoration  only  but  support. 
He  has  wants  as  well  as  defects :  he  has 
to  struggle  against  material  difficulties. 
Christ  reveals  Himself  as  sufficient  to 
supply  every  craving  of  man,  and  as 
sovereign  over  the  forces  of  nature :  / 
am  the  bread  of  life.  He  that  cometh  to 
me  shall  never  hunger ;  and  he  that  be- 
lieveth  on  me  shall  never  thirst...  (vi.  35). 
What  then  if  ye  should  behold  the  Son  of 
man  ascending  where  He  was  before  ?  It 
is  the  spirit  that  quickeneth  (vi.  62  f.).  So 
the  works  are  invested  with  a  permanent 
prophetic  power. 

Man  needs  support  and  he  needs  en- 
lightenment also;  for  we  must  go  forward, 
and  in  one  sense  we  are  "  blind  from 
our  birth."  This  is  the  next  lesson  of 
the  miracles  which  St  John  records. 
Before  the  blind  regained  his  sight  at 
Siloam  Christ  said  :  When  (OTO.V)  I  am 
in  the  world,  I  am  the  light  of  the  world 
(ix.  5).  Sight  was  given  to  the  obedient 
disciple.  The  Pharisees  refused  to  read 
the  sign  which  conflicted  with  their  pre- 
judices. And  He  then  added  :  For  judg- 
ment I  came  into  this  world,  that  they 
which  see  not  may  see;  and  that  they  which 
see  may  be  made  blind  (ix.  39). 


THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  JOHN. 


Ixxvii 


But  even  if  failings  be  remedied,  if 
wants  be  satisfied,  if  light  be  given,  there 
yet  remains  one  more  terrible  enemy : 
death,  physical  death,  comes  at  last. 
Here  also  Christ  gave  a  sign  of  His 
power.  In  the  very  agony  of  apparent 
loss  He  said  :  He  that  believeth  in  me, 
even  though  he  die,  shall  live ;  and  whoso- 
ever liveth  and  believeth  in  me  shall  never 
die  (xi.  25  f.).  And  so  far  as  any  single 
fact  offered  to  the  senses  can  confirm  the 
truth,  the  raising  of  Lazarus  shewed  that 
there  is  a  Life  sovereign  over  physical 
life,  a  Life  victorious  over  death. 

The  sequence  of  these  "  signs,"  these 
living  parables  of  Christ's  action,  these 
embodiments  of  truth  in  deed,  can 
hardly  be  mistaken.  Nor  is  the  meaning 
of  the  one  miracle  of  the  risen  Lord  less 
obvious.  The  narrative  is  the  figure  of 
the  history  of  the  Church.  The  long  night 
passes  in  what  seems  to  be  vain  effort. 
Christ  stands  in  the  dawn  upon  the  shore, 
and  at  first  His  disciples  know  Him  not. 
Even  so  in  due  time  He  is  revealed  in 
blessing ;  and  men  are  charged  afresh  to 
use  the  new  gifts  which  He  has  enabled 
them  to  gather. 

It  would  be  easy  to  follow  out  these 
correspondences  and  connexions  of  the 
different  parts  of  St  John's  Gospel  in 
other  directions  and  in  fuller  detail ;  but 
enough  has  been  said  to  direct  attention 
to  the  subject.  If  the  principle  be  ac- 
knowledged the  application  will  follow. 

IV.   RELATION  OF  THE  GOSPEL  TO  THE 
OTHER  APOSTOLIC  WRITINGS. 

i.     The  Relation  of  the  Fourth    Gospel 
to  the  Synoptists. 

It  is  impossible  for  any  one  to  turn 
directly  from  the  first  three  Gospels  to 
the  Fourth  without  feeling  that  he  has 
been  brought  in  the  later  record  to  a 
new  aspect  of  the  Person  and  Work  of 
Christ,  to  a  new  phase  of  Christian 
thought,  to  a  new  era  in  the  history  of 
the  Christian  Church.  In  this  there  is 
a  halo  of  divine  glory  always  about  the 
•  Saviour  even  in  scenes  of  outward 
humiliation:  the  truths  of  the  Gospel 
are  presented  in  their  relations  to  the 
broadest  speculations  of  men :  the  society 
of  believers,  of  "the  brethren"  (xx.  17, 
xxi.  23),  stands  out  with  a  clear 


supremacy  above  the  world.  As  we 
compare  the  pictures  more  carefully, 
and  in  this  view  they  are  two  and  not 
four,  we  find  that  the  general  difference 
between  the  Gospels  which  is  thus  obvious 
reaches  throughout  their  whole  com- 
position. The  Synoptists  and  St  John 
differ  in  the  general  impression  which 
they  convey  as  to  the  duration,  the 
scene,  the  form,  the  substance  of  the 
Lord's  teaching.  They  differ  also  in 
regard  to  the  circumstances  under  which 
they  were  composed.  The  latter  differ- 
ence furnishes  the  final  explanation  of 
the  former.  And  here  it  may  be  well  to 
make  one  remark  on  the  total  effect 
which  these  differences  produce  upon 
the  student  of  the  New  Testament.  At 
first  they  are  not  realised  in  their  true 
weight  and  value.  The  conception  of 
the  Lord  which  is  brought  to  the  study 
of  any  Gospel  includes  elements  which 
are  derived  from  all.  Contrasts  are 
already  reconciled.  So  it  was  with  the 
early  Church.  No  teacher  found  the 
Fourth  Gospel  at  variance  with  the  other 
three,  though  they  recognised  its  com- 
plementary character.  Then  follows  in 
many  cases  an  exaggerated  estimate  of 
the  importance  of  the  differences  which 
are  apprehended  upon  a  careful  com- 
parison of  the  books.  Fresh  results 
impress  us  more  in  proportion  as  they 
are  unexpected,  and  at  variance  with 
our  preconceived  opinions.  Still  later 
perhaps  that  comprehensive  conception 
of  the  subject  of  the  Gospel  is  re- 
gained by  labour  and  thought,  from 
which,  as  a  tradition,  the  study  began; 
and  it  is  felt  that  a  true  and  intelligible 
unity  underlies  external  differences,  which 
are  now  viewed  in  their  proper  position 
with  regard  to  the  records  and  to  the 
subject. 

Before  considering  the  differences  or 
the  correspondences  of  the  Synoptists 
and  St  John,  it  is  necessary  to  apprehend 
distinctly  the  fragmentary  character  of 
the  documents  which  we  have  to  com- 
pare. The  narrative  of  St  John,  and 
the  narratives  of  the  Synoptists,  are  alike 
partial,  and  alike  recognise  a  large  area 
of  facts  with  which  they  do  not  deal. 

i.  Limited  range  of  St  Johris  Gospel. 
The  Gospel  of  St  John  forms,  as  we  have 
seen,  a  complete  whole  in  relation  to 
"its  purpose;"  but  as  an  external  history 


Ixxviii 


INTRODUCTION   TO 


it  is  obviously  most  incomplete.  It  is 
a  Gospel  and  not  a  Biography,  an  ac- 
count of  facts  and  words  which  have  a 
permanent  and  decisive  bearing  upon 
the  salvation  of  the  world,  and  not  a 
representation  of  a  life  simply  from  a 
human  point  of  sight.  The  othei  Gos- 
pels, as  based  upon  the  popular  teaching 
of  the  Apostles,  include  more  details  of 
directly  human  interest,  but  these  also 
are  Gospels  and  not  Biographies.  All 
the  Gospels  are  alike  in  this :  they  con- 
tain in  different  shapes  what  was  neces- 
sary to  convey  the  message  of  redemp- 
tion to  the  first  age  and  to  all  ages  in 
the  unchangeable  record  of  facts.  Their 
completeness  is  moral  and  spiritual  and 
not  historical.  The  striking  Jewish 
legend  as  to  the  Manna  was  fulfilled  in 
Christ.  He  was  to  each  true  believer, 
from  the  absolute  completeness  of  His 
Person,  that  which  each  desired ;  and 
the  Evangelists  have  preserved  for  the 
society  typical  records  of  apostolic  expe- 
rience. 

The  fragmentariness  of  St  John's 
record  is  shewn  conclusively  by  his 
notice  of  periods  of  teaching  of  unde- 
fined length  of  which  he  relates  no 
more  than  their  occurrence : 

iii.  22.  Jesus  and  his  disciples  came 
into  the  land  of  Judcea ;  and  there  he 
tarried  (Su'rpi/3ei/)  with  them  and  baptized 
. . .  (iv.  i — 3)  making  and  baptizing  more 
disciples  than  John.  Comp.  iv.  54. 

vii.  i.  After  these  things  Jesus  walked 
(TreptcTraTct)  in  Galilee;  for  he  would 
not  walk  in  Judcea,  because  the  Jews 
sought  to  kill  him. 

x.  40 — 42.  And  he  went  away  again 
beyond  Jordan,  into  the  place  inhere  John 
was  at  first  baptizing ;  and  there  he 
abode  (the  reading  is  uncertain,  e/mvev  or 
Ifwev) . . .  and  many  believed  on  him  there. 

xi.  54.  Jesus  therefore  walked  no  more 
openly  among  the  Jews,  but  departed 
thence  into  the  country  near  to  the  wilder- 
ness, into  a  city  called  Ephraim  ;  and  there 
he  abode  (l/xetvev)  with  the  disciples. 

The  last  passage  seems  to  describe 
a  period  of  retirement,  but  the  others 
imply  action  and  continuous  labour  in 
Judaea,  Galilee  and  Peraea,  of  which  St 
John  has  preserved  no  details.  He  pass- 
ed these  over  (such  is  the  obvious  expla- 
nation) because  they  did  not  contribute 


materials  necessary  for  the  fulfilment  of 
his  special  purpose.  And  so  again  the 
two  days  teaching  in  Samaria,  at  which 
he  was  present,  is  represented  only  by 
the  confession  which  it  called  out  (iv.  42). 
The  same  conclusion  follows  from  the 
frequent  general  notices  of  "  signs  "  and 
"works"  which  find  no  special  recital: 

ii.  23.  Many  believed  on  his  name 
beholding  his  signs  which  he  did  (liroiu). 
Comp.  iv.  45,  The  Galilceans  received 
him,  having  seen  all  the  things  that  he  did 
(ocra  e7ro«7<rei')  in  Jerusalem  at  the  feast; 
and  iii.  2,  No  man  can  do  these  signs 
that  thou  doest,  except  God  be  with  him. 

vi.  2.  And  a  great  multitude  followed 
him,  because  they  beheld  the  signs  which 
he  did  (en-out)  on  them  that  were  sick. 

vii.  3.  His  brethren  therefore  said  unto 
him,  Depart  hence  and  go  into  Judaea, 
that  thy  disciples  also  may  behold  thy 
works  which  thou  doest. 

vii.  31.  But  of  the  miiltilude  many 
believed  on  him ;  and  they  said,  When 
the  Christ  shall  come,  will  he  do  more 
signs  than  those  which  this  man  hath 
done  (eVotifcrei/)  f 

x.  32.  Jesus  answered  them,  Many 
good  works  have  I  shewed  you  from  the 
Father;  for  which  of  those  works  do  ye 
stone  me  ? 

xi.  47.  The  chief  priests . .  .  said,  What 
do  we  ?  for  this  man  doeth  many  signs. 

xii.  37.  Though  he  had  done  so  many 
signs  before  them,  yet  they  believed  not 
on  him. 

xx.  30.  Many  other  signs  therefore 
did  Jesus  in  the  presence  of  the  disciples 
which  are  not  written  in  this  book  .  . . 

xxi.  25.  And  there  are  also  many  other 
things  which  Jesus  did,  the  which,  if 
they  should  be  written  every  one,  I  suppose 
that  even  the  world  itself  would  not  con- 
tain the  books  that  should  be  written. 

A  consideration  of  what  the  Lord's 
Life  was,  as  it  has  been  made  known  to 
us,  shews  that  this  last  summary  state- 
ment is  only  a  natural  expression  of  the 
sense  of  that  which  we  must  feel  to  be 
its  infinite  fulness.  And  the  other  pas- 
sages open  glimpses  of  a  variety  and  . 
energy  of  action  of  which  St  John's 
narrative  itself  gives  no  completer  view. 
Of  "  all  that  the  Lord  did  "  at  Jerusalem, 
which  moved  the  faith  alike  of  "the 
teacher  of  Israel,"  and  of  "the  Galilaeans," 


THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  JOHN. 


Ixxix 


he  has  noticed  only  the  cleansing  of  the 
temple.  Of  the  healings  of  the  sick  in 
Galilee,  he  has  recorded  only  one.  He 
tells  us  nothingof  "the  disciples  in  Judaea" 
(vii.  3),  who  might  desire  to  see  works 
such  as  Christ  wrought  in  other  places. 
Of  the  "many  good  works"  shewn  at 
Jerusalem  (x.  32),  two  only  are  given  at 
length.  A  fair  appreciation  of  these 
facts  will  leave  no  doubt  that  St  John 
omitted  far  more  events  than  he  related 
out  of  those  which  he  knew.  The  Gospel 
of  the  Church,  which  it  was  his  office 
to  write,  might  be  expected  to  take 
shape  in  special  festival  discourses  at 
the  centre  of  the  Old  Faith.  He  deals 
with  aspects  of  Christ's  Life  and  teach- 
ing which  were  not  clear  at  first,  but 
became  clear  afterwards.  And  in  doing 
this  he  leaves  ample  room  for  other 
accounts  widely  differing  in  character 
from  his  own. 

One  other  point  deserves  notice  in  this 
connexion.  The  abrupt  breaks  in  St 
John's  narrative  shew  that  he  was  guided 
by  something  different  from  a  purely 
historic  aim  in  his  work.  The  simple 
phrase  after  these  things  (iii.  22,  v.  i, 
vi.  i)  is  used  to  mark  a  decided  interval 
in  time  and  place  ;  and  if  the  interpreta- 
tion of  x.  22  which  has  been  adopted 
be  correct,  the  transition  in  ix.  i  is  not 
less  sharp1. 

2.  Limited  range  of  the  Synoptists. 
The  Synoptic  Gospels,  no  less  than  St 
John,  imply  much  more  than  they 
record.  The  commencement  of  the 
Galilasan  ministry  in  their  narratives 
not  only  leaves  room  for,  but  points 
to,  earlier  work. 

Matt.  iv.  12.  Now  when  he  heard 
that  John  was  delivered  up,  he  withdrew 
rja-fv)  into  Galilee. 

Mark  i.  14.  Now  after  that  John 
was  delivered  up,  Jesus  came  into  Galilee 
preaching  the  Gospel  of  God. 

The  words  have  no  force  unless  it  be 
supposed  that  the  Evangelists  referred  to 
an  earlier  ministry  in  Judasa  which  is 
deliberately  passed  over  (comp.  John 
ii.,  iii.).  Nor  is  there  anything  in  Luke 
iv.  14  f.  opposed  to  this  view.  The 
summary  which  is  there  given  may  in- 

1  It  may  be  added  that  St  John  nowhere 
notices  scribes  (viii.  3  is  an  interpolation),  tax- 
gatherers  ("publicans"),  lepers,  or  demoniacs. 


elude  any  period  of  time,  and  specifies 
a  wide  area  of  place  (comp.  v.  23). 

Again,  the  Sermon  on  the  Mount  in- 
volves some  previous  teaching  in  Judaea 
in  which  the  character  of  the  Scribes 
and  Pharisees  had  been  revealed.  It  is 
most  unlikely  that  their  "  righteousness  " 
would  have  been  denounced  (Matt  v.  20) 
unless  the  Lord  had  met  them  in  the 
seat  of  their  power  and  proved  them. 

Still  more  instructive  is  the  great  epi- 
sode in  St  Luke  (Luke  ix.  51 — xviii. 
14,  see  note),  which  shews  how  much 
material  there  was  at  hand  of  which  no 
use  was  made  in  the  oral  Gospel  of  the 
Apostles.  At  the  same  time  it  is  of 
interest  to  observe  that  this  peculiar 
section  has  in  one  incident  (x.  38  ff.)  a 
point  of  connexion  with  St  John,  and 
the  notices  of  the  Samaritans  which  it 
contains  (x.  33,  xvii.  16,  [ix.  52])  offer 
in  some  respects  a  parallel  to  the  fourth 
chapter  of  his  Gospel. 

3.  The  differences  of  the  Synoptists  and 
St  John.  Taking  account  of  these  cha- 
racteristics of  the  Gospels  we  can  form  a 
juster  estimate  of  their  differences.  The 
Synoptists  and  St  John  differ  at  first 
sight  (as  has  been  already  said)  as  to  the 
time,  the  scene,  the  form,  and  the  sub- 
stance of  the  Lord's  teaching. 

If  we  had  the  Synoptic  Gospels 
alone  it  might  be  supposed  that  the 
Lord's  ministry  was  completed  in  a 
single  year:  that  it  was  confined  to 
Galilee  till  the  visit  to  Jerusalem  at  the 
Passover  by  which  it  was  terminated  : 
that  it  was  directed  in  the  main  to  the 
simple  peasantry,  and  found  expression 
in  parables,  and  proverbs,  and  clear, 
short  discourses,  which  reach  the  heart 
of  a  multitude :  that  it  was  a  lofty  and 
yet  practical  exposition  of  the  Law,  by 
One  who  spake  as  man  to  men.  But  if 
we  look  at  St  John  all  is  changed.  In 
that  we  see  that  the  public  ministry  of 
Christ  opened  as  well  as  closed  with  a 
Paschal  journey:  that  between  these 
journeys  there  intervened  another  Pass- 
over and  several  visits  to  Jerusalem: 
that  He  frequently  used  modes  of  speech 
which  were  dark  and  mysterious,  not 
from  the  imagery  in  which  they  were 
wrapped,  but  from  the  thoughts  to  which 
they  were  applied :  that  at  the  outset  He 
claimed  in  the  Holy  City  the  highest 
prerogatives  of  Messiah,  and  at  later 


Ixxx 


INTRODUCTION   TO 


times  constantly  provoked  the  anger  of 
His  opponents  by  the  assumption  of 
what  they  felt  to  be  divine  authority. 
And  beyond  all  these  differences  of 
arrangement  and  manner,  the  first  three 
Gospels  and  the  Fourth  have  very  few 
facts  in  common.  They  meet  only  once 
(at  the  Feeding  of  the  five  thousand), 
before  the  last  scenes  of  the  Passion  and 
Resurrection.  And  in  this  common 
section  they  are  distinguished  by  signal 
differences.  To  mention  only  two  of  the 
most  conspicuous :  the  Synoptists  do  not 
notice  the  raising  of  Lazarus,  which 
marks  a  crisis  in  the  narrative  of  St 
John;  and  on  the  other  hand,  St  John 
does  not  mention  the  Institution  of  the 
Holy  Eucharist,  which  is  given  in  detail 
by  each  of  the  Synoptists  (see  notes  on 
cc.  xi.,  xiii.). 

A  student  of  the  Gospels  can  have 
no  wish  to  underrate  the  significance  of 
phenomena  like  these,  which  must  pow- 
erfully affect  his  view  of  the  full  meaning 
both  of  the  documents  and  of  their 
subject.  But  he  will  interrogate  them, 
and  not  at  once  assume  that  they  have 
only  to  witness  to  discrepancies.  From 
such  questioning  one  result  is  gained  at 
once.  It  is  seen  (to  omit  the  question 
of  time  for  the  present)  that  differences 
of  form  and  substance  correspond  to 
differences  of  persons  and  place.  On 
the  one  side  there  is  the  discourse  at 
Nazareth,  the  Sermon  on  the  Mount, 
the  groups  of  parables,  words  first  spoken 
to  the  Galilsean  multitudes  with  the 
authority  of  the  Great  Teacher,  and  then 
continued  afterwards  when  they  came  up 
to  the  Feast  full  of  strange  expectations, 
which  were  stimulated  by  the  Triumphal 
Entry.  On  the  other  side  there  are  the 
personal  communings  with  individual 
souls,  with  "the  Master  of  Israel"  and 
the  woman  of  Samaria,  unveilings  of 
the  thoughts  of  faithless  cavillers,  who 
had  been  trained  in  the  subtleties  of  the 
Law,  and  rested  on  the  glories  of  their 
worship:  glimpses  of  a  spiritual  order 
opened  at  last  to  loving  disciples,  in 
which  they  were  prepared  to  find,  even 
through  sorrow,  the  accomplishment  of 
their  early  hopes.  On  the  one  side  there 
is  the  Gospel  of  "  the  common  people 
who  heard  gladly:"  on  the  other  side 
the  Gospel  of  such  as  felt  the  deeper 
necessities  and  difficulties  of  faith.  The 


lessons  which  appealed  to  broad  sym- 
pathies are  supplemented  by  those  which 
deal  with  varieties  of  personal  trial  and 
growth.  The  cycle  of  missionary  teach- 
ing is  completed  by  the  cycle  of  internal 
teaching:  the  first  experience  of  the 
whole  band  of  Apostles  by  the  mature 
experience  of  their  latest  survivor. 

These  general  remarks  are  supported 
bynumerous  minute  details  which  indicate 
that  the  Synoptists  do  in  fact  recognise 
an  early  Judaean  ministry  and  teaching 
similar  to  that  of  St  John,  and  that  St 
John  recognises  important  work  in  Gali- 
lee and  teaching  similar  to  that  of  the 
Synoptists. 

(a)  The  scene  of  the  Lord's  teaching. 
The  general  description  of  the  Lord's 
following  as  including  multitudes  "from 
Judcea  and  Jerusalem"  (Matt.  iv.  25  ; 
comp.  Mark  iii.  7  f.)  cannot  be  pressed 
as  proving  that  He  had  Himself  worked 
there.  Similar  language  is  used  in  con- 
nexion with  the  Baptist  (Matt.  iii.  5). 
But  the  reading  of  St  Luke  iv.  44,  he 
was  preaching  in  the  synagogues  ofjudaa 
(for  Galilee),  which  is  supported  by 
very  strong  MSS.  authority  (tfBCLQR 
Memph.\  taken  in  connexion  with  Luke 
v.  17,  may  fairly  be  urged  in  favour 
of  such  a  view.  Indeed  the  feeling  of 
the  people  of  Jerusalem  on  the  Lord's 
last  visit  is  scarcely  intelligible  unless 
they  had  grown  familiar  with  Him  on 
former  visits.  So  again  the  well-known 
words  of  the  lamentation  over  Jerusalem, 
How  often  would  I  have  gathered  thy 
children... and  thou  wouldest  Jiot  (Matt. 
xxiii.  37  ff.),  scarcely  admit  any  other 
sense  than  that  Christ  had  personally  on 
many  occasions  sought  to  attach  the 
inhabitants  to  Himself,  as  now  when 
the  issue  was  practically  decided.  The 
visit  to  Martha  and  Mary  (Luke  x.  38  ff.) 
suggests  previous  acquaintance  with  them, 
and  so  probably  previous  residences  in 
the  neighbourhood  of  Jerusalem  (John 
xi.  i  ff.).  The  circumstances  connected 
with  the  preparation  for  the  last  visit 
(Matt.  xxi.  2  f.,  xxvi.  17  ff.,  and  paral- 
lels), point  to  the  same  conclusion. 
Compare  Acts  x.  37,  39.  On  the  other 
hand  St  John  when  he  notices  a  brief 
sojourn  of  the  Lord  and  His  first  dis- 
ciples at  Capernaum  (ii.  12),  seems  to 
imply  a  longer  abode  there  at  another 
time;  and  in  a  later  passage  he  records 


THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  JOHN. 


Ixxxi 


words  which  shew  that  Galilee  was  the 
ordinary  scene  of  Christ's  ministry  (vii. 
3).  It  might  indeed  have  been  plausibly 
argued  from  these  words  that  when  they 
were  spoken  He  had  not  wrought  any 
conspicuous  works  in  Judaea. 

(/3)  The  manner  of  the  Lord's  teach- 
ing. It  has  been  already  shewn  that  the 
form  of  the  Lord's  teaching  could  not 
but  depend  upon  the  occasion  on  which 
it  was  delivered;  and  there  is  no  scene 
in  St  John  which  answers  to  those  under 
which  the  Sermon  on  the  Mount,  or  the 
chief  groups  of  parables  were  delivered ; 
and  conversely  there  are  no  scenes  in 
the  Synoptists  like  those  with  Nicodemus 
and  the  woman  of  Samaria.  The  dis- 
courses at  Jerusalem  recorded  by  the 
Synoptists  were  spoken  after  Christ  had 
openly  accepted  the  position  of  Messiah 
by  His  triumphal  entry:  those  recorded 
by  St  John  belong  to  earlier  times,  when 
He  was  gradually  leading  His  hearers 
to  grasp  the  truth  of  faith  in  Him.  As 
the  circumstances  become  more  like  in 
character  there  is  a  growing  resemblance 
in  style.  In  John  x.,  xii.,  we  have  the 
implicit  parables  of  the  Sheepfold,  the 
Good  Shepherd,  the  Grain  of  Corn.  In 
Matt.  xi.  25  fF.;  Luke  x.  21  ff.,  there  is 
a  thanksgiving  spoken  in  regard  to  the 
disciples'  work  which  in  character  is  not 
unlike  the  last  discourses. 

(y)  The  duration  of  the  Lord's  teaching. 
The  data  for  determining  the  length  of 
the  Lord's  ministry  are  singularly  few. 
The  time  of  its  commencement  is  approxi- 
mately fixed  by  the  different  elements 
given  by  St  Luke  (iii.  i),  as  marking 
the  Call  of  the  Baptist.  But  there  is 
nothing  in  the  Gospels  to  connect  its 
close  with  any  particular  year  of  Pilate's 
procuratorship.  Pilate  was  recalled  in 
A.D.  36,  and  Herod  was  banished  in 
A.D.  39.  They  may  therefore  have  met 
at  Jerusalem  in  any  year  during  Pilate's 
term  of  office.  Caiaphas  retained  his 
office  till  the  end  of  Pilate's  procurator- 
ship.  The  date  of  the  death  of  Annas 
is  not  known,  but  he  lived  to  old  age. 
So  far  there  is  a  wide  margin  of  uncer- 
tainty; and  this  can  only  be  removed 
by  the  assumption  that  the  Gospels  sup- 
ply a  complete  chronology  of  the  Min- 
istry, for  the  earliest  tradition  is  both 
late  and  conflicting.  Here  however  we 
are  left  to  probability.  The  Synoptists 


appear  to  include  the  events  of  their 
narrative  in  a  single  year;  but  it  is  very 
difficult  to  bring  the  development  of 
faith  and  unbelief  to  which  they  witness, 
the  missions  of  the  Twelve  and  of  the 
Seventy,  and  the  different  circuits  of  the 
Lord,  within  so  brief  a  space1.  St  John, 
on  the  other  hand,  notices  three  Pass- 
overs, but  he  gives  no  clear  intimation 
that  he  notices  every  Passover  which 
occurred  in  the  course  of  the  Lord's 
work.  In  such  a  case  the  fragmentari- 
ness  of  the  records  is  a  conclusive 
answer  to  the  supposed  discrepancy. 

4.  The  coincidences  of  the  Synoptists 
and  St  John.  So  far  we  have  dwelt  upon 
the  differences  between  the  Synoptists 
and  St  John.  Their  correspondences  are 
less  obvious  and  impressive,  but  they  are 
scarcely  less  important. 

The  common  incidents  with  which 
they  deal  are  the  following : 

1.  The  Baptism   of  John   (St  John 
adds  the  mention  of  the  Levites,  i.    19: 
the    questions,    i.    20   ff.  :     the    place, 
Bethany,  i.  28:  the  abiding  of  the  Spirit 
on  Christ,  i.  32  f. :  the  after  testimony 
to  Christ,  i.  26  ff.). 

2.  The  feeding  of  the  five  thousand 
(St  John  notices  the  time,  the  Passover 
was  near,  vi.  4 :   the  persons,  Philip  and 
Andrew,  vi.  5,  8 :  the  command  to  col- 
lect the  fragments,  v.  12:  the  issue  of 
the  miracle  and  the  retirement  of  Jesus, 
v.  14  f.). 

3.  The  Walking  on  the  Sea  (St  John 
mentions  the  distance,  vi.  19:  the  feel- 
ing of  the  disciples,  v.  21 :  the  result,  ib.). 

4.  The  Anointing  at  Bethany.  (St  John 
mentions  the  time,  xii.  i,  six  days  before 
the  Passover:   the  persons,  Mary,  v.  3 
(comp.  Matt  xxvi.  7;  Mark  xiv.  3),  and 
Judas,  w.  4,  6:   the  full  details  of  the 
action,  v.  3). 

5.  The   Triumphal  Entry  (St  John 
mentions  the  time,  on  the  next  day,  xii. 
1 2 :   the  reference  to  Lazarus,  v.  1 8 :  the 
judgment  of  the  Pharisees,  v.  19). 

6.  The  Last  Supper  (St  John  records 
the  feet-washing,  xiii.  2  ff. :  the  question 
of  St  John,  v.  23 :  the  ignorance  of  the 
Apostles,  v.  28 :    the  discourses  in  the 
chamber  and  on  the  way*). 

1  The  reading  and  interpretation  of  Luke  vi.  i 
(SevrepoTrpuTt?)  is  too  uncertain  to  be  pressed. 
Yet  see  note  on  Mark  ii.  23. 

1  On   the  apparent    difference  between    the 


Ixxxii 


INTRODUCTION   TO 


7: 

xviii. 
8. 

9- 
10. 


The  Betrayal.     See  notes  on   c. 


The  Trial     Ib. 
The  Crucifixion.     Ib. 

The  Burial  (St  John  notices  the 
action  of  Nicodemus,  xix.  39 :  the  garden, 
v.  41). 

ii.     The  Resurrection.     See  note   on 

C.  XX. 

Not  to  enter  in  detail  upon  an  exami- 
nation of  the  parallels,  it  may  be  said 
that  in  each  case  St  John  adds  details 
which  appear  to  mark  his  actual  experi- 
ence ;  and  also  that  the  facts  in  all  their 
completeness  form  a  natural  part  of 
both  narratives.  They  do  not  appear 
either  in  the  Synoptists  or  in  St  John 
as  if  they  were  borrowed  from  an  alien 
source. 

The  passages  in  which  St  John  im- 
plies an  acquaintance  with  incidents 
recorded  by  the  Synoptists  are  more 
numerous. 

i.  19  ff.  The  general  effect  of  John's 
preaching  (Matt.  iii.  5,  &c.). 

—  32  ff.     The     circumstances    of   the 

Lord's  Baptism   (Matt.  iii. 
16  f.). 

—  40.        Simon  Peter  is  well  known. 

—  46.         Nazareth  the    early  home  of 

Christ  (Matt.  ii.  23,  &c.). 
ii.  12.         Capernaum  the  later  residence 

of  Christ. 

The  family  of  Christ.    Comp. 
vi.  42,  vii.  3,  xix.  25  f. 

—  19.        The  false  accusation;    Matt. 

xxvi.  6 1. 

iii.  24.  The  date  of  John's  imprison- 
ment (Matt.  iv.  12;  comp. 
John  iv.  43). 

vi.  3.          Retirement  to  "the mountain." 

—  62.        The  Ascension. 

—  67.      "The  twelve."    Comp.  w.  13, 

70,  xx.  24  (not  in  cc.  i. — iv.). 
xi.  i,  2.      Mary  and   Martha    are  well 

known, 
xviii.  33.     The  title  "  the  King  of  the 

Jews." 

Synoptists  and  St  John  as  to  the  day  of  the  Last 
Supper,  see  note  on  Matt.  xxvi.  This  question 
is  of  importance  in  regard  to  the  Synoptists  and 
not  in  regard  to  St  John.  The  narrative  of 
St  John  is  perfectly  definite  and  consistent :  it 
bears  every  mark  of  exact  accuracy,  and  is  in 
harmony  with  what  seems  to  be  the  natural  course 
of  the  events. 


xviii.  40.    Barabbas  suddenly  introduced. 

xix.  25.      The  ministering  women  (Matt. 

xxvii.  55,  &c.). 

There  are  also  several  coincidences  in 
the  use  of  imagery  between  St  John  and 
the  Synoptists,  and  not  a  few  sayings  of 
which  the  substance  is  common  to 
them. 

Common  imagery. 

iii.  29.  The  Bride  and  the  Bride- 
groom. Matt.  ix.  15,  and 
parallels. 

iv.  35  ff.     The  harvest.     Matt.  ix.  37  f. 

xiii.  4  ff.  Serving.  Matt.  x.  24;  Luke 
xii.  37,  xxii.  27. 

xv.  i  ff.      The  vine.     Matt.  xxi.  33. 

—  2.          The  unfruitful  tree.  Matt.  vii. 

19. 

Common  sayings. 

iv.  44.  Comp.  Matt.  xiii.  57;  Mark 
vi.  4 ;  Luke  iv.  24  (used  in 
different  connexions). 

vi.  42.         Comp.  //.  cc. 

—  69.         Comp.    Matt.    xvi.     16,    and 

parallels  (corresponding 
confessions). 

xii.  25.  Comp.  Matt.  x.  39,  xvi.  25  ; 
Luke  xvii.  33  (used  in  dif- 
ferent connexions). 

xiii.  1 6.  Comp.  Luke  vi.  40;  Matt.  x. 
24  (used  in  different  con- 
nexions). 

(xiii.)  20.  Comp.  Matt.  x.  40,  (xxv.  40); 
Luke  x.  1 6  (used  in  differ- 
ent connexions). 

xvi.  2  f.       Comp.  Matt.  xxiv.  10  f. 

In  other  parallels  there  are  not  a  few 
verbal  coincidences  : 

i.  23.  I  am  the  voice  of  one  crying  in 
the  wilderness,  Make  straight 
the  way  of  the  Lord. 

—  26  f.     /   baptize  in   water... He  that 

cometh  after  me,  the  latchet  of 
whose  shoe  I  am  not  worthy 
to  unloose. 

—  32.       ...  descending  as  a  dove. . . 

—  43.      Follow  me.     Matt.  viii.  22,  &c. 
iii.  5.        to  enter  into  tfie   kingdom    of 

God. 
v.  8.          Arise,  take  up  thy  bed  and  walk. 

Mark  ii.  9. 

vi.  20.       //  is  I :  be  not  afraid. 
viii.  5  2.    taste  of  death.     Mark  ix.  i. 


, 


THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  JOHN. 


Ixxxiii 


xii.  5.  to  be  sold  for  three  hundred  pence 
a  fid  given  to  the  poor.  Mark 
xiv.  5. 

—  13.       Hosanna,  blessed 'is  he  that  cometh 

in  the  name  of  the  Lord. 
xiii.  21.     One  of  you  shall  betray  me. 

—  38.       The  cock  shall  not  crow  till  thou 

shalt  deny  me  thrice. 
xix.  3.  Hail,  King  of  the  Jews. 
xx.  19.  He  saith  unto  them,  Peace  be 

unto  you. 


The  connexion  between  St  John  and 
St  Luke  is  of  especial  interest.  From  the 
relation  of  St  Luke  to  St  Paul  it  is 
natural  to  expect  that  the  peculiarities 
of  his  Gospel  would  furnish  indications 
of  transition  to  the  form  of  the  Gospel 
which  St  John  has  preserved.  Instances 
of  this  relation  have  been  already  given 
in  the  notices  of  Samaritans,  and  of 
Martha  and  Mary  (p.  Ixxix.).  The  fol- 
lowing coincidences  in  thought  or  Ian- 


Coincidences  more  or  less  striking  are 

guitge  may  ue  auueu  ; 

found  in  the  following  passages. 

i.  19  ff.         Luke  iii.  15  f. 

i.  1  8.         Matt.  xi.  27. 

vi.  42.           —    iv.  22. 

—  33.            —   iii.  ii. 

x.  27  ff.           —    xii.  32. 

«J*J 

iii.  1  8.         Mark  xvi.  16. 

xiii.  i,  xiv.  30.           —    ix.    51    (aVaX^'- 

iv.  44.           —    vi.  4. 

i/cea>s)  :  xxii.  c  ^. 

rf                                          •• 

—             4  ff.            —  •    xxn.  27. 

v.  22.         Matt.  vii.  22  f. 

vi.  7,  10.         Mark  vi.  37  —  39. 

17.            —    xi.  28. 

—      35.         Matt  v.  6. 

—  —               22.            —    xxii.  23. 

—  -37.           —    xi.  28. 

27-           —     —     3- 

—       to.            —    xviii.  14. 

37-           —     —  33- 

\J    S                                                                                                            f 

—      46.           —    xi.  27. 

xiv.  30.           —    iv.     13     (axpt 

—      70.         Luke  vi.  13. 

Katpov). 

vii.  45  f.         Matt.  vii.  28. 
ix.  1  6.           —    xii.  2. 

XVI.   7.                —     Xxiv.     49      (eyo> 
c£a7rooT«AA(o). 

***              S      /*                                                             ••                       — 

XV111.   36  f.                XV11.   20  f. 

x.  15.           —    xi.  27. 

If 

—      38.            —    xxiii.  4. 

xi.  25.           —    x.  39. 
xii.  8.            —    xxvi.  ii. 

xx.  3,  6.           —    xxiv.     12    (the 

—  13.         Mark  xi.  9. 
—  44.         Luke  ix.  48. 

reading       is 
doubtful). 

T  f\      ff                                                                                          *»  /^      ff 

xiii.  i.         Mark  xiv.  41. 

19  tt.                    36   ft 

—  3.         Matt.  xi.  27. 

Such  correspondences  prove  nothing 

—  16.            —    x.  24. 

as  to  the  direct   literary  connexion   of 

—  20.            —    x.  40. 

the  two  Gospels,  nor  do  the  few  signifi- 

— 21.         Mark  xiv.  18  —  21. 

cant  words   which  are  common   to   St 

xiv.  18.         Matt,  xxviii.  20. 

Luke  and  St  John  (e.g.  TO  ttfyos  of  Jews, 

—  28.         Mark  xiii.  32. 

/xovoyen;?),   but  they  do  shew  the  cur- 

xv. 8.         Matt.  v.  1  6.     . 

rency  of  a  form  of  the  apostolic  Gospel 

—  14.           —     xii.  49  f. 

with     characteristic     features     approxi- 

— 20.            —     x.  25. 

mating  to   characteristic  features  in   St 

21.                X.   22. 

John. 

xvi.  if.            —     x.  i7ff.  ;  xiii.  21. 

5.     The  relation  of  the  Synoptists  to 

xvii.  2.            —    xxviii.  18. 

St  John  in  regard  of  the  Lord's  Person. 

xviii.  ii.            —    xxvi.  42,  52. 

But   it  may  be  said  that  even  if  the 

—    IS. 

considerations  which   have  been   urged 

1  8,  22.         Mark  xiv.  64  f. 

establish   the   possibility  of  reconciling 

—    20.         Matt.  xxvi.  55. 

the  apparent  differences  of  the  Synoptists 

—    39.         Mark  xv.  6. 

and  St  John  as  to  the  place,  the  manner 

xix.  i  —  3,  17.           —    —  16,  19,  22. 

and  the  duration  of  the  Lord's  Teaching  : 

6.         Luke  xxiii.  21. 

if  they  shew  that  there  is  theoretically 

[—            19.           —      —   38,  an   in- 

room for  the  events  and  the  discourses 

terpolation    in    St 

of  both  narratives:    if  they  supply   in 

Luke.] 

both  cases  indications  of  a  wider  field 

xx.  14.         Mark  xvi.  9. 

and    a   more    varied  method    than    is 

23.         Matt.  xvi.  19. 

habitually  recorded  in  the  two  histories 

Ixxxiv 


INTRODUCTION   TO 


respectively;  yet  the  fundamental  dif- 
ference between  the  first  three  Gospels 
and  the  Fourth  as  to  the  general  view  of 
the  Lord's  Person  practically  excludes 
such  a  reconciliation. 

This  difficulty  unquestionably  under- 
lies the  other  difficulties  and  gives  force 
to  them.  It  is  not  possible  to  do  more 
here  than  to  point  out  the  main  argu- 
ments by  which  it  can  fairly  be  met. 

The  Person  of  the  Lord  is  as  truly 
the  centre  of  the  teaching  of  the  Synop- 
tists  as  of  the  teaching  of  St  John.  It 
is  not  His  doctrine  but  Himself  which  is 
to  redeem  the  woild  (Matt.  xx.  28). 

The  narratives  of  the  Nativity,  though 
they  did  not  form  part  of  the  apostolic 
oral  Gospel,  are  completely  harmonious 
with  it.  There  is  no  contrast  (for  ex- 
ample) in  passing  from  the  history  of 
the  Nativity  to  that  of  the  Baptism. 

The  claims  of  the  Lord  which  are 
recorded  by  the  Synoptists,  if  followed 
to  their  legitimate  consequences,  involve 
the  claims  recorded  by  St  John. 


Matt.  vii.  22. 
—    ix.  2  ff. 


x.  i. 


—  —  39. 

—  xi.  27. 


—    x.  41. 


in  my  name. 

Thy   sins    be  forgiven 

thee. 
(Gives  power  to  work 

signs.) 
he  that  loseth   his  life 

for  my  sake... 
All  things  are  delivered 

unto  me... 
The  Son  of  man  will 

send  forth  his  angels. 

Comp.  xvi.  27,  xxv. 


—  xviii.  20.       Where  two  or  three  are 

gathered  together  in 
my  name,  there  am  I 
...(as  said  of  Sheki- 
nah). 

—  xx.  28.        his  life  a  ransom  for 

many. 

—  xxi.  37  ff.     They  will  reverence  my 

son. 

—  xxii.  45.      If     David    call    him 

Lord. 

—  xxv.  31.        When  the  Son  of  man 

shall  come  in  his 
glory.  Comp.  xxvi. 
64. 

—  xxvi.  28.     My  blood  of  the  cove- 

nant. 

—  xxviii.  20.   I  am  with  you  alway. 


Luke  xxi.  15.        /  will  give  you  a  mouth 

and  wisdom. 

—    xxiv.  49.     /  send  the  promise  of 
my  Father  upon  you. 

A  careful  estimate  of  these  passages 
will  make  it  clear  that  the  Synoptists 
recognise  in  the  Lord  the  power  of 
judgment,  of  redemption,  and  of  fellow- 
ship, which  are  the  main  topics  of  the 
teaching  in  St  John.  In  one  respect 
only  St  John  adds  a  new  truth  to  the 
doctrine  of  the  Lord's  Person  which  has 
no  direct  anticipation  in  the  Synoptists. 
These  do  not  anywhere  declare  His  pre- 
existence.  (Yet  compare  Luke  xi.  49 
with  Matt,  xxiii.  34  and  John  x.  35.) 

The  general  conclusion  however  stands 
firm.  The  Synoptists  offer  not  only  his- 
torical but  also  spiritual  points  of  con- 
nexion between  the  teaching  which  they 
record  and  the  teaching  in  the  Fourth 
Gospel ;  and  St  John  himself  in  the 
Apocalypse  completes  the  passage  from 
the  one  to  the  other. 

2.     The  Apocalypse  and  the  Fourth 
Gospel. 

The  Apocalypse  is  doctrinally  the 
uniting  link  between  the  Synoptists  and 
the  Fourth  Gospel.  It  offers  the  charac- 
teristic thoughts  of  the  Fourth  Gospel 
in  that  form  of  development  which 
belongs  to  the  earliest  apostolic  age.  It 
belongs  to  different  historical  circum- 
stances, to  a  different  phase  of  intel- 
lectual progress,  to  a  different  theological 
stage,  from  that  of  St  John's  Gospel; 
and  yet  it  is  not  only  harmonious  with 
it  in  teaching,  but  in  the  order  of  thought 
it  is  the  necessary  germ  out  of  which  the 
Gospel  proceeded  by  a  process  of  life. 

i.  Affinities  of  the  Apocalypse  with 
the  Gospel.  The  points  of  connexion 
between  the  Apocalypse  and  the  Gos- 
pel of  St  John  are  far  more  numerous 
than  are  suggested  by  a  first  general 
comparison  of  the  two  books.  The 
main  idea  of  both  is  the  same.  Both 
present  a  view  of  a  supreme  conflict 
between  the  powers  of  good  and  evil 
In  the  Gospel  this  is  drawn  mainly  in 
moral  conceptions;  in  the  Apocalypse 
mainly  in  images  and  visions.  In  the 
Gospel  the  opposing  forces  are  regarded 
under  abstract  and  absolute  forms,  as 
light  and  darkness,  love  and  hatred;  in 


THE   GOSPEL  OF  ST.  JOHN. 


Ixxxv 


the  Apocalypse  under  concrete  and 
definite  forms,  God,  Christ,  and  the 
Church  warring  with  the  devil,  the 
false  prophet  and  the  beast. 

But  in  both  books  alike  Christ  is  the 
central  figure.  His  victory  is  the  end 
to  which  history  and  vision  lead  as  their 
consummation  (see  xvi.  33,  note).  His 
Person  and  Work  are  the  ground  of 
triumph,  and  of  triumph  through  apparent 
failure  (Rev.  i.  5,  vi.  16,  vii.  14,  xii.  n). 

It  follows  that  in  both  books  the 
appearance  of  Christ  is  shewn  to  issue 
in  a  judgment,  a  separation,  of  elements 
partially  confused  before.  The  "hatred" 
of  evil  gains  a  new  intensity  (Rev.  ii. 
6 ;  2  John  10).  The  Apocalypse  gives, 
so  to  speak,  in  an  ideal  history  the 
analysis  of  the  course  of  unbelief  which 
is  laid  open  in  John  viii. 

On  man's  part  the  conflict  with  evil 
is  necessarily  a  conflict  in  action.  The 
Apocalypse  and  the  Gospel  therefore 
lay  stress  on  obedience  and  works.  To 
"  keep  the  commandments  "  is  now  the 
fulfilment  of  Christian  duties  (John  xiv. 
23,  note;  i  John  ii.  3  f.  ;  v.  2  f. ;  2  John 
6;  Rev.  xii.  17,  xiv.  12  [xxii.  14,  a  false 
reading]). 

The  universality  of  the  Gospel  is  an 
immediate  consequence  of  the  proclama- 
tion of  its  moral  character.  And  there 
is  not  the  least  trace  in  the  Apocalypse 
of  the  doctrine  of  the  permanent  or 
general  obligation  of  the  Law  or  of 
circumcision.  The  particular  injunctions 
which  are  enforced  in  ii.  14,  20  are 
combined  in  the  Acts  (xv.  28  f.,xxL  25) 
with  the  removal  of  such  an  obligation 
from  the  Gentiles.  External  ceremo- 
nies fall  wholly  into  the  background,  as 
symbols  only  of  that  which  is  universal 
and  spiritual  (Rev.  v.  8  ff.,  xiv.  6  f.; 
comp.  i  John  ii.  2). 

At  the  same  time  the  Apocalypse  no 
less  than  the  Gospel  recognises  the  pre- 
paratory office  of  Judaism.  In  both  it 
is  assumed  that  "  Salvation  is  of  the  Jews  " 
(John  iv.  22,  38).  The  Seer  shews  that 
the  sovereignty  which  the  prophets  fore- 
told was  established  in  Jesus,  "  the 
Christ"  (xii.  5,  10,  xi.  15);  and  the 
imagery  of  the  old  Scriptures  is  used 
from  first  to  last  to  foreshadow  the  con- 
flict, the  victory  and  the  judgment  of 
the  divine  King  (e.g.  Zech.  xii.  10;  John 
xix.  37;  Rev.  i.  7). 

New  Test.— VOL.  II. 


In  correspondence  with  the  univer- 
sality of  the'  Gospel  is  the  office  of 
personal  "  witness  "  on  which  the  firmest 
stress  is  laid  in  all  the  writings  of  St 
John.  The  experience  of  the  believer 
finds  expression  in  a  testimony  which  is 
strong  in  the  face  of  death.  In  the 
Apocalypse  the  characteristic  form  in 
which  this  "  witness  "  appears  is  as  "  the 
testimony  of  Jesus"  (i.  2,  9,  xii.  17,  xix. 
10,  xx.  4).  The  true  humanity  of  the 
Saviour  is  that  revelation  on  which  faith 
reposes. 

This  testimony  to  the  Incarnation 
leads  to  a  final  correspondence  between 
the  Apocalypse  and  the  Fourth  Gospel 
which  is  of  the  highest  importance. 
Both  present  the  abiding  of  God  with 
man  as  the  issue  of  Christ's  work.  If  any 
man  love  me,  he  will  keep  my  word,  and 
my  Fatlier  will  love  him,  and  we  will  come 
to  him  and  make  our  abode  with  him 
(John  xiv.  23).  Behold  I  stand  at  the 
door  and  knock:  If  any  man  hear  my 
voice  and  open  the  door,  I  will  come  in 
to  him,  and  will  sup  with  him  and  he 
with  me  (Rev.  iii.  20).  Behold  the 
tabernacle  of  God  is  with  men,  and  He 
will  dwell  (CTKT;VOJO-€I)  with  them  (Rev. 
xxi.  3). 

2.  Contrasts  of  the  Apocalypse  with  the 
Gospel.  Side  by  side  with  these  coinci- 
dences of  thought,  which  reach  to  the 
ruling  conceptions  of  the  books,  there 
are  also  important  contrasts  in  their 
subject-matter  and  their  modes  of  deal- 
ing with  common  topics. 

The  most  striking  contrast  lies  in  the 
treatment  of  the  doctrine  of  Christ's 
Coming  in  the  two  books.  This  is  the 
main  subject  of  the  Apocalypse,  while  it 
falls  into  the  background  in  the  Gospel 
and  in  the  Epistles  of  St  John.  In  the 
Apocalypse  the  thought  is  of  an  outward 
coming  for  the  open  judgment  of  men  : 
in  the  Gospel  of  a  judgment  which  is 
spiritual  and  self-executing.  In  the 
Apocalypse  the  scene  of  the  consumma- 
tion is  a  renovated  world :  in  the  Gospel 
"  the  Father's  house."  In  the  former 
the  victory  and  the  transformation  are 
from  without,  by  might,  and  the  "  future  " 
is  painted  under  historic  imagery:  in 
the  latter,  the  victory  and  the  transfor- 
mation are  from  within,  by  a  spiritual 
influence,  and  the  "  future "  is  present 
and  eternal. 

I 


Ixxxvi 


INTRODUCTION  TO 


It  is  part  of  this  same  contrast  that 
the  progress  of  the  conflict  between 
good  and  evil  is  presented  very  differ- 
ently in  the  Apocalypse  and  in  the 
Gospel.  In  the  Apocalypse  it  is  por- 
trayed under  several  distinct  forms  as  a 
conflict  of  Christ  with  false  Judaism, 
with  idolatry,  with  the  Roman  empire 
allied  with  false  prophecy :  in  the  Gospel 
it  is  conceived  iu  its  essence  as  a  con- 
tinuous conflict  between  light  and  dark- 
ness. On  the  one  side  are  outward 
persecutors;  on  the  other  the  spirit 
of  falsehood:  on  the  one  side,  the 
working  of  the  revelation  of  Christ ;  on 
the  other  the  revelation  of  Christ  itself. 
Or,  to  put  the  facts  under  another 
aspect,  the  Apocalypse  gives  a  view  of 
the  action  of  God  in  regard  to  men,  in  a 
life  full  of  sorrow,  and  partial  defeats 
and  cries  for  vengeance  :  the  Gospel 
gives  a  view  of  the  action  of  God  with 
regard  to  Christ  who  establishes  in  the 
heart  of  the  believer  a  Presence  of  com- 
pleted joy. 

In  regard  to  Judaism  this  contrast 
assumes  a  special  form.  In  the  Apocalypse 
the 'triumph  of  Christianity  is  described 
under  the  imagery  of  Judaism.  The 
Church  is  the  embodied  fulfilment  of 
Old  Testament  prophecy.  The  outlines 
are  drawn  of  the  universal,  ideal,  Israel 
(vii.  4),  the  ideal  Jerusalem  (iii.  12, 
xxi.  2,  10),  and  the  ideal  worship  (xx.  6, 
xxii.  3 ;  comp.  viii.  3,  v.  8),  yet  so 
that  there  is  no  longer  any  temple  (xxi. 
22).  In  the  Gospel  Christianity  is  pro- 
claimed as  the  absolute  truth.  Outward 
Judaism  is  shewn  in  its  opposition  to 
Christ's  word,  not  as  fulfilled  by  it, 
standing  without,  isolated  and  petrified ; 
and  not  taken  up  with  it,  quickened  and 
glorified  (compare  Rev.  ii.  9,  iii.  9,  with 
John  viii.  39  ff.). 

The  conception  of  God  in  the  'two 
books  shews  corresponding  differences. 
The  conception  of  God  in  the  Apo- 
calypse follows  the  lines  of  the  Old 
Testament  He  is  "  the  Lord  God,  the 
Almighty"  (i.  8,  iv.  8,  &c.),  "which  was 
and  is"  (xL  17,  xvi.  5.  Comp.  i.  4,  8, 
iv.  8),  who  executes  righteous  judgment 
on  the  world  (xi.  18,  xiv.  10,  xvi.  19, 
xix.  15).  Nothing  is  said  of  His  love 
in  sending  His  Son;  nor  of  the  Para- 
clete. In  the  Gospel  God  is  revealed 
characteristically  by  Christ  as  "  the 


Father "  and  not  only  as  "  my  Father " 
(see  iv.  21,  note);  and  specially  in  con- 
nexion with  the  work  of  redemption. 
In  the  one  case  it  may  be  said  that  His 
action  is  revealed  in  relation  to  the  sin- 
ful history  of  the  world  :  and  in  the 
other  His  being  in  relation  to  the  pur- 
pose of  the  world '. 

Besides  these  differences  of  substance 
there  are  also  differences  of  language 
both  in  vocabulary  and  style.  The 
difference  in  the  scope  of  the  books 
accounts  in  part  for  these.  The  irregu- 
larities of  style  in  the  Apocalypse  appear 
to  be  due  not  so  much  to  ignorance  of 
the  language  as  to  a  free  treatment  of  it, 
by  one  who  used  it  as  a  foreign  dialect. 
Nor  is  it  difficult  to  see  that  in  any  case 
intercourse  with  a  Greek-speaking  people 
would  in  a  short  time  naturally  reduce 
the  style  of  the  author  of  the  Apocalypse 
to  that  of  the  author  of  the  Gospel.  It 
is  however  very  difficult  to  suppose  that 
the  language  of  the  writer  of  the  Gospel 
could  pass  at  a  later  time  in  a  Greek- 
speaking  country  into  the  language  of 
the  Apocalypse. 

Such  very  briefly  are  the  coincidences 
and  differences  between  the  Apocalypse 
and  the  Fourth  Gospel.  Several  con- 
clusions appear  to  follow  from  them. 

The  differences  answer  to  differences 
in  situation ;  and  are  not  inconsistent 
with  identity  of  authorship. 

Of  the  two  books  the  Apocalypse  is 
the  earlier.  It  is  less  developed  both 
in  thought  and  style.  The  material 
imagery  in  which  it  is  composed  includes 
the  idea  of  progress  in  interpretation. 
The  symbols  are  living.  On  the  other 
hand,  to  go  back  from  the  teaching  of 
the  Gospel  to  that  of  the  Apocalypse,  to 
clothe  clear  thought  in  figures,  to  reduce 
the  full  expression  of  truth  to  its  rudi- 
mentary beginnings,  seems  to  involve 
a  moral  miracle,  which  would  introduce 
confusion  into  life. 

The  Apocalypse  is  after  the  close  of 
St  Paul's  work.  It  shews  in  its  mode 
of  dealing  with  Old  Testament  figures  a 
close  connexion  with  the  Epistle  to  the 
Hebrews  (2  Peter,  Jude).  And  on  the 


1  The  difference  between  the  two  books  as  to 
subordinate  spiritual  powers,  angels  and  evil 
spirits,  follows  from  the  difference  in  their  struc- 
ture. Comp.  i.  51,  note. 


THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  JOHN. 


Ixxxvii 


other  hand  it  is  before  the  destruction  of 
Jerusalem. 

The  crisis  of  the  Fall  of  Jerusalem 
explains  the  relation  of  the  Apocalypse 
to  the  Gospel.  In  the  Apocalypse  that 
"coming"  of  Christ  was  expected,  and 
painted  in  figures:  in  the  Gospel  the 
"  coming  "  is  interpreted. 

Under  this  aspect  the  Gospel  is  the 
spiritual  interpretation  of  the  Apocalypse. 
The  materials  of  the  Gospel  were  trea- 
sured up,  pondered,  illuminated  as  time 
went  on.  Meanwhile  the  active  and 
manifold  religious  thought  of  Ephesus 
furnished  the  intellectual  assistance  which 
was  needed  to  exhibit  Christianity  as  the 
absolute  and  historical  religion  in  con- 
trast with  Judaism  and  Heathenism. 
The  final  desolation  of  the  centre  of  the 
old  Theocracy  was  the  decisive  sign  of 
the  form  which  the  new  Faith  must 
take.  Then  first,  according  to  the 
divine  law  of  order,  the  Spirit  would 
guide  the  Apostle  into  all  the  Truth. 

This  is  not  the  place  to  work  out  in 
detail  the  likeness  and  difference  of  the 
Apocalypse  and  the  Fourth  Gospel  on 
special  points  of  doctrine;  but  the 
Christology  of  the  two  books  illustrates 
very  remarkably  the  position  which  has 
been  assigned  to  the  Apocalypse  as  con- 
necting the  Synoptists  and  St  John.  It 
is  necessary  then  to  indicate  shortly  the 
teaching  of  the  Apocalypse  on  Christ's 
work  and  being. 

The  work  of  Christ  is  presented  sum- 
marily as  the  victory  through  death  of 
One  who  was  truly  man.  Christ  was  the 
representative  of  David  (v.  5,  xxii.  16), 
pierced  (i.  7),  crucified  (xi.  8),  and  again 
quickened  (i.  5;  comp.  Col.  i.  18).  So 
He  "  bought "  the  redeemed  (v.  9,  xiv. 
3  f.);  and  His  blood  brings  to  them 
release  (i.  5,  Au<ravrt  O.TTO  r.  a),  cleansing 
(vii.  14),  and  victory  (xii.  n).  And  in 
this  He  fulfilled  the  divine  will  for  men 
(i.  i  [ISwKcv],  ii.  26,  5,  10,  16,  iii.  10,  5, 
21,  v.  5,  xxi.  23). 

The  exaltation  of  Christ  followed  on 
the  completion  of  His  earthly  work.  The 
"  Lamb  slain  "  was  raised  to  glory  (v.  9, 
12).  The  "seven  spirits  of  God"  are 
His  (v.  6,  iii.  i ;  comp.  i.  4;  John  xv.  26). 
In  the  heavenly  sanctuary  He  is  revealed 
as  the  divine  High  Priest  (i.  12 — 17; 
comp.  ii.  9,  x.  5  f.)  "  like  a  son  of  man  " 
(L  13,  xiv.  14);  truly  man,  and  yet  more 


than  man,  "the  living  One"  (i.  17; 
comp.  John  v.  26).  He  possesses  di- 
vine knowledge  (ii.  2,  9,  13,  19,  &c.,  ii. 
23 ;  comp.  Jer.  xi.  20,  &c.) ;  and  divine 
power  (xi.  15,  xii.  10,  xvii.  14,  xix.  16). 
He  receives  divine  honour  (v.  8fF.,  xx. 
6) ;  and  is  joined  with  God  (iii.  2,  v.  13, 
vi.  16  f.,  vii.  10,  xiv.  4,  xxi.  22,  xxii.  i,  3; 
comp.  John  v.  20,  23),  so  that  with  God 
He  is  spoken  of  as  one  (xi.  15,  /Sao-tAevo-ei, 
XX.  6,  per'  avrov,  xxii.  3,  ot  SouAoi  avrov 
Xarpevo-ova-iv  avrw) ;  He  shares  also  in 
part  the  divine  titles  (i.  7,  iii.  7,  xix.  ii; 
comp.  vi.  10,  iii.  14;  comp.  Isai.  Ixv. 
16,  but  not  xxii.  13). 

The  full  importance  of  these  passages 
is  brought  out  by  the  stern  denunciations 
against  every  form  of  idolatry  with  which 
the  book  abounds  (comp.  i  John  v.  21). 
Christ  therefore  is  wholly  separated  from 
creatures.  And  further,  the  passages 
shew  that  the  imagery  which  is  used  in 
the  Old  Testament  to  describe  the  reve- 
lation of  God  is  transferred  by  the  writer 
to  Christ  (comp.  John  xii.  41,  note). 

One  other  point  remains  to  be  no- 
ticed. In  the  Synoptists  there  is  no 
direct  statement  of  the  pre-existence  of 
Christ  The  truth  is  recognised  in  the 
Apocalypse,  but  relatively  rather  than 
absolutely.  Christ  is  spoken  of  as  the 
first  and  the  last  (i.  17,  ii.  8);  the  begin- 
ning of  the  creation  of  God  (iii.  14 ;  comp. 
Prov.  viii.  22 ;  Col.  i.  15) ;  and  the  Word 
of  God  (xix.  13).  In  these  phrases  we 
find  the  earliest  form  of  the  "  Logos 
doctrine,"  which  is  still  kept  within  the 
lines  of  the  Old  Testament  ideas.  But 
the  later  unfolding  of  the  truth  is  in- 
cluded in  this  earliest  confession.  If  an 
Apostle  was  enabled  to  see  in  the  Master 
whom  he  had  followed  the  Being  to 
whom  all  creation  pays  homage  in  the 
spiritual  world,  there  is  no  difficulty  in 
apprehending  how  he  could  rise,  without 
doing  violence  to  the  laws  of  human 
thought,  to  the  enunciation  of  the  fact 
on  which  the  Fourth  Gospel  is  a  com- 
mentary, the  Word  became  flesh  and  dwelt 
among  us,  and  we  beheld  His  glory. 

In  a  word,  the  study  of  the  Synoptists, 
of  the  Apocalypse  and  of  the  Gospel  of 
St  John  in  succession  enables  us  to  see 
under  what  human  conditions  the  full 
majesty  of  Christ  was  perceived  and  de- 
clared, not  all  at  once,  but  step  by  step,  and 
by  the  help  of  the  old  prophetic  teaching. 


Ixxxviii 


INTRODUCTION  TO 


3.     The  Gospel  and  the  Epistles  of  St 
John. 

The  relation  of  the  Gospel  of  St  John 
to  his  Epistles  is  that  of  a  history  to  its 
accompanying  comment  or  application. 
The  first  Epistle  presupposes  the  Gospel 
either  as  a  writing  or  as  oral  instruc- 
tion. But  while  there  are  numerous  and 
striking  resemblances  both  in  form  and 
thought  between  the  Epistle  and  the 
Evangelist's  record  of  the  Lord's  dis- 
courses and  his  own  narrative,  there  are 
still  characteristic  differences  between 
them.  In  the  Epistle  the  doctrine  of  the 
Lord's  true  and  perfect  humanity  (a-dp£) 
is  predominant :  in  the  Gospel  that  of 
His  divine  glory  (Sofa).  The  burden  of 
the  Epistle  is  "  the  Christ  is  Jesus :"  the 
writer  presses  his  argument  from  the 
divine  to  the  human,  from  the  spiritual 
and  ideal  to  the  historical.  The  burden 
of  the  Gospel  is  "Jesus  is  the  Christ:" 
the  writer  presses  his  argument  from  the 
human  to  the  divine,  from  the  historical 
to  the  spiritual  and  ideal.  The  former 
is  the  natural  position  of  the  preacher, 
and  the  latter  of  the  historian. 

The  difference  between  the  Epistle 
and  the  Gospel  in  their  eschatological 
teaching  follows  from  this  fundamental 
difference.  In  the  Gospel  the  doctrine 
of  the  "coming"  of  the  Lord  (xxi.  22, 
xiv.  3),  and  of  "  the  last  day"  (vl  40,  44), 
and  of  "the  judgment"  (v.  28  f.),  are 
touched  upon  generally.  In  the  Epistle 
"the  manifestation"  of  Christ  (ii.  28) 
and  His  "  presence "  stand  out  as  clear 
facts  in  the  history  of  the  world.  He 
comes,  even  as  He  came,  "in  flesh" 
(2  John  7);  and  "antichrists"  precede 
His  coming  (i  John  ii.  i8ff.). 

Again,  in  the  Epistle  the  doctrine  of  pro- 
pitiation is  more  distinct  and  fully  express- 
ed than  in  the  Gospel  (lAao-jno'?,  i  John  ii. 
2,  iv.  10 ;  comp.  Heb.  ii.  17  ;  KaOapt&iv,  i 
John  i.  7,  9) ;  and  in  connexion  with  this 
the  duty  of  the  confession  of  sins  (i  John 
i.  9),  and  the  office  of  the  Lord  as  Para- 
clete (Advocate)  (i  John  ii.  i ;  comp. 
John  xiv.  1 6,  note).  But  it  is  most 
worthy  of  notice  that  no  use  is  made  in 
the  Epistle  of  the  language  of  the  dis- 
courses in  John  iii.  and  vi.  On  the 
other  hand,  the  conception  of  the  "  unc- 
tion" of  Christians  (i  John  ii.  20,  27; 
comp.  Rev.  i.  6)  is  a  later  interpretation 


of  the  gift  of  the  Spirit  which  Christ  pro- 
mised. 

Generally  too  it  will  be  found  on  a 
comparison  of  the  closest  parallels,  that 
the  Apostle's  own  words  are  more  formal 
in  expression  than  the  words  of  the  Lord 
which  he  records.  The  Lord's  words 
have  been  moulded  by  the  disciple  into 
aphorisms  in  the  Epistle :  their  his- 
toric connexion  has  been  broken.  At  the 
same  time  the  language  of  the  Epistle  is 
in  the  main  direct,  abstract,  and  un- 
figurative.  The  Apostle's  teaching,  so  to 
speak,  is  "  plain  "  (ira/Dp^o-ia),  while  that 
of  the  Lord  was  "  in  proverbs  "  (iv  Trapoi- 
/uais,  John  xvi.  25). 

One  or  two  examples  will  illustrate 
the  contrast  which  has  been  indicated : 

John  viii.  12.  /  am  the  Light  of  the 
world :  he  that  followeth  me  shall  not 
walk  in  darkness,  but  shall  have  the  light 
of  life. 

i  John  i.  5,  7.  This  then  is  the  mes- 
sage we  have  heard  of  Aim,  and  declare 
unto  you,  that  God  is  light,  and  in  him  is 
no  darkness  at  all ...  If  we  walk  in  the 
light  as  he  is  in  the  light,  we  have  fellow- 
ship one  with  another ... 

John  xv.  23.  He  that  hateth  me  hateth 
my  Father  also. 

i  John  ii.  23.  Whosoever  denieth  the 
Son,  the  same  hath  not  the  Father ;  but  he 
that  acknowledged  the  Son  hath  the  Fa- 
ther also. 

Compare  also  pp.  Ixi.  ff. 

Generally  it  will  be  felt  that  there  is  a 
decisive  difference  (so  to  speak)  in  the 
atmosphere  of  the  two  books.  In  the 
Epistle  St  John  deals  freely  with  the 
truths  of  the  Gospel  in  direct  conflict 
with  the  characteristic  perils  of  his  own 
time :  in  the  Gospel  he  lives  again  in  the 
presence  of  Christ  and  of  the  immediate 
enemies  of  Christ,  while  he  brings  out 
the  universal  significance  of  events  and 
teaching  not  fully  understood  at  the 
time. 

V.     THE  HISTORY  OF  THE  GOSPEL. 
i.     The  Text. 

The  materials  for  determining  the 
text  of  the  Gospel  of  St  John  are,  as  in 
the  case  of  the  other  Gospels,  and  of 
the  books  of  the  New  Testament  gene- 
rally, ample  and  varied.  It  will  be 


THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  JOHN. 


Ixxxix 


sufficient  to  notice  the  most  important 
authorities  in  which  the  Gospel  of  St 
John  is  preserved. 

I.     GREEK  MANUSCRIPTS. 


Cod.  Sinaiticus 


The  entire  Gos- 


pel. 

Cod.  Alexandrinus  (A).     Wants  vi.  50 

—  viii.  52. 

Cod.  Vaticanus  (B).  The  entire  Gos- 
pel. 

Cod.  Ephraemi  (C).  Eight  consider- 
able fragments,  (i)  i.  i  —  41.  (2)  iii. 
33—  v.  16.  (3)  vi.  38—  vii.  3.  (4)  viii. 
34  —  ix.  ii.  (5)  xi.  8  —  46.  (6)  xiii.  8 

—  xiv.  7.    (7)  xvi.  21  —  xviii.  36.     (8)  xx. 
26  —  end. 

Cod.  Uez(z(D}.  Wants  i.  16  —  iii.  26; 
and  xviii.  13  —  xx.  13  has  been  supplied 
by  a  later  hand,  perhaps  from  the  original 
leaves. 

Cod.  Paris.  (L).  Wants  xxi.  15  — 
end. 

There  are  besides  eight  other  uncial 
MSS.  containing  the  Gospel  complete 
or  nearly  complete;  and  thirteen  which 
contain  more  or  less  considerable  frag- 
ments. 

The  cursive  mss.,  which  are  almost 
of  every  degree  of  excellence,  are  more 
than  600. 

II.  ANCIENT  VERSIONS. 

(1)  The    Old    (Curetonian)     Syriac 
(Syr.vt.).  Four  fragments:  (i)  i.  i  —  42. 
(a)  iii.  5—  vii.  37.     (3)  vii.  37—  viii.  53, 
omitting  vii.  53  —  viii.  n.      (4)  xiv.  n  — 
29. 

The  Vulgate  Syriac  (Peshito,  Syr.  psh.}. 
The  entire  Gospel. 

The  Hardean  Syriac  (Syr.  hcl.}.  The 
entire  Gospel. 

(2)  The  Old  Latin  (Lat.  vt.\     The 
entire  Gospel  in  several  distinct  types. 

The  Vulgate  Latin  (Vulg.).  The 
entire  Gospel. 

The  Memphitic  (Coptic,  in  the  dialect 
of  Lower  Egypt).  The  entire  Gospel. 

The  Thebaic  (Sahidic,  in  the  dialect  of 
Upper  Egypt).  Very  considerable  frag- 
ments have  been  published  in  the 
Appendix  to  Woide's  '  Cod.  Al.  N.  T.'  of 
which  a  collation  is  given  in  Schwartze's 
edition  of  the  Memphitic  Gospels. 

III.  FATHERS. 

In    addition    to    isolated   quotations 


there  remain,  from  early  times :  the 
Commentaries  of  CYRIL  of  ALEXANDRIA 
(nearly  complete);  the  Explanatory  Homi- 
lies of  AUGUSTINE  and  CHRYSOSTOM  ; 
and  large  fragments  of  the  Commenta- 
ries of  ORIGEN  and  THEODORE  of 
MOPSUESTIA. 

This  is  not  the  place  to  enter  in  detail 
upon  the  methods  of  textual  criticism. 
It  must  suffice  to  say  that  the  problem 
is  in  the  first  stage  essentially  historical. 
The  primary  object  of  the  critic  is  to 
discover  in  the  case  of  variations  the 
most  ancient  reading.  When  this  has 
been  done  it  remains  to  take  account  of 
any  arguments  which  may  be  urged 
against  the  authenticity  of  the  earliest 
text.  Unless  these  are  of  great  weight 
the  prerogative  of  age  must  prevail. 
But  this  first  process  cannot  be  accom- 
plished by  simply  taking  the  reading 
of  the  most  ancient  copies,  or  giving  a 
fixed  value,  so  to  speak,  to  each  copy 
according  to  its  antiquity.  The  most 
ancient  copy  is  ceteris  paribus  likely  to 
give  the  most  ancient  text  on  the  whole, 
and  with  a  less  degree  of  probability  in 
each  particular  case.  But  the  ancient 
authorities  often  disagree.  Hence  it  is  a 
necessary  condition  for  the  determina- 
tion of  the  most  ancient  text  to  study 
the  chief  authorities  as  wholes  (i)  se- 
parately, and  (2)  in  their  mutual  rela- 
tions. In  this  way  it  can  be  ascertained 
beyond  doubt  what  MSS.  (for  example) 
preserve  a  distinctly  ante-Nicene  text. 
When  this  is  done  the  mass  of  evidence 
can  be  reduced  to  manageable  dimen- 
sions. If  it  cannot  be  shewn  that  a 
reading  has  any  ante-Nicene  authority, 
it  may  in  almost  all  cases  be  confidently 
set  aside. 

No  one  of  the  existing  MSS.  of  the 
New  Testament  is  older  than  the  fourth 
century;  but  the  earliest,  which  have 
been  already  enumerated,  represent  very 
different  types  of  text,  and  are,  as  far 
as  can  be  ascertained,  of  very  differ- 
ent origin.  To  speak  of  them  all  as 
"  Alexandrine  "  is  in  every  way  mislead- 
ing. 

(i)  A  most  careful  examination  of 
B  leaves  it  in  possession  of  the  title  to 
supreme  excellence.  Its  readings  have 
no  specific  colouring.  It  is  not  unlikely 
that  it  represents  the  text  preserved  in 
the  original  Greek  Church  of  Rome. 


xc 


INTRODUCTION   TO 


(2)  The  texts  of  tf  and   D,  which 
have  much  in  common,  are  of  very  high 
antiquity,  dating  from  the  end   of  the 
second  century.    Their  common  element 
is  closely  akin  to  an  element  in  the  Old 
Syriac   and   Old    Latin    versions,    and 
shews  much  license  in  paraphrase  and 
in    the    introduction    of     synonymous 
phrases  and  words.    The  characteristics 
of  these   MSS.  are  probably   of  Pales- 
tinian origin. 

(3)  The  characteristic  readings  of  C 
and   L  indicate  the  work   of  a  careful 
grammatical  revision.     They  seem  to  be 
due  to  Alexandria. 

(4)  In  the  Gospels  A  gives  a  revised 
(Antiochene)  text  which  formed  the  basis 
of   the  later  Byzantine  texts.      These 
texts  were  almost  exclusively  reproduced 
from  the  sixth  century  onwards. 

The  characteristic  readings  of  B,  of 
fc$D,  and  of  C,  L,  have  all  more  or  less 
support  in  the  ante-Nicene  age.  The 
characteristic  readings  of  A,  on  the  other 
hand,  cannot  be  traced  back  beyond 
the  fourth  century,  though  it  has  also  a 
valuable  ancient  element  in  common 
with  BCL  rather  than  with  KD. 

It  follows  therefore  (speaking  gene- 
rally) that  a  reading  which  is  found  in 
B  and  in  a  primary  representative  of 
one  of  the  other  groups  has  very  high 
claims  to  be  considered  the  original 
reading.  On  the  other  hand  a  reading 
which  is  found  only  in  the  representa- 
tives of  one  of  the  three  last  groups  is 
likely  to  be  a  correction  ;  and  the  same 
may  be  said  of  a  reading  which  is  given 
only  in  representatives  of  the  third  and 
fourth  groups.  Very  few  readings  in  the 
Gospels  will  be  found  to  stand  the  test 
of  a  comprehensive  examination  which 
are  not  supported  by  X  or  B  or  D. 

These  conclusions  necessarily  depend 
upon  an  exhaustive  induction  of  particu- 
lars. No  process  can  be  more  precarious 
than  the  attempt  to  settle  each  case  of 
variation  as  it  arises.  A  reading,  which 
taken  alone  may  appear  to  be  plausible 
or  even  true,  is  often  seen  to  be  an 
ingenious  correction  from  a  consideration 
of  the  characteristics  of  the  authorities 
by  which  it  is  supported  taken  as  a 
group.  No  authority  has  an  unvarying 
value.  No  authority  is  ever  homogene- 
ous. It  is  only  by  taking  a  wide  view 
01  the  grouping  of  the  authorities  that 


a  solid  conclusion  can  be  gained.  And 
in  this  respect  the  evidence  which  is 
available  for  determining  the  text  of  the 
New  Testament  is  so  copious  and  varied 
that  little  final  doubt  can  be  left. 

Very  little  has  been  said  in  detail  on 
various  readings  in  the  notes,  except  on 
a  few  passages  of  unusual  interest.  It 
will  therefore  be  useful  to  give  a  brief 
summary  of  the  authorities  for  a  selec- 
tion of  variations  which  have  a  critical 
interest.  This  may  serve  as  basis  for 
further  study  to  those  who  wish  to  pursue 
the  subject;  and  at  the  same  time  it 
will  illustrate  the  comparative  value  of 
the  different  authorities  in  their  different 
combinations  *. 

i.     Interpretative  or  Supplementary 
Glosses. 

i.  24.  and  they  were  sent  from  the 
Pharisees  (KOL  aTreoTaA.jnei'oi), 
K*A*BC*L  Memph.  See 
note. 

and  they  that  were  sent  were 
of  the  Pharisees  (KCU  01  dire- 
aroX/teW),  NcbA3C3X  (MSS. 
mss.)  Latt.  Syrr. 

—27.  coming  after  me,  tf*B(C*LTb), 
Syr.  vt.  Memph.  He  it  is 
who  coming  after  me  is  pre- 
ferred before  me,  AC3X  (MSS. 
mss.)  Latt.  Comp.  v,  15. 

iii.  15.      may  have  eternal  life. 

may  not  perish  but  have  eternal 
life.  See  note. 

—  25.      a  Jew    N°ABL    (MSS.  mss.) 

Syr.  psh. 

Jews  N*  (MSS.  mss.)  Latt. 
Syr.  vt.  Memph. 

—  34.      he  giveth  not,  tfBCLTb  i   33 

(Lot.  vt.}. 
God  giveth  not,  AC2D  (MSS. 

mss.)  Verss. 

iv.  42.       the  Saviour  of  the  world,  J$B 

C*Tb  Latt.  Syr.  vt.  Memph. 

the  Christ  the  Saviour  of  the 

world,  ADL  (MSS.  mss.). 
v.  4.          See  note. 

1  No  attempt  is  made  to  give  a  complete 
summary  of  the  evidence.  "MSS."  signifies  many 
(or  the  remainder  of)  uncial  and  "mss."  many 
(or  the  remainder  of)  cursive  manuscripts.  Latt. 
and  Syrr.  the  Latin  and  Syrian  versions  in  agree- 
ment ;  and  verss.  versions  generally.  If  the  title 
of  an  authority  is  enclosed  in  (  ),  this  indicates 
that  the  evidence  is  modified  by  some  circum- 
stance or  other. 


THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  JOHN. 


xci 


v,  1 6.        did  ...  persecute,  tfBCDL  i  33 

(Latt.)  Syr.  vt. 

did.., persecute  and  sought  to  slay 
him,  A  (MSS.  mss.).    Comp. 
v.  1 8. 
vi.  9.         a  boy. 

a  single  boy.     See  note. 

—  22.       except  one,  tf  CABL  i  (Latt.}. 

except  that  one  (or  one),  into 
which  his  disciples  (or  the 
disciples  of  Jesus)  entered, 
K*D  (MSS.  mss.)  Syrr. 

—  51.       my  flesh  for  the   life  of  the 

world,  BCDLT  33  Latt. 
Syrr.  vt.  Theb.  (and  {$  in  a 
changed  order). 

my  flesh  which  I  will  give 
for  the  life  of  the  world, 
MSS.  mss.  (A  is  defective) 
(Syrr.)  Memph.  See  note. 

—  59.      teaching... on  a  sabbath,  D  (Lat. 

vt.). 
vii.  46.     never    man  so    spake,   fc$cBLT 

Memph. 

never  man  so  spake  as  this  man 

(speaketh),tf*(D)X  MSS.mss. 

viii.  59.    out  of  the  temple,  N*BD  Latt. 

Theb. 

out  of  the  temple,  and  going 
through  the  midst  of  them 
went  on  his  way  (liropevf.ro) 
and  so  passed  by,  tf^CLX 
33  Memph. 

out  of  the  temple,  going  through 
the  midst  of  them  and  so 
passed  by,  A  (MSS.  mss.) 
Syrr. 

x.  13,  26.  See  notes, 
xi.  41.      the  stone,  tfBC*DLX  33  Latt. 

Theb.  (Syrr.). 

the  stone  where  he  was,  A  i. 
the  stone    where  he  that  was 
dead   was    laid,   C3    (MSS. 
mss.). 

xii.  7.  suffer  her... to  keep  it  (iva...rr)~ 
pjcrg),  NBDLQX  33  (Latt.} 
Memph.  Theb. 

leave  her  alone ;  she  hath  kept 
it  (renfpr/Kev),  A  (MSS.  mss.). 
xiii.  14.    ye  ought  also. 

by  how  much  more  ought  ye 
also,  D  (Lat.  vt.). 

—  32.      And  God  shall  glorify,  N*BC* 

DLX  Lat.  vt. 

If  God  was  glorified  in  him, 
God  shall  also  glorify,  XCA 
(MSS.  mss.)  Vg.  Memph. 


xiv.  4.       and  whither  I  go  ye  know  the 

way,  KBC*LQX  Memph. 
and  whither  I  go  ye  know,  and 
the    way    ye    know,    ADN 
(MSS.  mss.)  Latt.  Syrr. 

—  5.       how  know  we  the  way,  BC*D 

(Lat.  vt.). 
how  can  we    know    the    wav, 

(K)ALNQX  Vg.  Syrr. 
xvi.  16.     shall  see  me,  tfBDL  (Lat.  vt.). 
shall  see  me,   because   I  go  to 

the  Father,    A    MSS.    mss. 

(Memph.}  Syrr.     Comp.  w. 

5»  10. 
xvil  21.   that  they  may  be  in  us,  BC*D 

(Lat.  vt.)  Theb. 
that  they   may  be  one    in    us, 

XAC3LX    MSS.    mss.     Vg. 

Memph.  Syrr. 

See  also  iii.  13,  note. 

In  connexion  with  these  explanatory 
additions,  a  few  passages  may  be  noticed 
in  which  an  easy  word  has  been  substi- 
tuted for  a  more  difficult  one. 

i.  1 6.         Note. 

vi.  63.       Note. 

viiL  1 6.     true  as  satisfying  the  idea 

(aA^inf),  BDLTX  33. 
true     to     facts 
fc*  MSS.  mss. 

x.  38.  t/iatye  may  know  and  may 
understand  (yivojo-KT/re), 
BLX  i  33  Theb.  Memph. 
that  ye  may  know  and  be- 
lieve, NA  (MSS.  mss.) 
Latt. 

2.     Paraphrases. 

The  group  N  D  Syr.  vt.  and  Lat.  vt. 
are  specially  marked  by  paraphrastic 
variations. 

L  4.  in  him  is  life,  tfD  Syr.  vt.  Lat. 

vt.     See  note. 

—  34.       the  chosen  one  of  God,  tf  Syr.  vt. 

See  note, 
ii.  3.         they  had  not  wine  for  the  wine  of 

the  marriage  was  consumed, 

N*  (Lat.  vt.). 
iii.  5.        kingdom  of  heaven,  K*. 

—  6.        is  spirit  because  God  is  spirit, 

and  he  is  born  of  God,  Syr. 
vt.  (Lat.  vt.). 

—  8.       from  water  and  the  spirit,  fc$  Lat. 

vt.  Syr.  vt. 
\.  13.       he  that  was  sickt  D  (Lat,  vt.). 


xcn 


INTRODUCTION   TO 


v.  19.       the  Father  doeth,  Syrr.  Memph. 
vi.  15.       and    declare  (ai/aSeuci/wcu)  him 

king,  N*. 
--       hefleeth  again,  fcs*  (Latt.}  Syr. 

vt.     See  note. 

—  17.      darkness    overtook    (Ka.TeXa.j3ev) 

them,  KD. 

—  51.      from  my  bread,  {<  (Lat.  vt.}. 

x.  38.        if  ye  are  not  willing  to  believe 

me,  D  Latt. 
xi.  9.        how  many  hours  hath  the  day  ? 

D. 

—  33.       was  troubled  in  spirit,  as  moved 

with  indignation  (cos  e/A/3pi- 
/u,co/xevos),  D  I  Thtb. 

xiL  32.      all  things,  ^*D  Latt. 

xiv.  7.  ye  will  know  my  Father  also, 
ND  (Lat.  vt.}. 

xvii.  3.      <2foft/  w«^  z>z/0  //#'.$•  world,  D. 

—  10.       //w#  didst  glorify  me,  D. 
xviii.  37.  concerning  the  truth,  {$*. 

Other  examples  of  readings  character- 
istic of  this  group  will  be  found  in  the 
following  passages: 


.  14 
ii.  15. 
iv.  24,  42,  46,  51. 

v-  9>  13,  25»  S2,  42. 

vi.  3,  23,  25,  27,  37,  46,  56  (note), 

64,  66. 
vii.  i,  6,  12,  26,  37,  47,  48,  50, 

52. 
viii.  1  6,  21,  27. 

i*-  35- 

x.  n,  15,  25,34,39. 

xi.  14. 

xiv.  ii. 

xv.  20. 

xvi.  13,  19. 

xvii.  2,  7,  10,  23  (^yaTT^cra),  26. 

xviii.  i  (note),  35. 

xix.  4,  13,  33,  38. 
xx.  i,  ii,  15,  24  f. 
xxi.  17,  18. 

It  is  not  probable  that  any  one  of 
these  readings  will  commend  itself  to 
the  student;  but  it  must  be  added 
that  in  the  case  of  omission  it  appears 
that  the  authority  of  this  group  is  some- 
times of  greater  weight.  The  omissions 
in  St  John's  Gospel  which  they  support 
in  the  following  passages  are  by  no 
means  unlikely  to  be  correct  : 

iii.  25,  32,  note. 

iv.  9,  for  .  .  .  Samaritans. 


On  the  other  hand  their  omissions  in 
vi.  23,  x.  8  (before  me),  xxi.  23,  are 
not  to  be  admitted. 

The  readings  of  tf  when  they  are  un- 
supported are  often  quite  arbitrary  :  e.  g. 
iii.  36,  vi.  10,  23,  viii.  57,  xi.  31,  xiv.  16, 
xix.  13. 

3.  Passages  in  which  the  sense  is 
considerably  affected  by  the  variation 
are  not  very  numerous  : 

i.  1 6.        Note. 

—i  8.        Note. 

— 28.        Note. 

— 39  (40).  and  ye  shall  see,  BC*LTb  i  33 

(mss.)  Syrr. 

and   see,    tfAX    MSS.    (mss.) 
Latt.  Memph.    Comp.  v.  47. 

— 51.        Note. 

ii.  17.       ze////^/#^w/,KABLPTb(MSS. 

mss.). 
hath  eaten  me  lip,  a  few  mss. 

iii.  15.      Note. 

v.  i.         Note. 

—3  f.       Note. 

vi.  69.      Note. 

vii.  8.       /  go  not  up  yet,  BLTX  (MSS. 

mss.)  Theb.  Syrr. 
I  go  not  up,  KD  (some  MSS. 
mss.)  Lat.  vt.  Syr.  vt. 
Memph.  In  such  a  case  it  is 
right  to  follow  that  combi- 
nation of  ancient  authority 
which  is  elsewhere  most 
trustworthy.  For  the  com- 
bination in  favour  of  "not" 
see  note  on  vi.  15. 

vii.  39.      Note. 

—  53 — viii.  ii.     Note. 

viii.  38.  do  .ye  (or  ye  do)  that  which  ye 
heard  from  the  father  (TOV 
irarpos)  or  your  father, 
KCBCLX  i  33  Memph. 
ye  do  that  which  'ye  have  seen 
with  your  father,  fc$*D(T) 
(MSS.  mss.)  Latt. 

—  44.     Note. 
ix.  35.       Note. 

x.  14.        mine  know   me,    fc$BDL   Latt. 

Memph.  Theb. 
I  am  known  of  mine,  AX  MSS. 

mss.  (Syrr.). 
— 22.        Note. 
xii.  17.      when  he  called,  tfABX  (MSS. 

mss.)  Vg. 

that  he  called,  DL  Lat.  vt.  TJieb. 
Memph. 


THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  JOHN. 


xcni 


xii.  41.      because  he  saw,  fc^ABLX  i  33 

Memph.  Theb. 

when  he  saw,  D  (MSS.  mss.) 
Latt.  Syrr. 

-  47.     and  keep  them  not,  tf ABDLX 

i     33     Latt.     Syrr.     Theb. 

Memph. 

and  believe  not,  (MSS.  mss.). 
xiii.  2.       during    a    supper     (yivojuevov), 

X*BLX. 
a    supper    having    been    made 

(yevopevov),      tfcAD      (MSS. 

mss.). 

—  24.     and  saith  to  him,  Tell  us  who 

it  is  of  whom    he  speaketh, 
(K)BCLX  33  Ztffc 
that  he  should  ask  who  it  was 
of  whom  he  spake,  AD  MSS. 
mss.  Syrr. 

—  25.      leaning  back  as  he  was  (dv 

<TU)V  OUTWS),    (fc$c)   BCLX. 

fat/ing  upon  (eTrwreo-aji'), 

(MSS.  mss.). 
xiv.  io.     doeth  his  works,  tfBD. 

himself  doeth   the  works,    AQ 
(LX)  (MSS.  mss.). 

-  15.    ye  will  keep,  {<BL  Memph. 

keep,  ADQX  MSS.  mss.  Latt. 

Syrr. 
xvii.  ii.    keep  them  in  thy   name  which 

(w)     t/iou    hast     given     me, 

NABCL  (MSS.  mss.),  Syrr. 

Theb.  (5  D*X  mss.). 
keep  in   thy  name  those  whom 

thou  hast  given    me,   a    few 

rnss.  Vg.  Memph. 

—  12.     thy  name  that  thou,  BC*L  33 

(Nc  Theb.  Memph.}. 
thy    name:     those    that    thou, 
ADX     (MSS.     mss.)    Latt. 
Syrr. 
xviii.  15.  Note. 

—  24.  Note. 

xix.  3.       and  they  came  unto  him  and 
said,  NBLX  33  (MSS.  mss.) 
Latt.  Theb.  Memph. 
and  said,  A  (MSS.  mss.). 

A  careful  examination  of  these  pas- 
sages will  shew  how  rarely  A  gives  a 
certain  ante-Nicene  reading  when  au- 
thorities are  divided.  The  relative  late- 
ness of  its  text  compared  with  the  texts 
of  XBD  and  Q  will  be  further  apparent 
from  the  following  passages :  i.  26  (Se), 
39  (tSere),  49;  iv.  21  (Tri'orevcrov),  46 
(d 'IijcTovs) ;  v.  3  (TroXv),  15  (<cai);  vi.  40 


os  ^.e),   45   (ow);  ix.   II,  41 
;  X.  4  (ra  i8ia  irpd^ara),  14-    xi.  31 


( 


In  the  case  of  proper  names  A  seems 
to  have  adopted  the  later  corrections,  as 
in  writing  Capernaum  for  Capharnaum 
(J^BCD,  &c.) ;  and  Jonas  for  John,  as 
the  name  of  the  father  of  St  Peter  (i. 
42).  This  remark  is  not  without  weight 
in  regard  to  the  readings  of  A  in  v.  2; 
xviii.  i  (see  notes). 

On  the  other  hand  it  will  be  no  less 
evident  that  in  the  examples  given  the 
readings  of  B  are  almost  beyond  ques- 
tion correct;  and  further  inquiry  will 
tend  to  prove  that  no  reading  of  B 
which  is  supported  by  independent  au- 
thority, and  certainly  no  reading  of  B 
which  is  supported  by  a  primary  uncial 
(e.g.  tf,  C,  D,  A),  can  be  altogether  set 
aside. 

The  following  examples  will  repay 
study.  Combination  of  ~ 

iv.  15. 

v.  17.        om. 

ix.  20.        d-rreKp.  ovv. 


—  28.         Koi  eXotS. 
xii.  4.         Xe'yei  8t 
xiv.  1 7.     om.  O.VTO  sec. 
xvii.  1 1 .    avroi. 

xix.  24.      om.  17  Xeyovcro. 

—  35- 

—  39- 

Such  considerations  carefully  checked 
and  followed  out  lead  to  conclusions 
which  can  be  confidently  accepted  even 
where  the  most  ancient  evidence  is  un- 
usually divided,  e.g.  i.  21,  iii.  15,  vii.  39, 
viii.  39,  x.  29. 

In  most  cases  of  slight  variation  the 
reading  of  the  text  from  which  A.V.  was 
taken  has  been  silently  corrected,  and  a 
translation  of  that  which  seems  to  be 
the  true  text  substituted  for  A.V. 

It  will  be  convenient  to  add  a  list  of 
these  passages  in  addition  to  those 
variations  which  have  been  already 
noticed. 

i.  29.        he  (John);  42,  Omit  and,  43. 
ii.  4.          Add  And;  io,  Omit  then. 

22.     Omit  unto  them. 
iii.  2.         him  (Jesus}-,  18,  Omit  but. 
iv.  30,  35, 

43.     Omit  departed  thence  and;  50, 


XC1V 


INTRODUCTION   TO 


Omit  and  (i);    52,  therefore 

(and). 
\.  10.       Add   and;     n,     Add    But ; 

12,  Omit  Then;  27,  30,  37, 

Omit  himself ;  add  he. 
vi.  2.        /fo  (his) ;  7,  10,    n,  therefore 

(and);    14,     17,    24,    Omit 

*&»;  35>  38>  39>  42,  ww 
(//&<?#) ;  43,  Omit  therefore; 
47 »  55>  58>  the  OKW) ;  Omit 
manna;  63,  65,  //#  ^  (/#jy 
A),  68,  71. 

vii.  9.  Add  And;  10,  Transpose  /b 
the  feast ;  15,  therefore  (and) ; 

1 6,  Add  therefore;    20,  26, 
Omitzwy;  29,  32,  33,  Omit 
unto  them;  40,  certain  (many), 
46,  50. 

viii.  14.  or  (and);  20,  21,  25,  28,  Omit 
##&  rffow  /  29,  41,  46,  Omit 
<z^,-  48,  52 

ix.  4,  6,  8,  9,  Add  ^Vb,  £«//  10,  12,  14, 

17,  Add  therefore;    20,  21, 
25,  26,  28,  30,  31,  36,  37, 
Omit  And ;   40. 

x.  12,  19,31,  32,  33,  39. 

xi.  12.       Add  to  him;   29,  41,  44,  45, 

that... he  (the  things... Jesus}; 

W,you  (us);  53,  Omit  toge- 
ther; 37. 
xii.  i,  4,  6,   7,   13,  22,  23,  25,  34,  35, 

among  (with). 

xiii.  2,  3,  6,  22,  23,  Omit  Now,  26. 
xiv.  2.       Add/0r;    7,  9,  12,  14,  16,  17, 

«•  (shall  be)  ;  28. 
xv.  7,  10,  n,  14,  26. 
xvi.  3,  4,  A5«r  (/#*);    10,  15,  19,  20,  23, 

25>  27,  29,  32,  33. 

xvii.  i,  4,  17,  /yfe  (^7);  20,  21,  23,  24. 
xviii.  4,  13,  1 8,  Add  0/.ro,  28,  30,  31, 

40,  Omit  all. 
xix.  7,  n,  Add    him;     13,    14,    Omit 

<»*</;    15,    16,    17,    20,  24, 

29,  35,  Add  also;  38,  39. 
xx.  6,  14,  16,   17,  18,  19,  20,   21,  28, 

29. 
xxi.  3,  4,  ii,  12,  13,  15,  21. 

Two  general  conclusions  will  follow 
from  a  careful  study  of  the  different  lists 
of  variations  which  include,  I  believe, 
all  the  passages  where  the  text  of  St 
John  is  in  any  way  doubtful,  (i)  that 
the  utmost  extent  of  variation  is  com- 
paratively unimportant ;  and  (2)  that  the 
most  ancient  text  adds  in  almost  every 
case  some  minute  touch  which  increases 


the  vigour  or  clearness  of  the  language. 
The  criterion  of  apparent  fitness  which 
is  most  ambiguous  when  applied  to 
separate  readings  becomes  trustworthy 
when  it  is  applied  to  a  considerable 
group  of  readings. 


2.     The  interpretation   of  the   Gospel. 

The  first  commentary  on  the  Gospel 
of  St  John  of  which  any  distinct  re- 
cord has  been  preserved  was  written  by 
HERACLEON,  "the  most  esteemed  (Soxi- 
/ACOTCZTOS)  representative  of  the  School 
of  Valentinus  "  (Clem.  Al.  '  Strom.'  iv.  9. 
73),  whose  friend  he  is  said  to  have 
been.  The  work  must  therefore  pro- 
bably be  assigned  to  the  first  half  of  the 
second  century.  The  quotations  pre- 
served by  Origen  shew  that  Heracleon 
dealt  with  long  continuous  passages  of 
the  Gospel  (e.g.  c.  iv.),  but  it  is  not  cer- 
tain that  he  commented  on  the  whole. 
The  text  which  he  followed  had  one 
important  various  reading  (iv.  18,  !£,  six, 
for  7T€We,  five) ;  and  the  manner  in 
which  he  treats  the  book  shews  that  he 
regarded  it  as  of  divine  authority  in  the 
minutest  details,  though  he  frequently 
distorts  its  meaning  by  strange  mystical 
interpretations l. 

The  Commentary  of  ORIGEN  was 
written  at  the  injunction  of  his  friend 
Ambrosius  ('in  Joh.  Tom.'  i.  §§  3,  6).  The 
work  was  begun  and  the  first  five  books 
were  written  at  Alexandria  (c.  A.D.  225, 
Euseb.  'H.E.'  vi.  24),  before  his  ordina- 
tion at  Csesarea  (A.D.  228).  The  troubles 
which  followed  this  event  interrupted  the ' 
task  and  it  seems  not  to  have  been  com- 
pleted, if  indeed  it  ever  was  completed,  till 
more  than  ten  years  after  its  commence- 
ment (comp.  Tom.  vi.  §  i).  Eusebius 
mentions  that  of  the  whole  work  "  only 
twenty-two  books"  (TO/AOI)  had  come 
down  to  his  time.  He  does  not  say  how 
many  there  were  originally.  Jerome, 
according  to  the  common  texts,  speaks 
of  "thirty-four"  or  "thirty-nine"  books 
('  Praef.  Horn,  in  Luc.'),  but  these  readings 

1  Part  of  the  fragments  of  Heracleon  are 
printed  after  Grabe  and  Massuet  in  Stieren's 
Irenseus,  I.  938  ff.  Jerome  mentions  a  Commen- 
tary on  the  four  Gospels  attributed  to  Theophilus 
of  Antioch,  but  questions  its  authenticity  ('  De 
Virr.  111.'  25  ;  'Prsef.  ad  Matt.'  Ep.  CXXI.  6). 


THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  JOHN. 


xcv 


are  commonly  altered  to  "  thirty-two"  on 
the  authority  of  Rufinus  (Huet,  Orig.  in. 
2.  7).  At  present  there  remain  Books 
i.  ii.  (John  i.  i — 7  a),  vi.  (John  i.  19 — 
29),  x.  (John  ii.  12 — 25),  xni.  (John  iv. 
13 — 44),  xix.  (part  John  viii.  19 — 24), 
xx.  (John  viii.  37 — 52),  xxvin.  (John  xi. 
39—57),  xxxn.  (John  xiii.  2—33),  with 
fragments  of  iv.  v.  At  the  beginning 
of  the  thirty-third  book,  which  deals 
with  c.  xiii.,  Origen  speaks  with  doubt 
as  to  the  completion  of  the  whole 
Commentary,  nor  does  he  at  the  end 
of  the  book  give,  as  he  sometimes  does, 
a  promise  of  the  immediate  continua- 
tion of  the  work.  It  is  possible  therefore 
that  his  labours  may  have  ended  at  this 
point.  Certainly  the  whole  Commentary 
would  have  occupied  at  least  fifty 
books. 

The  work  has  Origen's  faults  and  ex- 
cellencies in  full  measure.  It  is  lengthy, 
discursive,  fanciful,  speculative ;  but  it 
abounds  with  noble  thoughts  and  intui- 
tions of  the  truth.  As  a  commentator 
Origen  created  a  new  form  of  theological 
literature. 

Little  remains  of  the  works  of  the 
earlier  Greek  Commentators  of  the  fourth 
century,  THEODORUS  of  Heraclea  (Pe- 
rinthus),  (Theodor.  'H.  E.'  II.  3,  Hieron. 
'  De  Virr.  111.'  90),  and  DIDYMUS  of  Alex- 
andria (Hieron.  'De  Virr.  111.'  105).  The 
'Homilies'  of  CHRYSOSTOM,  composed 
while  he  was  still  at  Antioch  (before 
A.D.  398),  form  the  foundation  of  a  his- 
torical interpretation  of  the  Gospel. 
His  explanations  and  applications  of  the 
text  are  clear,  vigorous  and  eloquent. 
The  reader  will  probably  miss  the  signs 
of  a  spontaneous  sympathy  with  the 
more  mysterious  aspects  of  the  Gospel. 

AUGUSTINE  in  his  '  Lectures  on  St 
John'  (Tractatus  in  Joh.  cxxiv.)  is 
strongest  where  Chrysostom  is  weakest. 
His  ignorance  of  Greek  constantly  be- 
trays him  into  the  adoption  of  a  false 
sense  of  the  words,  but  his  genius  no 
less  frequently  enables  him  to  enter 
with  the  fullest  insight  into  the  thought 
of  a  passage  which  may  escape  the  verbal 
interpreter.  I  have  ventured  not  unfre- 
quently  to  quote  his  terse  and  pregnant 
comments  in  their  original  form.  No 
translation  can  do  them  justice. 

The  Commentaries  of  THEODORE  of 
Mopsuestia  were  popularly  considered 


the  best  of  the  Antiochene  school.  Con- 
siderable fragments  of  his  Commentary 
on  St  John  remain. 

At  the  opposite  extreme  to  Theodore 
is  CYRIL  of  Alexandria,  whose  Comment- 
ary on  St  John  remains  nearly  complete. 
In  this  dogmatic  interests  overpower 
all  other  considerations.  It  was  natural 
that  Cyril  should  read  the  Gospel  in  the 
light  of  the  controversies  in  which  he 
was  absorbed ;  but  under  his  treatment 
the  divine  history  seems  to  be  dissolved 
into  a  docetic  drama.  At  the  same  time 
his  speculations,  like  those  of  the  other 
Alexandrines,  abound  in  isolated  thoughts 
of  great  subtlety  and  beauty. 

The  two  distinct  'Catenae'  of  Corderius 
and  Cramer  contain  extracts  from  other 
Greek  Commentaries,  Ammonius  of 
Alexandria,  Apollinaris  of  Laodicea, 
Severus  of  Antioch,  Theodore  of  Hera- 
clea, &c.,  but  Cyril  closes  the  series 
of  the  great  patristic  interpreters  of 
St  John.  The  Greek  Commentaries  of 
THEOPHYLACT  (t  1107),  and  EUTHYMIUS 
(t  c.  1118),  are  mainly  epitomes  of  Chry- 
sostom, but  both  are  clear  and  sensible. 
The  Latin  Commentaries  of  Beda  and 
Walafrid  Strabo  (Glossa  ordinaria)  de- 
pend largely  on  Augustine. 

RUPERT  of  Deutz  ('Comm.  in  Joh.' 
Libb.  xiv.)  in  this  subject  as  in  others 
shewed  original  power.  His  Commenta- 
ries on  St  John  are  marked  by  great 
fertility  in  subtle  speculation,  though  he 
claims  to  deal  more  with  humble  details 
than  Augustine.  The  fragments  of  the 
Commentary  of  JOHANNES  SCOTUS  ERI- 
GENA  are  not  less  interesting,  and  he 
explains  the  text  carefully. 

More  comprehensive  however  and 
serviceable  than  these  commentaries  is 
the  'Golden  Chain'  (Catena  aurea}  of 
THOMAS  AQUINAS,  which  brings  toge- 
ther a  large  selection  of  comments  from 
Greek  and  Latin  writers.  It  must  how- 
ever be  used  with  great  caution,  for  a 
considerable  proportion  of  the  quota- 
tions adduced  from  early  writers  are 
taken  from  spurious  books. 

Of  the  Commentaries  of  the  sixteenth 
century  it  must  be  sufficient  to  mention 
a  few  which  will  serve  as  representa- 
tives. Those  of  Ferus  (/.  e.  Wild,  of 
Mainz,  1536),  Corn,  a  Lapide  (i.e.  Van 
der  Steen,  Louvain  and  Rome,  1 1637), 
and  Maldonatus  (Maldonato,  of  Sala- 


XCV1 


INTRODUCTION   TO 


manca  and  Paris,  1596;  St  John  is 
unfinished),  among  Roman  Catholic 
scholars ;  of  Brentius  (t.  e.  Brenz, '  Homi- 
lies,' of  Stuttgart,  1528),  and  J.  Gerhard 
(of  Jena,  1617),  among  Lutherans;  of 
Musculus  (i.e.  Meusslin  of  Berne,  1548), 
and  R.  Gualther  ('  Homilies,'  of  Berne, 
1565),  among  the  "Reformed,"  are  all 
conspicuous  for  thought,  research  and 
vigour.  Lampe  (of  Utrecht,  1724)  has 
given  a  very  complete  list  of  the  Com- 
mentaries down  to  his  own  time;  and 
his  own  work  is  a  mine  of  learning, 
which  it  is,  however,  painful  to  work 
from  the  form  in  which  he  has  arranged 
his  materials. 

The  spread  •  of  idealism  in  Germany 
in  the  first  quarter  of  the  present  century 
gave  a  fresh  impulse  to  the  study  of 
St  John.  Fichte  (1806,  'Anw.  z.  sel. 
Leben,'  vi.)  and  Schelling  (1841,  'Werke,' 
II.  4,  pp.  302  f.),  in  different  ways  and 
with  a  partial  conception  of  the  scope  of 
the  Gospel,  insisted  upon  its  primary 
importance  for  the  apprehension  of 
Christian  truth  in  relation  to  the  pre- 
sent age.  When  Neander  began  his 
public  work  (1813),  he  lectured  on  the 
Gospel  of  St  John,  and  on  his  deathbed 
(1850)  he  announced  as  the  subject  of 
his  next  course  "  The  Gospel  of  St  John 
considered  in  its  true  historical  posi- 
tion." Meanwhile  great  light  had  been 
thrown  upon  the  composition  and  con- 
tents of  the  Gospel.  The  commentaries 
of  Liicke  (ist  ed.  1820 — 24),  ofTholuck 
(ist  ed.  1827),  of  Klee  (1829),  of  Ols- 
hausen  (ist  ed.  1832),  of  Meyer  (ist  ed. 
1834),  and  of  De  Wette  (ist  ed.  1837), 
contributed  in  various  degrees  to  illus- 
trate its  meaning. 

It  does  not  fall  within  my  scope  to 
criticise  these  or  later  books '. 

For  obvious  reasons  I  have  thought 
it  best  to  refrain  from  using  modern 
English  Commentaries,  with  one  partial 
exception.  Otherwise  I  have  endea- 
voured to  take  account  as  far  as  possible 
of  the  writings  of  every  school  which 
seemed  likely  to  contribute  to  the  under- 
standing of  St  John.  My  one  aim  has 

1  An  admirable  summary  of  the  literature 
dealing  with  the  authenticity  of  St  John's  Gospel 
has  been  added  by  Dr  C.  R.  Gregory  to  the 
English  translation  of  Luthardt's  '  St  John 
the  Author  of  the  Fourth  Gospel,'  Edinburgh, 
1875- 


.been  to  express  what  seems  to  me  the 
sense  and  teaching  of  his  words.  With 
this  view  I  have,  except  in  a  few  cases, 
simply  given  the  conclusion  at  which 
I  have  arrived  without  reviewing  rival 
opinions,  or  citing  the  authorities  by 
which  it  is  supported  or  opposed.  I 
have  not  however  consciously  passed 
over  or  extenuated  any  difficulty  which 
I  have  been  able  to  feel :  nor  again, 
have  I  called  particular  attention  to 
details  which  happen  to  have  come  into 
undue  prominence  in  modern  contro- 
versy. 

It  would  be  an  idle  task  to  enumerate 
all  the  names  of  those  from  whose 
writings  I  have  sought  and  gained  help ; 
and  I  should  be  unable  to  measure  the 
debts  which  I  owe  to  scholars  who  often 
teach  much  when  they  do  not  command 
assent.  Yet  there  are  some  names 
which  cannot  be  passed  over  in  silence. 
When  I  began  to  work  seriously  at  the 
Gospel  of  St  John  more  than  twenty-five 
years  ago  I  felt  that  I  owed  most  to 
Origen,  Neander,  Olshausen,  Luthardt, 
and,  from  a  very  different  point  of  view,  to 
F.  C.  Baur.  In  arranging  my  thoughts 
during  the  last  eight  years  I  feel  that  I 
owe  most  to  Godet,  whose  Comment- 
ary, except  on  questions  of  textual  criti- 
cism, seems  to  me  to  be  unsurpassed. 
And  on  the  other  hand  Keim  has  con- 
tinually offered  criticisms  and  sugges- 
tions which  have  opened  fresh  sources 
of  illustration  for  the  text.  But  through- 
out this  space  of  Cambridge  work,  the 
living  voice  of  friends  has  been  far  more 
helpful  to  me  than  books.  The  fulness 
of  sympathy  in  common  labour  brings 
light  and  fresh  power  of  vision,  and  not 
only  materials  for  thought. 

Throughout  the  notes  I  have  quoted 
the  renderings  of  the  Latin  Vulgate  in 
the  hope  of  directing  more  attention  to 
the  study  of  it.  It  seems  to  me  that  we 
have  lost  much  in  every  way  from  our 
neglect  of  a  Version  which  has  influenced 
the  Theology  of  the  West  more  pro- 
foundly than  we  know. 

One  department  of  illustration,  it 
must  be  added,  still  calls  for  systematic 
study.  The  didactic  method  and  not 
only  the  language  of  St  John  is  essen- 
tially Hebraic ;  and  very  much  has  still 
to  be  learnt  especially  from  the  Midrash- 
im  before  the  full  force  of  his  record 


THE  GOSPEL  OF  ST.  JOHN. 


XCVll 


can  be  apprehended.  The  collections 
which  Wetstein  has  made  from  Light- 
foot  and  other  early  Rabbinic  scholars, 
Delitzsch's  '  Horae  Hebraicae '  (in  the 
'Ztschr.  f.  Luth.  Theol.');  the  recent 
work  of  Wiinsche  ('Neue  Beitrage  zur 
Erlauterung  der  Evangelien  aus  Talmud 
u.  Midrash,'  Gottingen,  1878),  which 
is  very  useful,  but  by  no  means  always 
exact ;  Siegfried's  '  Philon  von  Alexan- 
dria' (indirectly),  and  Mr  Taylor's  ex- 
cellent edition  of  the  'Sayings  of  the 
Jewish  Fathers'  (Pirke  Aboth\  rather 
point  to  the  rich  mine  than  exhaust  it1. 


There  is  a  remarkable  legend  ('  She- 
moth  R.'  c.  v.),  that  when  the  LORD 
gave  the  Law  from  Sinai  He  wrought 
great  marvels  with  His  voice  (Job  xxxvii. 
5).  "The  voice  sounded  from  the  South; 
and  as  the  people  hastened  to  the 
South,  lo  !  it  sounded  from  the  North. 
They  turned  to  the  North,  and  it  came 
from  the  East.  They  turned  to  the 
East,  and  it  came  from  the  West.  They 
turned  thither,  and  it  came  from  heaven. 
They  lifted  up  their  eyes  to  heaven, 

1  The  '  K61  Kore  '  of  R.  Soloweyczyk  trans- 
lated into  French  under  the  title  'La  Bible,  le 
Talmud  et  1'Evangile,"  Paris,  1875,  St  Matthew 
and  St  Mark,  is  of  little  value  in  this  respect. 


and  it  came  from  the  depths  of  the 
earth.  And  they  said  one  to  another, 
Where  shall  wisdom  be  found?  (Job 
xxviii.  12). 

"And  the  Voice  went  forth  throughout 
the  world,  and  was  divided  into  seventy 
voices,  according  to  the  seventy  tongues 
of  men,  and  each  nation  heard  the 
Voice  in  its  own  tongue,  and  their  souls 
failed  them;  but  Israel  heard  and  suf- 
fered not. 

"And  each  one  in  Israel  heard  it 
according  to  his  capacity ;  old  men,  and 
youths,  and  boys,  and  sucklings  and 
women :  the  voice  was  to  each  one  as 
each  one  had  the  power  to  receive  it" 

The  student  of  St  John  will  find 
the  parable  fulfilled  as  he  ponders 
the  Apostle's  words  with  growing  expe- 
rience, and  unchanged  patience.  He 
himself  limits  the  meaning  which  he 
finds  in  them. 


"Omnes  carnalium  sordes  affectuum 
ab  oculis  cordis  abstergendce  sunt  iis 
qui  in  schola  Christi  venerabilibus  stu- 
dent litteris;  ut  hanc  aliquatenus  valeant 
Aquilam  prosequi,  quam  cordis  munditia 
juvit  ut  claritatem  solis  aeterni,  plus 
ceteris  divinae  visionis  animalibus,  irre- 
verberata  posset  mentis  acie  contemplari" 
(RUPERTUS  OF  DEUTZ). 


THE    GOSPEL    ACCORDING    TO 

ST.    JOHN. 


CHAPTER  I. 

I    The  divinity,  humanity,  and  office  of  Jesus 


Christ.     15   The  testimony  of  John. 
calling  of  Andrew,  Peter,  &t*c. 


The 


IN  the  beginning  was  the  Word, 
and  the  Word  was  with   God, 
and  the  Word  was  God. 


THE  GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  ST  JOHN] 
The  title  of  the  Gospel,  which  is  found  in 
very  different  forms  in  ancient  authorities,  is 
no  part  of  the  book  itself.  The  earliest  au- 
thorities, and  those  which  represent  the  earliest 
text,  give  the  simplest  form :  According  to  John 
(KOTO,  'icodvvrjv  [-dvrjv]  KBD;  sec undum  lohan- 
nem  (as  the  running  heading)  Lat.  vt. ;  and 
so  Syr.  vt.:  of  John).  The  word  Gospel 
which  is  implied  in  this  title  is  supplied  by  the 
mass  of  MSS.  (fi)ayyeXioj»  KOTO.  'I.  [without 
the  article]  ACLX,  Sec. ;  and  so,  as  the  ini- 
tial heading,  Lat.  vt.,  Syr.  vt.).  Very  many 
of  the  later  MSS.  add  the  definite  article  (TO 
Kara  'l.  «i)ayy.),  and  very  many  also  add  an 
epithet:  Tfje  holy  Gospel  according  to  John  (TO 
Kara  'I.  ayiov  eu'ayy.).  A  few  MSS.  give  the 
remarkable  title:  Of  the  [holy]  Gospel  according 
to  John  ((K  ToD  Kara  'I.  [d-y/ou]  f  uayy.).  The 
printed  texts  of  the  Peshito  give:  The  holy 
Gospel  of  the  preaching  of  John  the  preacher. 
There  is  a  similar  variety  in  the  titles  given  in 
the  English  Versions :  D<rf  Godspell  aefter 
Johannes  gerecednesse  [narration]  (Anglo-Sax- 
on). The  Gospel  (Euuangelie)  of  Joon  [or  Joon 
simply]  (Wycliffe).  The  Gospel  of  Saint  John 
(Tyndale  1526,  1534,  1535,  Coverdale,  Mat- 
thew, Great  Bible).  The  Gospel  after  S.  John 
(Taverner  1539,  with  the  running  heading  The 
Gospel  of  S.  John).  The  Gospel  by  Saint  lohn 
(Bishops'  Bible  1568,  1571).  The  Holy  Gospel 
of  Jesus  Christ  according  to  John  (Geneva  1560, 
Rheims  1582  with  the  running  heading  The 
Gospel  according  to  S.  John,  Tomson  1583). 
The  Gospel  according  to  S.  John  (A.  V.  1611). 

THE  PROLOGUE  (i.  i. — 18). 
Though  the  narrative  of  St  John's  Gospel 
is  not  marked  off  by  any  very  distinct  line 
from  the  introductory  verses,  it  has  been  gene- 
rally acknowledged  that  i.  i— 18  forms  an  in- 
troduction to  the  whole  work.  This  conclu- 
sion appears  to  be  completely  established  by  a 
careful  analysis  of  the  contents  of  the  section, 
which  present  in  a  summary  form  the  main 
truths  that  are  illustrated  by  the  records  of 
the  history.  The  first  verse  appears  to  stand 


by  itself:  the  remaining  verses  give  an  outline 
of  the  relations  of  the  Word  to  Creation. 
The  connexion  of  the  different  parts,  and  the 
order  of  progress,  will  be  best  seen  in  a  tabular 
form : 


I.  "THE  WORD  IN   HIS  ABSOLUTE,  ETER- 
G  (v.  i). 

1.  His  Existence:  Beyond  time. 

2.  His  Personal  Existence:  In  active  Com- 

munion with  God. 

3.  His  Nature:  God  in  Essence. 


II.  THE  WORD  IN  RELATION  TO  CREA- 
TION (w.  a — 1 8). 

1.  The  essential  facts  (irv.  a — 5). 
'  i.  The  source  of  creation. 

In  the  divine  counsel  (v.  2). 
ii.  The  act  of  creation  (v.  3). 

The   Word  the   Agent  (through 

Him). 

The  Word  the  Quickening  Pre- 
sence (not  apart  from  Him). 
iii.  The  being  of  things  created  (irv.  4, 

5)- 

a.  In  the  divine  Idea  (v.  4). 

As  to  the  World. 
As  to  Man. 

b.  In  human  history  (v.  5). 

The  continuous  conflict  of 
Light  and  Darkness  fol- 
lowing on  a  critical  assault 
of  Darkness. 

2.  The  historic  manifestation  of  the  Word 
generally  (irv.  6 — 13). 

i.  The  testimony  of  prophecy  repre- 
sented by  John  (-w.  6 — 8). 

a.  John's  personality  (T>.  6). 

b.  The  end  of  his  mission  (i>.  7). 

c.  His  nature  (v.  8). 

ii.  The  manifestations  of  the  Word  (as 
Light)  before  the  Incarnation 
(vv.  9,  10). 

a.  By  special  revelations  (v.  9). 

b.  By    His    immanent    Presence 
(v.  10). 

iii.  The  Coming  of  the  Word  to  the 


ST.  JOHN.   I. 


Chosen   People  consummated  at 
the  Incarnation  (v-v.  n  —  13). 

a.  National  unbelief  (-v.  u). 

b.  Individual  faith  (<w.  la,  13). 

e  Incarnation  as  apprehended  by  per- 
'  sonal  experience  (vv.  14  —  18). 
i.  The  personal  witness  (v.  14). 

a.  The  fact. 

b.  The  observation  of  the  fact. 

c.  The  moral  nature  of  the  fact. 
ii.  The  witness  of  prophecy   (John) 

O-  15)- 

a.  The  promised  Christ. 

b.  His  essential  dignity. 

iii.  The  nature  of  the  revelation  (vv. 
16—  18). 

a.  In  the  experience  of  believers. 

b.  In  relation  to  the  Law. 

c.  In  its  final  source. 

Other  arrangements  of  the  Prologue  have 
been  proposed  which  bring  out  different  as- 
pects. It  has  been  divided  into  two  parts: 
i  —  5  (the  essential  nature  of  the  Word),  6  — 
1  8  (the  historical  manifestation  of  the  Word)  ; 
and  again  into  three  parts:  i  —  5,  6  —  13,  14  — 
1  8,  which  have  been  supposed  to  present  the 
progressive  revelation  of  the  Word,  either  in 
fuller  detail  from  section  to  section,  or  in  his- 
torical order,  as  He  is  essentially,  as  He  was 
made  known  under  the  Old  Covenant,  as  He 
was  made  known  under  the  New  ;  and  yet 
again  into  three  parts:  i  —  4  (the  activity  of 
the  Word  before  the  Incarnation  generally), 
j  —  ii  (the  revelation  of  unbelief),  iz  —  18 
(the  revelation  of  faith). 

The  detailed  examination  of  the  text  will 
shew  how  far  these  arrangements  correspond 
with  the  structure  of  the  whole  passage. 


I. 


THE  WORD  IN  His  ABSOLUTE,  ETER- 
NAL BEING  (v.  i). 

CHAP.  I.    1.   The  first  sentence  of  the  Gos- 
pel offers  a  perfect  example  of  the  stately  sym- 


metry by  which  the  whole  narrative  is  marked. 
The  three  clauses  of  which  it  consists  are  set 
side  by  side  (...and...  and...};  the  Subject  (the 
Word)  is  three  times  repeated;  and  the  sub- 
stantive verb  three  times  occupies  the  same 
relative  position.  The  symmetry  of  form 
corresponds  with  the  exhaustiveness  of  the 
thought.  The  three  clauses  contain  all  that 
it  is  possible  for  man  to  realise  as  to  the  essen- 
tial nature  of  the  Word  in  relation  to  time, 
and  mode  of  being,  and  character:  He  was 
(i)  in  the  beginning:  He  was  (a)  with  God: 
He  was  (3)  God.  At  the  same  time  these  three 
clauses  answer  to  the  three  great  moments 
of  the  Incarnation  of  the  Word  declared 
in  v.  14.  He  who  "was  God,"  became 
Jlesh:  He  who  "was  with  God,"  tabernacled 
among  us  (comp.  i  John  i.  2)  :  He  who 
"was  in  the  beginning,"  became  (in  time). 

This  revelation  is  the  foundation  of  the 
whole  Gospel  of  St  John.     It  sets  aside  the 


false  notion  that  the  Word  became  "per- 
sonal "  first  at  the  time  of  Creation  or  at  the 
Incarnation.  The  absolute,  eternal,  imma- 
nent relations  of  the  Persons  of  the  Godhead 
furnish  the  basis  for  revelation.  Because  the 
Word  was  personally  distinct  from  "God" 
and  yet  essentially  "God,"  He  could  make 
Him  known.  Compare  an  interesting  pas- 
sage of  Irenasus :  n.  30.  9. 

In  the  beginning']  The  phrase  carries  back 
the  thoughts  of  the  reader  to  Gen.  i.  i, 
which  necessarily  fixes  the  sense  of  the  begin- 
ning. Here,  as  there,  "the  beginning"  is 
the  initial  moment  of  time  and  creation ;  but 
there  is  this  difference,  that  Moses  dwells  on 
that  which  starts  from  the  point,  and  traces 
the  record  of  divine  action  from  the  beginning 
(comp.  i  John  i.  i,  ii.  13),  while  St  John 
lifts  our  thoughts  beyond  the  beginning  and  / 
dwells  on  that  which  "  was "  when  time, 
and  with  time  finite  being,  began  its  course. 
Comp.  Prov.  viii.  23.  Already  when  "God 
created  the  heaven  and  the  earth,"  "the  Word 
wrt-r."  The  "  being  "  of  the  Word  is  thus 
necessarily  carried  beyond  the  limits  of  time, 
though  the  pre-existence  of  the  Woro^is  not 
definitely  stated.  The  simple  affirmation  of 
existence  in  this  connexion  suggests  a  loftier 
conception  than  that  of  pre-existence ;  which 
is  embarrassed  by  the  idea  of  time.  Pre- 
existence  however  is  affirmed  in  a  different 
connexion:  ch.  xvii.  5. 

This  force  of  in  the  beginning  is  brought 
out  by  a  comparison  with  the  corresponding 
phrase  in  i  John  i.  i,  from  the  beginning.  The 
latter  marks  the  activity  of  the  Word  in  time 
from  the  initial  point :  the  former  emphasizes 
the  existence  of  the  Word  at  the  initial  point, 
atad  so  before  time. 

<zixw]  The  verb  was  does  not  express  a 
completol  past,  but  rather  a  continuous  state.  / 
The  imperfect  tense  of  the  original  suggests  in 
this  relation,  as  far  as  human  language  can  do 
so,  the  notion  of  absolute,  supra- temporal, 
existence. 

the  Word]  This  translation  of  the  original 
(Xoyof,  Vulg.  verbum,  though  some  early  Latin 
authorities  give  sermo)  ought  undoubtedly  to 
be  kept.  It  is  probable  that  there  is  a  refer- 
ence to  the  language  of  G«n7l:-^ff.  "God 
said."  For  the  history  and  meaning  of  the 
term  Logos  see  Introduction  p.  xv.  Here 
it  will  be  sufficient  to  observe:  \^>> 

i.  The  personal  title  Logos  is  usedaEsolutely 
only  in  -w.  i,  14  (Rev.  xix.  13;  Heb.  iv.  ia — 
the  Word  of  God).  In  i  John  i.  i  the  phrase 
the  Word  of  life  is  not  personal,  but  equivalent 
to  "the  revelation  of  the  life." 

a.  The  term  Xoyor  never  has  the  sense  of 
reason  in  the  New  Testament. 

3.  St  John  introduces  the  term  without 
any  explanation.     He  assumes  that  his  readers 
are  familiar  with  it. 

4.  The  theological  use  of  the  term  appears 


-  2,  3-] 


ST.  JOHN.   I. 


•  Gen.  i.i.      2  "The  same  was  in  the  beginning    and  without  him  was  not  any  thing 

with  God.  made  that  was  made. 

•  Coi.i.i6.      ^  *A11  things  were  made  by  him ; 


to  be  derived  directly  from  the  Palestinian 
Memra,  and  not  from  the  Alexandrine  Logos. 

5.  Though  the  term  is  not  used  in  the 
apostolic  writings  in  the  sense  of  Reason,  yet 
the  first  verse  deals  with  the  divine  relations 
independently  of  the  actual  revelation  to  men. 
The  "  Word"  (Xoyov)  of  i>.  i  includes  the  con- 
ception of  the  immanent  word  (Xdyor  tvStadt- 
ror)  of  Greek  philosophy  in  thought  though 
not  in  language.     But  the  idea  is  approached 
from  the  side  of  historical  revelation.     He 
who  has  been   made    known  to  us  as  "the 
Word"   <was  in  the    beginning.     Thus  the 
economic  Trinity,  the  Trinity  of  revelation, 
is  shewn  to  answer  to  an    essential   Trinity. 
The  Word  as  personal  (tVvn-ooraror)  satisfies 
every  partial  conception  of  the  Logos. 

6.  The  personal  titles " the  Word "  and  "the 
Word  of  God  "  must  be  kept  in  close  connexion 
with  the  same  terms  as  applied  to  the  sum  of 
the  Gospel  in  the  New  Testament,  and  with 
the  phrase  "the  word  of  the  Lord"  in  the  pro- 
phecies of  the  Old  Testament.     The  Word, 
before  the  Incarnation,  was  the  one  source  of 
the  many  divine  words;  and  Christ,  the  Word 
Incarnate,  is  Himself  the  Gospel. 

7.  The  evangelist  uses  the  title  Word  and 
not  Son  here,  because  he  wishes  to  carry  his 
readers  to  the  most  absolute  conceptions. 

was  with  God\  The  phrase  ($y  irpos,  Vulg. 
erat  apud)  is  remarkable.  It  is  found  also 
Matt.  xiii.  56 ;  Mark  vi.  3 ;  Mark  ix.  19 ;  Mark 
xiv.  49;  Luke  ix.  41;  i  John  i.  2.  The  idea 
conveyed  by  it  is  not  that  of  simple  coexist- 
ence, as  of  two  persons  contemplated  sepa- 
rately in  company  (dvai  furd,  iii.  26,  &c.), 
or  united  under  a  common  conception  (rti/nt 
true,  Luke  xxii.  56),  or  (so  to  speak)  in  local 
relation  (dvai  napd,  ch.  xvii.  5),  but  of  being 
(in  some  sense)  directed  towards  and  regu- 
lated by  that  with  which  the  relation  is  fixed 
(v.  19).  The  personal  being  of  the  Word  was 
realised  in  active  intercourse  with  and  in  per- 
fect communion  with  God.  Compare  Gen. 
i.  26,  where  the  same  truth  is  expressed  under 
distinct  human  imagery.  The  Word  "was 
with  God"  before  He  revealed  God.  The 
main  thought  is  included  in  the  statement  that 
God  is  Jove  (i  John  iv.  16  ;  comp.  ch.  xvii. 
44);  and  it  finds  expression  in  another  form 
in  the  description  of  "the  life,  the  life  eternal, 
which  was  manifested  to  men."  This  life 
"was  with  the  Father"  (qj/  npos  TOV  iraTtpa., 
not  Trpos  TOV  6fov,  i  John  i.  2) :  it  was  real- 
ised in  the  intercommunion  of  the  divine 
Persons  when  time  was  not. 

the  Word  'was  God'}  The  predicate  (God) 
stands  emphatically  first,  as  in  iv.  24.  It  is 
necessarily  without  the  article  (B(6s  not  o  6e or) 
inasmuch  as  it  describes  the  nature  of  the 

New  Test. — VOL.  II. 


Word  and  does  not  identify  His  Person.  It 
would  be  pure  Sabellianism  to  say  "the  Word 
was  o  0for."  No  idea  of  inferiority  of  nature 
is  suggested  by  the  form  of  expression,  which 
simply  affirms  the  true  deity  of  the  Word. 
Compare  for  the  converse  statement  of  the 
true  humanity  of  Christ  v.  47  (on  vlos  av- 
6pu>irov  ((rriv  note). 

On  the  other  hand  it  will  be  noticed  that 
"the  Word"  is  placed  in  personal  relation  to 
"God"  (o  6f6i)  spoken  of  absolutely  in  the 
second  clause;  while  in  the  third  clause  "the 
Word"  is  declared  to  be  "God,"  and  sov  . 
included  in  the  unity  of  the  Godhead.  Thus  x^ 
we  are  led  to  conceive  that  the  divine  nature 
is  essentially  in  the  Son,  and  at  the  same  time 
that  the  Son  can  be  regarded,  according  to 
that  which  is  His  peculiar  characteristic^  in 
relation  to  God  as  God.  He  is  the  "image 
of  God  "  (fiKO)i>  TOV  6(ov)  and  not  simply  of 
the  Father. 

II.    THE   WORD  IN  RELATION  TO  CRE- 
ATION (vu.  2 — 1 8). 

This  main  section  of  the  Prologue  falls  into 
three  parts: 

1.  The  essential  facts  (vv.  2 — 5). 

2.  The  historic   manifestation  of  the  Word 

generally  (vv.  6 — 13). 

3.  The  Incarnation  as  apprehended  by  per- 

sonal experience  (vv.  14 — 1 8). 

The  Evangelist  having  given  in  the  first 
verse  such  an  idea  as  man  can  receive  of  the 
Word  in  Himself,  next  traces  out  step  by 
step  the  mode  in  which  the  Word  has  entered 
into  relation  with  Creation. 

i.     The  essential  facts  (v-v.  2 — 5). 

This  sub-section  lays  open  the  source  of 
creation  in  the  divine  counsel  (v.  2),  the  act  of 
creation  through  the  Word  and  by  His  Pre- 
sence (v.  3),  the  being  of  things  created  in  the 
divine  idea  (v.  4),  and  as  manifested  in  history 
C».  5)- 

2.  In  passing  from  the  thought  of  the 
Personal  Being  of  the  Word  in  Himself  to 
the  revelation  of  the  Word,  the  Evangelist 
brings  the  revelation  into  the  closest  con- 
nexion with  the  essential  Nature  of  the  Word 
by  the  repetition  in  combination  of  the  three 
clauses  of  the  ist  verse  :  The  same  <zvas  in  the 
beginning  (with  God.  At  the  moment  of  crea- 
tion that  relation,  which  twos  eternally,  was 
actually  effective.  Creation  itself  was  (in 
some  sense)  the  result  of  the  eternal  fellowship 
expressed  in  the  relation  of  the  Word  to  God. 

The  same']  Literally,  This  [Word]  ;  He 
who  has  just  been  declared  to  be  God.  The 
pronoun  implies  and  emphasizes  the  whole 
previous  definition.  Comp.  vi.  46,  vii.  18,  &c. 

B 


ST.  JOHN.    I. 


[v-  4,  5- 


4  In  him  was  life ;  and  the  life  was         5  And  the  light  shineth  in  darkness ; 
the  light  of  men.  and  the  darkness  comprehended  it  not. 


3.  All  things']  The  exact  form  (navra) 
expresses  all  things  taken  severally,  and  not 
all  things  regarded  as  a  defined  whole  (TO 
Traira,  Col.  i.  16).  The  thought  to  be  brought 
out  is  that  of  the  vast  multiplicity  of  created 
things  (spirits,  matter,  &c.).  Of  all  these  no 
one  came  into  being  without  the  Word.  For 
this  reason  the  term  "the  world"  (o  *so<r/ios, 
•vv.  9,  10)  is  purposely  avoided. 

were  made]  Literally,  became  (iyivero). 
Creation  itself  is  represented  as  a  "becoming  " 
in  contrast  with  the  "  being  "  emphasized 
before.  The  same  contrast  recurs  in  -w.  6,  9. 

Three  distinct  words  are  used  in  the  New 
Testament  to  convey  the  conception  of  crea- 
tion, (i)  to  create  (icTi'jjVii/),  and  (a)  to  make 
(iroiflv),  in  reference  to  the  Creator;  and  (3) 
to  become  (yiyvfirdai),  in  reference  to  that 
which  is  created.  The  first  word  (Rev.  iv. 
n,  x.  6  ;  Col.  i.  1  6,  &c.)  suggests  the  idea  of 
design,  plan,  purpose  ;  the  second  (Rev.  xiv. 
7  ;  Mark  x.  6,  &c.),  of  an  actual  result  or 
object  produced  (comp.  Eph.  ii.  10)  ;  the 
third,  of  the  law  fulfilled  in  the  production  of 
the  object.  The  use  of  "become"  in  w.  14, 
17,  brings  out  its  force  as  expressive  of  the 
unfolding  of  a  divine  order. 

by  him]  through  Him.  The  Word  is  de- 
scribed as  the  mediate  Agent  of  Creation  (Bid, 
through,  not  VTTO,  by).  Comp.  Col.  i.  16; 
Heb.  i.  2.  The  Father  is  the  one  spring, 
source  (707777),  and  end  of  all  finite  being,  as 
He  is  of  the  Godhead.  All  things  are  of  Him 
...through  Jesus  Christ...^  Cor.  viii.  6).  Thus 
in  different  relations  creation  can  be  attributed 
to  the  Father  and  to  the  Son.  Comp.  v.  17. 

without  him]  Literally,  apart  from  Him 
(comp.  xv.  5).  Creation  is  set  forth  under 
a  twofold  aspect,  as  depending  on  the  divine 
Agency  and  on  the  divine  Presence.  It  is 
first  called  into  being  by  the  Word,  and  then 
sustained  in  being  by  Him  (Heb.  i.  3). 
Compare  the  use  of  in  Him,  Col.  i.  16,  17  ; 
Acts  xvii.  28. 

was  not  any  thing  made}  The  true  form  of 
the  text  gives  not  even  one  thing  (ov8e  «»)» 
for  "not  anything"  (ov8«V).  St  John  em- 
phasizes the  universality  of  the  action  of  the 
Word.  The  same  thought  is  expressed  in 
detail  by  St  Paul  :  Col.  i.  16. 

For  the  combination  of  a  positive  and 
negative  expression  to  express  the  fulness  of 
truth,  see  ch.  iii.  16,  vi.  50  ;  i  John  i.  5,  ii.  4, 
«7,  v.  12. 

was  made~\  hath  been  made.  The  change 
of  tense  (from  lylvfro  to  yiyovtv)  distinguishes 
the  act  of  creation  (aor.~)  from  the  continuance 
of  things  created  (perf.).  Compare  Col.  i.  16 


3,  4.  ...that  was  made  (hath  been  made). 
In  him  was  life...~\  The  original  words  admit 
two  very  distinct  divisions.  The  last  clause 


of  v.  3  may  be  taken  either  (i)  with  the 
words  which  precede,  as  A.V.,  or  (2)  with 
the  words  which  follow.  It  would  be  difficult 
to  find  a  more  complete  consent  of  ancient 
authorities  in  favour  of  any  reading,  than  that 
which  supports  the  second  punctuation : 
Without  Him  was  not  anything  made.  That 
which  hath  been  made  in  Him  was  life.  See 
Note  at  the  end  of  the  Chapter. 

4.  the   life  was   the   light  of  men]     The 
works  of  the  Word  supplied  for  a  time,  from 
within  and  from  without,  that  which  He  sup- 
plied more  completely  by  His  personal  mani- 
festations  (ix.  5,  note),   and  afterwards  by 
His  historical  Presence  (viii.  12,  xii.  46),  and 
yet  more  completely  by  His  Presence  through 
the  Spirit  in  the   Church.     He  is   Himself, 
however  revealed,  the  Light  of  men  and  of 
the  world  (viii.  12,  ix.  5). 

the  light]  the  one  light.  It  must  be  ob- 
served that  the  Word  is  not  here  spoken  of 
directly  as  "the  Light  of  men."  He  is  "the  / 
Light"  through  the  medium  of  "Life."  In 
part  and  according  to  the  divine  constitution 
of  things  He  is  made  known,  and  makes 
Himself  known,  in  and  through  the  vital 
processes  of  creation. 

of  men]  of  men  as  a  class  (rS>v  an6pwiru>v) 
and  not  of  individuals  only.  Comp.  iii.  19, 
xvii.  6.  Man  as  made  in  the  image  of  God 
stood  in  a  special  relation  to  the  Word.  "He 
saith  not  the  Light  of  the,  Jews  only  but  of 
all  men ;  for  all  of  us,  in  so  far  as  we  have 
received  intellect  and  reason  from  that  Word 
which  created  us,  are  said  to  be  illuminated 
by  Him"  (Theophylact,  quoted  by  Thomas 
Aqu.). 

5.  In  v.  4  the  divine  essence  and  the  divine 
purpose  of  creation  are  declared  from  the  side 
of  God ;  in  v.  5  the  Evangelist  describes  the 
actual  state  of  things  from  the  side  of  man. 
The  description    holds    good    generally.     It 
embraces  the  experience  of  Judaism  and  Hea- 
thendom, of  pre-Christian  and  post- Christian 
times.    The  truth  which  found  its  most  signal 
fulfilment  in  the  historical  Presence  of  Christ, 
was  established  in  various  ways  both  before 
and  after  it.    The  conflict  of  Light  and  Dark- 
ness which  represents  one  aspect  of  the  history 
of  the  Gospel,  represents  also  one  aspect  of  all 
human  history. 

the  light}  It  is  probable  that  the  word 
must  be  taken  in  a  somewhat  wider  sense  in 
this  clause  than  in  the  last,  so  as  to  include 
not  only  the  manifestations  of  the  Word  (as 
"Life")  through  "Nature"  in  the  widest 
sense  of  the  term,  but  also  the  Personal  mani- 
festations of  the  Word.  It  is  impossible  for 
us  to  judge  how  far  the  two  series  of  mani- 
festations may  be  in  fact  united.  Comp.  Ps. 
xxxvi.  9. 


v.  6,  7.] 


ST.  JOHN.    I. 


Matt  3.        5  q  f  The  re  was  a  man  sent  from         7    The    same    came    for    a    wit- 
God,  whose  name  was  John.  ness,  to  bear  witness  of  the  Light, 


K 


shineth']  Comp.  i  John  ii.  8.  The  light 
does  not  "  appear"  only  ;  it  "lightens,"  Gen. 
i.  17  ;  Ps.  Ixxvii.  18,  xcvii.  4  (LXX.).  It  is 
of  the  essence  of  light  to  invade  the  realm  of 
darkness.  The  word  ($ai'i/«i/)  describes  that 
which  is  the  action  of  light  in  itself,  as  dis- 
tinguished from  its  effects  as  "illuminating" 
men  ((£om'f«i/,  v.  9).  This  action  of  the 
Light  is  not  to  be  limited  to  any  one  point. 
It  is  continuous  from  the  creation  to  the 
consummation  of  things,  though  there  have 
been  times  when  it  has  flashed  forth  with 
peculiar  splendour. 

in  darkness']  in  the  darkness.  Side  by 
side  with  the  light  the  darkness  appears  sud- 
denly and  without  preparation.  An  acquaint- 
ance with  the  history  of  the  Fall  is  evidently 
presupposed.  The  perfect  fellowship  of  man 
and  God  has  been  broken.  Man  in  his  self- 
will  has  separated,  isolated  himself.  He  has 
made  for  himself,  so  to  speak,  an  atmosphere 
of  darkness,  by  seeking  to  sever  his  life  from 
the  Source  of  life.  For  all  that  is  without 
God,  apart  from  Him,  is  darkness.  Comp. 
i  John  i.  5. 

comprehended  (overcame)  it  not]  The  verb 
in  the  original  ((cartXa/S*!/)  has  received  two 
very  different  renderings — overcame  and  ap- 
prehended. It  is  found  again  in  a  parallel  pas- 
sage, xii.  35,  that  darkness  overtake  you  not; 
and  also  in  an  old  reading  of  vi.  17,  the  dark- 
ness overtook  them.  In  these  cases  the  sense 
cannot  be  doubtful.  The  darkness  comes 
down  upon,  enwraps  men.  As  applied  to 
light  this  sense  includes  the  further  notion  of 
overwhelming,  eclipsing.  The  relation  of  dark- 
ness to  light  is  one  of  essential  antagonism. 
If  the  darkness  is  represented  as  pursuing  the 
light  it  can  only  be  to  overshadow  and  not  to 
appropriate  it.  And  this  appears  to  be  the 
meaning  here.  The  existence  of  the  darkness 
is  affirmed,  and  at  the  same  time  the  unbroken 
energy  of  the  light.  But  the  victory  of  the 
light  is  set  forth  as  the  result  of  a  past  struggle; 
and  the  abrupt  alteration  of  tense  brings  into 
prominence  the  change  which  has  passed  over 
the  world.  It  could  not  but  happen  that  the 
darkness  when  it  came  should  seek  to  cover 
all ;  and  in  this  attempt  it  failed :  the  light 
is  shining  in  the  darkness,  and  the  darkness 
overcame  it  not. 

This  general  interpretation  of  the  word, 
which  is  completely  established  by  the  usage  of 
St  John  (comp.  i  Thess.  v.  4),  is  supported 
by  the  Greek  Fathers;  but  the  Latin  version 
gives  the  rendering  comprehenderunty  "took 
hold  of,"  "embraced."  This  sense,  however, 
and  that  of  "understood"  (expressed  in  the 
New  Testament  by  the  middle  voice  of  the 
verb:  Acts  iv.  13,  x.  34,  xxv.  25  ;  Eph.  iii. 


1 8)  seem  to  be  inconsistent  with  the  image 
and  foreign  to  the  context.  The  darkness.,  as 
such,  could  not  "seize,"  "appropriate,'*  the 
light.  In  doing  this  it  would  cease  to  exist. 
And  yet  further,  the  notion  of  the  historical 
development  of  revelation  is  not  at  present 
pursued.  The  great  elements  of  the  moral 
position  of  the  world  are  stated :  their  combi- 
nations and  issues  are  outlined  afterwards.  In 
this  respect  v.  5  is  parallel  with  9 — 13,  indi- 
cating the  existence  and  continuance  of  a  con- 
flict which  is  there  regarded  in  its  contrasted 
issues.  The  whole  phrase  is  indeed  a  startling 
paradox.  The  light  does  not  banish  the  dark- 
ness: the  darkness  does  not  overpower  the 
light.  Light  and  darkness  coexist  in  the 
world  side  by  side. 

4.     The    historic   manifestation    of  the   Word 

generally  (vv.  6 — 13). 
In  the  former  section  the  great  facts  which 
issue  in  the  spiritual  conflict  of  life  have  been 
set  forth.  The  Evangelist  now  traces  in  out- 
line the  course  of  the  conflict  which  is  ap- 
prehended in  its  essential  character  in  the  final 
manifestation  of  the  Light.  This  manifesta- 
tion was  heralded  by  prophecy,  of  which  John 
the  Baptist  was  the  last  representative  (vv.  6 — 
8).  It  had  been  prepared  also  by  continuous 
revelations  of  the  Word,  as  light,  at  once 
through  special  communications  (v.  9),  and 
by  His  immanent  Presence  (v.  10).  But 
when  He  came  to  His  own  in  the  fulness  of 
time,  He  found,  as  the  Incarnate  Saviour, 
national  unbelief  (v.  n)  relieved  only  by  in- 
dividual faith  (vv.  u,  13).  The  conflict 
shadowed  out  before  (v.  5)  still  continued. 

6 — 8.  The  office  of  prophecy  is  shewn 
through  the  work  of  the  Baptist;  of  whom 
the  Evangelist  speaks  in  regard  to  his  person- 
ality (v.  6),  the  end  of  his  mission  (v.  7),  his 
nature  (v.  8).  The  abrupt  introduction  of 
John  is  explained  by  the  fact  that  the  review 
of  the  revelation,  preparatory  to  the  Incarna- 
tion, starts  from  the  last,  that  is  the  most  in- 
telligible, stage  in  it.  The  Baptist — a  priest  and 
a  Nazarite — was  the  completed  type  of  the 
Prophet  (Matt.  xi.  9  f.  and  parallels) ;  and  it 
was  by  the  Baptist,  an  interpreter  of  the  Old 
Dispensation  and  herald  of  the  New,  that  St 
John  himself  was  guided  to  Christ  (vv.  35  ff.). 

6.  There  -was ...]  More  exactly,  There 
arose,  became  (V-y««To)...Each  of  the  three 
words  in  the  original  which  describe  the  ad- 
vent of  John  is  expressive.  His  "becoming" 
is  contrasted  with  the  "being"  of  the  Word 
(v.  9).  He  is  spoken  of  as  "a  man''  with  a 
significant  reference  to  the  mystery  realised  in 
v.  14.  And  at  the  same  time  he  was  charged 
with  a  divine  mission. 

B  2 


ST.  JOHN.    I. 


[v.  8,  9. 


that    all    men    through    him    might    was   sent  to   bear    witness    of   that 
believe.  Light. 

8    He   was   not   that   Light,    but         9  That  was  the  true  Light,  which 


sent  from  God~\  from  (irapd)  and  not  simply 
by  God  (comp.  xv.  26).  On  the  word  used 
here  for  send  (dn-ooreXAw),  see  xx.  21  note. 
Comp.  Mai.  iii.  i,  ch.  iii.  28.  The  two  words 
(was,  sent)  are  not  a  mere  periphrasis  for 
"was  sent:"  they  fix  attention  separately  on 
the  person  and  on  the  mission  of  the  Baptist. 

whose  name...']  Rather  (in  accordance 
with  St  John's  sharp  brief  style;  so  iii.  i), 
his  name  was....  Possibly  an  allusion  to  the 
meaning  of  the  name  (Theodore,  Gotthold, 
God's  gracious  gift)  underlies  the  clause. 
Compare  Luke  i.  63. 

John]  On  the  use  of  the  simple  name  with- 
out any  title  in  the  fourth  Gospel,  see  Introd. 

7.  The  same]  He  who  was  of  such  a 
nature,  so  commissioned,  so  named.  Corop. 
v.  2,  and  contrast  the  pronoun  in  v.  8. 

came  for  a  witness,  to  bear...  that...  ] 
came  for  witness,  that  lie  might  bear... 
that  all  men... John's  mission  is  first  set  forth 
under  its  generic  aspect:  he  came  for  wit- 
ness (fly  paprvptav),  not  for  a  witness;  and 
then  its  specific  object  (u>a  /uapr.  Trepi  r.  0.)  and 
its  final  object  (iva  TT.  Trtor.)  are  defined  coor- 
dinately  (that... that...).  This  combination  of 
successive  and  related  ends  under  one  form  of 
construction,  is  characteristic  of  St  John's 
style:  comp.  xx.  31,  xv.  16,  xvii.  21,  23  f. 
For  the  phrase  "for  witness "  compare  the  kin- 
dred phrase  Matt.  viii.  4,  x.  18,  xxiv.  14  ((ls 
naprvptov);  Mark  vi.  u.  The  coming  of  the 
Baptist  (»JX#e)  in  the  fulfilment  of  his  office  is 
contrasted  with  his  personal  coming  (fycVcro 
v.  6). 

for  witness]  On  the  idea  of  "witness" 
see  Introd.  The  office  of  the  prophet  in  the 
fullest  sense  is  to  make  known  Another.  This 
office  had  been  fulfilled  "in  many  parts  and  in 
many  fashions"  by  all  God's  messengers  in 
earlier  times,  and  at  last  eminently  by  the 
Baptist  (comp.  iii.  30).  He  came,  as  his  pre- 
decessors, but  with  a  clearer  charge,  to  bear 
witness  concerning  the  Light,  to  interpret  to  men 
the  signs  of  a  divine  will  and  guidance  with- 
out them  and  within  them,  and  then  to  point 
to  Him  who  was  Himself  the  Life  and  the 
Light.  In  this  way  provision  was  made  for 
leading  men  in  human  ways  to  recognise  the 
divine. 

all  men]  The  prophets  had  prepared  the 
way  for  the  extension  of  the  divine  call  be- 
yond Israel  (comp.  Isai.  xlix.  6).  The  Bap- 
tist at  last  delivered  a  message  which  in  its 
essence  was  universal.  As  the  last  prophet, 
the  last  interpreter  of  the  Law,  he  carried  the 
preparatory  discipline  to  its  final  application. 
He  spoke  to  men  as  men ;  outward  descent, 
national  privileges,  disappeared  from  their  place 


in  the  divine  order  from  the  time  of  his  preach- 
ing. The  basis  of  his  preaching  was  repent- 
ance— inner  self-renunciation — the  end  was 
faith.  In  this  connexion  it  is  to  be  noticed 
that  the  conception  of  faith  is  sharpened  by 
being  left  in  an  absolute  form :  that  all  men 
might  believe  (contrast  -v.  12)  through  him 
(John).  There  can  be  but  one  adequate  ob- 
ject of  faith,  even  God  made  known  in  the 
Son.  Believe  is  used  similarly  -v.  51,  v.  44, 
xi.  15,  xiv.  29,  &c.,  iv.  41  f.,  53,  xix.  35,  xx. 

*9>  3i. 

The  character  of  the  Baptist's  preaching  is 
implied  in  its  scope.  The  phrase  "all  men"  is 
unintelligible  except  on  the  supposition  that 
the  universal  gospel  was  preceded  by  a  call  to 
repentance.  But  it  is  worthy  of  remark  that 
St  John  does  not  notice  explicitly  his  call  to 
repentance,  nor  do  the  terms  "repent,"  "re- 
pentance" find  a  place  in  his  Gospel  or  Epistles  ' 
("Repent"  occurs  frequently  in  the  Apo- 
calypse). Thus  the  correspondence  between 
St  John  and  the  Synoptists  as  to  the  character 
of  the  Baptist's  work  is  complete  without  a 
correspondence  of  letter. 

through  him]  that  is  the  Baptist,  not  the 
Light.  The  message  of  the  Baptist  has  an 
absolute  and  enduring  power.  He  still  in 
spirit  goes  before  Christ. 

8.  He  was  not  that  (the)  Light]     From 
this  passage  and  other  similar  passages  (v.  20, 
iii.  26  flf.)  it  has  been  plausibly  argued  that  the 
Evangelist  was  familiar  with  some  who  un- 
duly exalted  the  Baptist.     Comp.  Acts  xix. 

3  f.     John  was  "the  lamp"  (v.  35)  and  not    \! 
the  light.     The  pronoun  of  reference  which     y 
is  used  (fKflvot)  isolates  and  so  fixes  attention 
upon  the  person  referred  to.     Comp.  i.  18, 
note,  ii.  21,  note. 

but  was  sent  to...']  Literally,  but  that. . .  The 
ellipse  is  best  filled  up  from  <v.  7  :  but  came 
that  he  might...  Comp.  ix.  3,  xv.  25,  note. 

9,  10.     The  preparation  of  prophecy,  re- 
presented by  John,  was  one  part  of  the  edu- 
cation of  the  world.     The  Word  Himself  as 
light  (v.  5)  visited  the  world  which  He  had 
made  (v.  9),  and  was  in  it  still  (v.  10). 

9.     That  was  (There  was)  the  true  Light 
...that  cometh  (coming)  into  the  world]    The 
original  text  isNambiguous.    The  participle    . 
coming  (ep^d/ievoi/^may  agree  either  (i)  withV 
man,  or  (2)  with  light.     Thus  there  are  twpa" 
distinct  series  of  interpretations,  (i)  If  coming 
be  taken  with  man,  the  sense  will  be  either 
(a)  simply  "  every  man "  according  to  a  com- 
mon Hebrew  idiom,  or  (A)  "every  man  at 
the  moment  of  his  birth."     But  it  is  scarcely 
possible  that  the  words   "coming  into  the 


V.   10—  1 3.] 


ST.  JOHN.   I. 


•<Hebr.ii. 
3- 


lighteth  every  man  that  cometh  into 
the  world. 

10  He  was  in  the  world,  and  ''the 


world   was    made    by  him,  and   the     believe  on  his  name: 


12  But  as  many  as  received  him, 
to  them  gave  he  '  power  to  become '  Or,  tk* 
the  sons  of  God,  even  to  them  that  $*»#£«: 


world  knew  him  not. 

ii   He  came  unto  his  own,  and  his 
own  received  him  not. 


13  Which  were  born,  not  of  blood, 
nor  of  the  will  of  the  flesh,  nor  of  the 
will  of  man,  but  of  God. 


worlil"  can  be  without  distinct  meaning;  and, 
in  spite  of  Wordsworth's  greatest  ode,  it  is 
hardly  true  to  say  that  the  illumination  of 
the  Light,  which  comes  through  Life,  is  most 
complete  at  man's  entrance  into  the  world. 

(a)  If,  on  the  other  hand,  coming  be  taken 
to  agree  with  light,  it  may  be  directly  con- 
nected either  (a)  with  "lighteth,"  or  (b)  with 
"  was."  In  the  first  case  (a)  the  sense  will  be 
"lighteth  every  man  by  coming;"  but  the 
context  does  not  call  for  any  statement  as  to 
the  mode  of  the  action  of  the  Light ;  and  the 
Light  illuminates  by  "being"  as  well  as  by 
"coming."  If  then  (A)  "  was. . .coming "  be 
taken  together,  there  is  still  some  ambiguity 
remaining.  The  phrase  has  been  interpreted 
to  mean  (a)  "  was  destined  to  come,"  and  (/3) 
"  was  on  the  point  of  coming,"  and  (y)  "  was 
in  the  very  act  of  coming." 

But  it  seems  best  to  take  it  more  literally 
and  yet  more  generally  as  describing  a  coming 
which  was  progressive,  slowly  accomplished, 
combined  with  a  permanent  being,  so  that 
both  the  verb  (was)  and  the  participle  (com- 
ing) have  their  full  force,  and  do  not  form  a 
periphrasis  for  an  imperfect.  The  mission  of 
John  was  one  and  definite ;  but  all  along  up 
to  his  time  "the  Light"  of  which  he  came  to 
witness  continued  to  shine,  being  revealed  in 
many  parts  and  in  many  ways.  There  was 
the  Light,  the  true  Light,  which  ligbteth 
every  man;  that  Light  was,  and  yet  more, 
that  Light  was  coming  into  the  world. 
The  same  idea  of  a  constant,  continuous 
coming  of  the  Word  to  men  is  found  in  vi. 
33,  5°,  where  "that  cometh"  (6  *ara/3aiVa>i/) 
stands  in  marked  contrast  with  "  that  came 
(o  Karafias,  w.  51,  58).  Taken  in  relation  to 
the  context,  the  words  declare  that  men  were 
not  left  alone  to  interpret  the  manifestations 
of  the  Light  in  the  Life  around  them  and  in 
them.  The  Light  from  whom  that  Life  flows 
made  Himself  known  more  directly.  From  the 
first  He  was  (so  to  speak)  on  His  way  to  the 
world,  advancing  towards  the  Incarnation  by 
preparatory  revelations.  He  came  in  type  and 
prophecy  and  judgment. 

The  identification  of  "the  Word"  with 
"  the  Light "  is  natural  and  prepared  by  v.  5. 
But,  at  the  same  time,  the  titles  are  not  co- 
extensive. "The  Light"  (as  the  other  spe- 
cial titles,  the  Bread  of  Life,  &c.)  describes 
"  the  Word "  only  in  a  special  relation  to- 
wards creation  and  particularly  towards  men. 


In  this  relation  the  Light  is  characterized  as 
(i)  the  true  (d\n6ivos)  Light,  and  (a)  that 
which  lighteth  every  man.  The  former  expres- 
sion (i)  marks  the  essential  nature  of  the 
Light  as  that  of  which  all  other  lights  are 
only  partial  rays  or  reflections,  as  the  arche- 
typal Light  (see  iv.  23,  vi.  32,  xv.  i).  The 
"  true  light "  in  this  sense  is  not  opposed 
to  a  "  false  light,"  but  to  an  imperfect,  in- 
complete, transitory  light. 

The  latter  (a)  describes  the  universal  ex- 
tent of  its  action.  The  words  must  be  taken 
simply  as  they  stand.  No  man  is  wholly  des- 
titute of  the  illumination  of  "  the  Light."  In 
nature,  and  life,  and  conscience  it  makes  itself 
felt  in  various  degrees  to  all.  The  Word  is 
the  spiritual  Sun:  viii.  12  (xi.  9).  This 
truth,  it  may  be  added,  is  recognised  here  by 
St  John,  but  he  does  not  (like  Philo)  dwell 
upon  it.  Before  the  fact  of  the  Incarnation  it 
falls  into  the  background.  For  the  Jewish 
idea  of  "the  light  of  Creation"  (Is.  xxx.  26), 
see  Taylor's  'Sayings  of  the  Jewish  Fathers,' 
p.  7  a- 

UghMh]  Comp.  Luke  xi.  35,  36.  The 
Light  is  contrasted  in  each  particular  with 
the  Witness  to  the  Light.  He  "  arose"  (<y<- 
vt TO)  ;  the  Light  "was"  (rjv).  He  guided 
his  disciples  away  from  himself;  the  Light 
illuminated  in  virtue  of  its  own  nature.  He 
came  once  for  all ;  the  Light  was  ever  coming 
through  the  ages. 

every  man]  The  idea  is  distinct  from  that 
of  "all  men"  (v.  7).  The  relation  is  not 
collective,  corporate,  as  it  is  here  presented, 
but  personal,  and  universal  while  personal. 
The  reality  of  this  relation  furnished  the  basis 
for  the  crowning  fact  of  the  Incarnation. 
The  world  was  made  for  this  re-gathering, 
coming  into  the  world]  Comp.  iii.  i9,xii.46. 
10,  11.  Verse  9,  according  to  the  inter- 
pretation which  has  been  given,  presents  a 
comprehensive  view  of  the  action  of  the 
Light.  This  action  is  now  divided  into  two 
parts.  The  first  part  (v.  10)  gathers  up  the 
facts  and  issues  of  the  manifestation  of  the 
Light  as  immanent.  The  second  part  (v.  u) 
contains  an  account  of  the  special  personal 
manifestation  of  the  Light  to  a  chosen  race. 
The  two  parts  are  contrasted  throughout  as 
to  the  mode  (was,  came),  the  scene  (the  world, 
His  own  home),  the  recipients  (the  world,  His 
own  people),  the  end  (not  know,  not  receive), 
of  the  manifestation.  The  world  failed  to 


ST.  JOHN.   I. 


recognise  Him  who  was  doubly  shewn  as  its 
Creator  and  as  its  Preserver.  The  people  of 
God  failed  to  welcome  Him  whom  they  had 
been  prepared  to  receive. 

10.  He  was  in  the  world]     Comp.  v.  5, 
note.     It  is  impossible  to  refer  these  words 
simply  to  the  historical  Presence  of  the  "Word 
in  Jesus  as  witnessed  to  by  the  Baptist.     The 
whole  scope  and  connexion  of  the  passage 
requires  a  wider  sense.     The  Word  acts  by 
His  Presence  as  well  as  by  His  special  Advent. 
The  continuance  and  progress  of  things,  no 
less  than  their  original  constitution,  are  fitted 
to  make  Him  known. 

the  world']  the  sum  of  created  being, 
which  belongs  to  the  sphere  of  human  life  as 
an  ordered  whole  considered  apart  from  God, 
and  in  its  moral  aspect  represented  by  hu- 
manity. See  Note  at  the  end  of  the  Chapter. 

knew]  "recognised."     Comp.  ii.  25,  note. 

him]  The  personal  character  which  has 
been  already  implied  now  finds  expression 
(OVTOV,  contrasted  with  the  neuter  in  v.  5, 
OVTO).  The  previous  pronoun  is  ambiguous 
in  the  original  (6V  avroO),  but  it  is  most  natural 
to  suppose  that  this  also  is  masculine  (as  in 
A.V.). 

The  form  of  the  sentence  is  peculiarly  cha- 
racteristic. The  clauses  are  placed  simply  side 
by  side  (...and  the  world... and  the  world...). 
In  this  way  the  statement  of  the  issue  (and 
the  world  knew  Him  not)  gains  in  pathos.  For 
a  similar  use  of  and  see  viii.  20,  note. 

11.  The  Evangelist  now  passes  from  the  uni- 
versal action  of  the  Word  as  the  Light  to  His 
special  action.     Creation  and  mankind  were 
His,  and  not  unvisited  by  Him ;  but  in  "  the 
world "  and  in  humanity  one  spot  and  one 
people  were  in  a  peculiar  sense  devoted  to 
Him.    The  land  of  Israel  was   "  His  own 
home,"  and  the  children  of  Israel  were  "  His 
own  people."     The  Word  came  to  the  holy 
land  and  to  the  holy  nation,  and  they  "  re- 
ceived Him  not." 

came']  The  word  forms  a  climax  when 
combined  with  those  which  precede:  was, 
was  in  the  world,  came  to  His  own;  and 
in  this  connexion  it  appears  to  contain  an 
allusion  to  the  technical  sense  of  "he  that 
cometh."  Comp.  ix.  39.  The  tense  (rj\6f, 
comp.  v.  7)  seems  necessarily  to  mark  a 
definite  advent,  the  Incarnation,  which  con- 
summated the  former  revelations  of  the  Word 
to  Israel.  It  does  not  seem  possible  that  the 
manifestations  before  the  Incarnation  and 
separate  from  it  could  be  so  spoken  of.  Nor 
is  there  anything  in  this  interpretation  which 
detracts  from  the  force  of  v.  14.  The  In- 
carnation is  regarded  in  the  two  places  under 
different  aspects.  Here  it  is  regarded  in  rela- 

<tion  to  the  whole  scheme  of  Redemption,  as 
the  crowning  revelation  to  the  ancient  people 
\  of  God ;  in  v.  14,  it  is  regarded  in  its  distinc- 
tive character  as  affecting  humanity.    Here  it 


is  seen  from  the  side  of  national  failure,  there 
of  individual  faith. 

He  came... received  him  not]  He  came  unto 
his  own  home  and  his  own  people  re- 
ceived him  not.  The  Vulgate  rightly  pre- 
serves the  significant  variation  of  the  original : 
in  propria  (sua)  venit,  et  sui  eum  non  recepe- 
runt. 

unto  his  own  (neut.)]  i.e.  "to  His  own 
home"  (df  TO.  1810).  Compare  xvi.  32,  xix. 
27;  Acts  xxi.  6  (Esther  v.  10,  vi.  12,  LXX.). 
There  can  be  no  reasonable  doubt  that  this 
phrase,  and  the  corresponding  masculine 
which  follows,  "his  own"  (01  iStot)  i.e.  "his 
own  people,"  describe  the  land  and  the  people 
of  Israel  as  being,  in  a  sense  in  which  no  other 
land  and  people  were,  the  home  and  the 
family  of  GOD,  of  Jehovah.  "The  holy 
land"  (Zech.  ii.  12.  Comp.  2  Mace.  i.  7) 
was  "  the  LORD'S  land  "  (Hos.  ix.  3  ;  Jer.  ii. 
7,  xvi.  18.  Comp.  Lev.  xxv.  23)  ;  and  Israel 
was  His  portion  (Ex.  xix.  5  ;  Deut.  vii.  6, 
xiv.  2,  xxvi.  1 8,  xxxii.  9;  Ps.  cxxxiv.  (cxxxv.) 
4.  Comp.  Ecclus.  xxiv.  8  ff.).  The  develop- 
ment of  the  thought  of  the  apostle  is  certainly 
destroyed  by  supposing  that  here  the  earth  is 
spoken  of  as  the  Lord's  home,  and  man  as  His 
people. 

It  must  be  noticed  that  by  this  appropria- 
tion of  the  Old  Testament  language  that 
which  was  before  applied  to  Jehovah  is  now 
applied  to  Christ.  Comp.  xii.  41  note. 

received']  The  word  used  here  (irapeXaftov) 
as  distinguished  from  that  used  in  the  next 
verse  (?Aa/3oi/)  suggests  in  this  connexion  the 
notion  of  "receiving  that  which  has  been 
handed  down  by  another"  (as  opposed  to 
Trape'ScoKa,  comp.  i  Cor.  xv.  i,  3,  xi.  23),  as 
distinct  from  that  of  "taking."  The  divine 
teachers  of  Israel,  through  John  their  repre- 
sentative, "offered"  Christ  to  the  people  as 
Htm  whom  the  Lord  had  promised ;  and  the 
leaders  of  the  people  refused  to  acknowledge 
Him  as  their  King. 

12.  The  Jews  as  a  nation  did  not  receive 
Christ  as  Him  for  whose  advent  they  had 
been  disciplined;  but  this  national  rejection 
was  qualified  by  the  personal  belief  of  some. 
These  however  believed  as  men,  so  to  say,  and 
not  as  Jews.  They  became  on  an  equality 
with  those  who  believed  from  among  the 
heathen.  The  Christian  Church  was  not,  as 
it  might  have  been,  the  corporate  transfigura- 
tion of  the  old  Church,  but  was  built  up  of 
individuals.  To  these,  whether  Jews  or  Gen- 
tiles by  ancestry,  as  many  as  received  Him 
[Christ]  gave  right  to  become  children  of 
God.  The  privilege  of  Israel  (Ex.  iv.  22)  was 
extended  to  all  the  faithful. 

The  irregular  construction  of  the  original 
(oo-ot  8«  fXa@ov...(da>Kev  avroiy...)  gives  pro- 
minence to  the  act  of  personal  faith  which 
distinguishes  the  first-fruits  of  the  new  Israel. 
Thought  is  first  fixed  on  the  character  of 


ST.  JOHN.    I. 


those  who  believed,  and  then  by  a  change  of 
subject  on  the  Word,  and  what  He  did. 

received]  The  word  indicates  the  action 
of  him  who  "takes"  that  which  is  within 
reach  as  anxious  to  make  it  his  own.  Gomp. 
v.  43,  xiii.  20,  xix.  6. 

power  (right)]  The  word  (f^ova-ia)  does 
not  describe  mere  ability,  but  legitimate, 
rightful  authority,  derived  from  a  competent 
source  which  includes  the  idea  of  power. 
Comp.  v.  27,  x.  18,  xvii.  2,  xix.  10,  n  ;  Rev. 
ii.  26,  &c.  This  right  is  not  inherent  in  man, 
but  "given"  by  God  to  him.  A  shadow  of 
it  existed  in  the  relation  of  Israel  to  God.  But 
that  which  was  in  that  case  outward  and  in- 
dependent of  the  individual  will  was  replaced 
in  the  Christian  Church  by  a  vital  relationship. 

As  far  as  we  can  conceive  of  "  this  right  to 
become  children,"  it  lies  in  the  potential 
union  with  the  Son,  whereby  those  who  re- 
ceive Him  are  enabled  to  realise  their  divine 
fellowship.  They  are  adopted  —  placed,  if  we 
may  so  speak,  in  the  position  of  sons  —  that 
so  they  may  become  children  actually.  Comp. 
2  Pet.  i.  3,  4  ;  Gal.  iv.  6.  The  fruit  is  not 
given  at  once,  but  the  seed.  It  is  of  God  to 
give,  but  man  must  use  His  gift,  which  faith 
appropriates.  It  is  thus  important  to  observe 
how  throughout  the  passage  the  divine  and 
human  sides  of  the  realisation  of  Sonship  are 
harmoniously  united.  The  initial  act  is  at 
once  a  "begetting"  (iytwridrja-av)  and  a  "re- 
ception "  (?Aa£oi/).  The  growth  follows  from 
the  use  of  a  gift.  The  issue  is  complete  on 
the  part  of  God,  but  man  must  bring  it  to 
pass  by  continuous  exertion 


to  become"]     Comp.  Matt.  v.  45. 

the  sons]  children  (rticva).  Comp.  xi.  52; 
i  John  iii.  i,  2,  10,  v.  2;  Rom.  viii.  16,  17, 
21,  ix.  8  ;  Phil.  ii.  15.  The  idea  of  "child," 
as  distinguished  from  "  son,"  which  does  not 
occur  in  this  connexion  in  St  John  except 
Rev.  xxi.  7,  is  that  of  a  community  of  nature 
(v.  13)  as  distinguished  from  that  of  a  dignity 
of  heirship.  It  is  an  illustration  of  this  limi- 
tation of  the  idea  of  spiritual  "  childship,"  that 
in  the  divine  relation  rinvov  is  not  found  (as 
vlos  is)  in  the  singular  (yet  see  Tit.  i.  4  ;  i  Tim. 
i.  2  ;  Philem.  10).  It  may  be  added  that  the 
divine  Sonship  with  which  the  New  Testament 
deals  is  always  regarded  in  connexion  with 
Christ  Yet  comp.  Acts  xvii.  28  f. 

even  to  them  that...']  The  words  are  in 
apposition  with  the  preceding  them.  The  ef- 
fective reception  of  Christ  is  explained  to  be 
the  continuous  energy  of  faith  which  relies 
upon  Him  as  being  for  the  believer  that  which 
He  has  made  Himself  known  to  be.  The  faith 
is  regarded  as  present  and  lasting  (rois  iri- 
OTfvovcriv),  and  not  simply  as  triumphant  in 
the  crisis  of  trial  (rolr  Triorevo-ao-ii',  Heb.  iv. 
3)  ;  and  its  object  is  the  revealed  Person  of 
the  Incarnate  Word.  Comp.  i  John  v.  13 
( 


believe  on  his  name]  ii.  23  ;  I  John  v.  13. 
Contrast  believe  the  name  (i  John  iii.  23, 
TTIOT.  TW  oi>.).  See  v.  24,  note,  viii.  30  f.,  note. 

his  name]  The  revealed  name  gathers  up 
and  expresses  for  man  just  so  much  as  he  can 
apprehend  of  the  divine  nature.  Compare 
iii.  1 8,  xx.  31.  From  these  passages  it  is 
clear  that  the  "name"  to  the  believer  is  that 
which  describes  the  Incarnate  Word  as  "  the 
Christ,  the  Son  of  God."  For  the  use  of 
"the  name"  as  applied  to  the  Father  in 
St  John,  see  v.  43,  x.  25,  xii.  13,  28,  xvii.  6, 
n,  12,  26  ;  Rev.  iii.  12,  xi.  18,  xiii.  6,  xiv.  i, 
xv.  4,  9,  xxii.  4  ;  as  applied  to  the  Son,  ii.  23, 
iii.  18,  xiv.  13,  14,  26,  xv.  16,  xvi.  23,  24,  26, 
xx.  31 ;  i  John  ii.  12,  iii.  23,  v.  13  ;  Rev.  ii.  3, 
13,  iii.  12,  xiv.  i.  Comp.  3  John  7  (the 
name).  Comp.  ii.  23  note. 

13.  The  spring  of  the  new  life  to  which \/ 
the  believer  has  "right"  lies  solely  in  God.  /\ 
The  beginning  of  it  cannot  be  found  in  the 
combination  of  the  material  elements,  by  which 
physical  life  is  represented,  nor  in  the  natural 
instinct,  in  obedience  to  which  beings  are  re- 
produced, nor  in  the  will  of  the  rational  man. 
This  appears  to  be  the  meaning  of  the  three- 
fold negation.  The  progress  is  from  that 
which  is  lowest  in  our  estimate  of  the  origin 
of  life  to  that  which  is  highest.  At  the  same 
time  the  three  clauses  naturally  admit  a  moral 
interpretation.  The  new  birth  is  not  brought 
about  by  descent,  by  desire  or  by  human 
power. 

blood]  Lit.  bloods.  The  use  of  the  plural 
(«£  at/idrcof,  Vulg.  ex  sanguinibus)  appears  to 
emphasize  the  idea  of  the  element  out  of  which 
in  various  measures  the  body  is  framed. 

Jles h... man...]  These  two  clauses  differ 
from  the  former  by  referring  the  beginning  of 
life  to  purpose ;  and  they  differ  from  one 
another  in  that  the  first  marks  the  purpose 
which  comes  from  the  animal  nature,  and  the 
second  that  which  comes  from  the  higher 
human  nature  (avijp). 

<were  born]  Literally,  were  begotten,  as  i  John 
ii.  29,  iii.  9,  iv.  7,  v.  i,  4,  18.  The  thought  is 
of  the  first  origin  of  the  new  life,  and  not  of 
the  introduction  of  the  living  being  into  a 
new  region.  The  phrase  appears  to  be  parallel 
with  as  many  as  received.  The  act  of  re- 
ception coincided  with  the  infusion  of  the 
divine  principle,  by  which  the  later  growth 
became  possible. 

It  is  important  to  notice  generally  that^ 
St  John  dwells  characteristically  upon  the 
communication  of  a  new  life,  while  St  Paul 
dwells  upon  the  gift  of  a  new  dignity  and 
relation  (yio6«ria,  Rom.  viii.  15  j  Gal.  iv.  5 ; 
Eph.  i.  5).  When  St  Paul  brings  out  the 
newness  or  the  Christian's  being  he  speaks  of 
him  as  a  new  "  creation  "  (imVis,  Gal.  vi.  15 ; 
a  Cor.  v.  17).  The  language  of  St  James 
(i.  1 8)  and  of  St  Peter  (i  Pet.  i.  3,  23)  cor- 
responds with  that  of  St  John. 


'  \ 


to 


ST.  JOHN.    I. 


[v.  14. 


j^  *And  the  Word  was  made  flesh, 
and  dwelt  among  us,  (and  we  beheld 
his  glory,  the  glory  as  of  the  only  be- 


gotten of  the  Father,) 
and  truth. 


full  of  grace 


The  statement  as  to  the  fact  of  the  new 
birth  is  made  quite  generally,  but  it  is  natural 
to  see  in  it  the  contrast  between  the  spiritual 
birth  which  makes  "a  child  of  GOD,"  and 
the  fleshly  descent  in  which  the  Jews  trusted, 
and  which  had  been  recognised  under  the 
old  dispensation.  Comp.  Matt.  iii.  9. 

3.  The  Incarnation  as  apprehended  by  per- 
sonal experience  (14 — 18). 

This  section,  like  the  former,  falls  into  three 
parts.  St  John  gives  first  the  substance  of  the 
apostolic  witness  (T>.  14);  and  then  the  wit- 
ness of  prophecy,  represented  by  the  Bap- 
tist (-V.  15) ;  and  thirdly,  a  general  account  of 
the  nature  of  the  revelation  (vv.  16 — 18). 

14.  The  construction  of  the  verse  is  some- 
what irregular.  It  consists  of  a  main  clause, 
which  describes  the  fact  and  the  character  of 
the  Incarnation  (The  Word  became  flesh  and 
tabernacled  among  us,  full  of  grace  and  truth), 
broken  by  a  parenthesis  (and  <we  beheld  His  glory 
...from  the  Father),  which  records  the  obser- 
vation of  the  fact,  so  that  it  presents  in  succes- 


sion the-lncaoution,  the  witness  to  the  I  near-     observation  of  men. 

-  nation    thf>  rharartpr  r»f  thf>  Tnrarnatp  AVnrH.  an/it    mndp  (\\nt\i\ 


title,  the  Word,  which  is  now  at  length  re- 
sumed. All  that  has  intervened  is  in  one 
sense  parenthetical.  The  Incarnation  presup- 
poses and  interprets  the  Creation  and  the  later 
history  of  man,  and  of  man's  relation  to  God. 
Thus  the  thoughts  run  on  in  perfect  sequence: 
In  the  beginning  was  the  Word',... and  the  Word 
<was  God.  And  the  Word  became  flesh.  This 
connexion  is  far  more  natural  than  that  which 
has  been  supposed  to  exist  between  -v.  14  and 
v.  9  or  v.  ii. 

The  announcement  of  the  mystery  of  the 
Incarnation,  embracing  and  completing  all 
the  mysteries  of  revelation,  corresponds  (as 
has  been  already  noticed)  to  the  declaration  ot 
the  absolute  Being  of  the  Word  in  i;.-*»_ilHe_ 
was  God;"  and  "He  became  flesh:"  eternity 
and  time,  the  divine  and  the  human,  are  recon- 
ciled in  Him.  "  He  was  with  God ; "  and  "  He 
tabernacled  among  us:"  the  divine  existence  is 
brought  into  a  vital  and  historical  connexion 
with  human  life.  "He  was  in  the  beginning ; " 
and  "we  beheld  His  glory :"  He  who  "was" 
beyond  time  was  revealed  for  a  space  to  the 


nation,  the  character  of  the  Incarnate  Word. 

The  Incarnation,  which  has  been  touched 
upon  in  v.  11  in  its  relation  to  the  whole 
course  of  revelation,  is  now  presented  in  its 
essential  character.  In  the  former  place  the 
Advent  was  considered  in  reference  to  particu- 
lar promises  (He  came)  and  to  a  chosen  people: 
now  it  is  revealed  in  its  connexion  with  hu- 
manity. Thus  there  is  no  retrogression  or 
repetition,  but  a  distinct  progress  in  the  de- 
velopment of  thought.  The  special  aspect  of 
Messiah's  coming,  followed  by  the  national 
failure  to  recognise  His  coming,  prepares  the 
way  for  the  universal  aspect  of  it. 

The  general  scope  of  the  whole  verse  may 
be  briefly  summed  up  under  four  heads: 

i.  The  nature  of  the  Incarnation.  The 
Word  became  flesh. 

a.  The  historical  life  of  the  Incarnate 
Word.  He  tabernacled  among  us. 

3.  The  personal  apostolic  witness  to  the 
character  of  that  human-divine  Life.     We  be- 
held His  glory. 

4.  The  character  of  the  Incarnate  Word  as 
the  Revealer  of  God.    Full  of  grace  and  truth. 


was  made  (became)  flesh~\  (crap£  eyei/ero, 
Vulg.  Verbum  caro  factum  est,  Tert.  Sermo 
caro  factus  est).  Owing  to  the  inherent  im- 
perfection of  human  language  as  applied  to 
the  mystery  of  the  Incarnation,  both  these 
words  are  liable  to  misinterpretation.  The 
word  became  must  not  be  so  understood  as  to 
support  the  belief  that  the  Word  ceased  to 
be  what  He  was  before;  and  the  word  flesh 
must  not  be  taken  to  exclude  the  rational  soul 
of  man.  The  clear  apprehension  of  the  mean- 
ing of  the  phrase,  so  far  as  we  can  apprehend 
it,  lies  in  the  recognition  of  the  unity  of  the 
Lord's  Person,  before  and  after  the  Incarna- 
tion. His  Personality  is  divine.  But  at  the 
same  time  we  must  affirm  that  His  humanity 
is  real  and  complete.  He,  remaining  the  same 
Person  as  before,  did  not  simply  assume  hu- 
manity as  something  which  could  be  laid 
aside:  He  became  flesh.  He  did  not  simply 
become  "a  man:"  He  became  "man."  The 
mode  of  the  Lord's  existence  on  earth  W3s~ 
truly  human,  and  subject  to  all  the  conditions 
of  human  existence;  buJLjie  never  ceased  to 
be  God.  And  the  nature  whicH~He~s6  assum- 


It  may  be  added  that  the  fact  of  the  mira-     e3~He"  retains  in  its  perfection  (i  John  iv.  ^ 


culous  Conception,  though  not  stated,  is  neces- 
sarily implied  by  the  Evangelist.  The  coming 
of  the  Word  into  flesh  is  presented  as  a  Crea- 
tive act  in  the  same  way  as  the  coming  of  all 
things  into  being  was. 

And  the  Word...'}  The  conjunction  carries 
the  reader  back  to  v.  i^  with  which  this  verse 
is  closely  connected  by  this  repetition  of  the 


tv  crapKi  eAj;Xv$ora.  z  John  7  Ipxoptvm  tv 
crapKi).  As  compared  with  the  corresponding 
phrase  to  come  in  the  flesh  (i  John  I.e.),  the 
phrase  became  flesh  brings  out  especially  one 
aspect  of  the  Incarnation.  The  former  marks 
the  unchanged  continuity  of  the  Lord's  Per- 
sonality, and  the  latter  the  complete  reality  of 
His  Manhood. 


ST.  JOHN.    I. 


n 


How  this  "becoming"  was  accomplished 
we  cannot  clearly  grasp.  St  Paul  describes  it 
as  an  "emptying  of  Himself"  by  the  Son  of 
God  (Phil.  ii.  6f.),  a  laying  aside  of  the  mode 
of  divine  existence  (TO  tlvai  to-a  0f«);  and 
this  declaration  carries  us  as  far  as  we'  can  go 
in  defining  the  mystery. 

Thus  briefly  the  following  main  truths  must 
be  held  as  expressed  in  the  words  when  they 
are  fairly  interpreted : 

i.  The  Lord's  humanity  was  complete,  as 
against  various  forms  of  Apollinarianism,  ac- 
cording to  which  the  divine  Logos  supplied 
the  place  of  part  of  that  which  belongs  to  the 
perfection  of  Manhood.  (The  Word  became 
flesh,  and  not  a  body  or  the  like.) 

a.  The  Lord's  humanity  was  real  and 
permanent,  as  against  various  forms  of  Gnos- 
ticism, according  to  which  He  only  assumed 
in  appearance,  or  for  a  time,  that  which  was 
and  remained  foreign  to  Himself.  (The  Word 
became  flesh,  and  did  not  clothe  Himself  in 
flesh.) 

3.  The    Lord's    human  and   divine    na- 
tures remained  without  change,  each  fulfilling 
its  part  according  to  its  proper  laws,  as  against 
various  forms  of  Eutychianism,  according  to 
which  the  result  of  the  Incarnation  is  a  third 
nature,  if  the  humanity  has  any  real  existence. 
(The  Word  became  flesh,   both  terms  being 
preserved  side  by  side.) 

4.  The  Lord's  humanity  was  universal  and 
not  individual,  as  including  all  that  belongs  to 
the  essence  of  man,  without  regard  to  sex  or 
race  or  time.     (The  Word  became  flesh  and 
not  a  man.) 

5.  The  Lord's  human  and  divine  natures 
were  united  in  one  Person,  as  against  various 
forms  of  Nestorianism,  according  to  which  He 
has  a  human  personality  and  a  divine  person- 
ality, to  which  the  acts  &c.  belonging  to  the 
respective  natures    must    be    referred.     (The 
Word  became  flesh  and  dwelt,  &c.,  without  any 
change  of  the  subject  to  the  verb.) 

6.  The  Word  did  not  acquire  personality 
by  the  Incarnation.    He  is  spoken  of  through- 
out, not  as  a  principle  or  an  energy,  but,  what- 
ever may  be  the  inherent  imperfection  of  such 
language,  as  a  Person. 

So  far,  perhaps,  we  can  see  generally  a  little 
of  the  Truth,  but  the  attempt  to  express  the 
Truth  with  precision  is  beset  with  difficulty 
and  even  with  peril.  Thus  in  using  the  words 
"personality"  and  " impersonal "  in  relation  to 
Christ,  it  is  obviously  necessary  to  maintain 
the  greatest  reserve.  For  us  "personality" 
implies  limitation  or  determination,  /.*.  finite-- 
ness  in  some  direction.  As  applied  to  the 
divine  nature  therefore  the  word  is  not  more 
than  a  necessary  accommodation  required  to 
give  such  distinctness  to  our  ideas  as  may  be 
attainable.  The  word  "impersonal"  again,  as 
applied  to  the  Lord's  human  nature,  is  not  to 
be  so  understood  as  to  exclude  in  any  way  the 
right  application  of  the  word  "man" 


TTO?)  to  Him,  as  it  is  used  both  by  Himself 
(viii.  40)  and  by  St  Paul  (i  Tim.  ii.  5^). 

The  phrase  the  Word  became  flesh  is  abso- 
lutely unique.  The  phrases  which  point  to- 
wards it  in  St  John  (i  John  iv.  a),  in  the 
Epistle  to  the  Hebrews  (ii.  14),  and  in  St 
Paul  (Rom.  viii.  3 ;  Phil.  ii.  7 ;  i  Tim.  iii.  16) 
fall  short  of  the  majestic  fulness  of  this  brief 
sentence,  which  affirms  once  for  all  the  recon- 
ciliation of  the  opposite  elements  of  the  final 
antithesis  of  life  and  thought,  the  finite  and 
the  infinite. 

became]  This  term  («-y«Wro)  forms  a 
link  between  this  verse  and  verse  3.  As  "all 
things  became  through  the  Word,"  so  He 
Himself  "became  flesh"  The  first  creation 
and  the  second  creation  alike  centre  in  Him. 
By  His  own  will  He  "became"  that  which 
first  "became"  through  and  in  Him. 

flesh]  Humanity  from  the  side  of  its  weak- 
ness and  dependence  and  mortality  is  naturally 
described  as  "flesh."  In  this  respect  "flesh" 
expresses  here  human  nature  as  a  whole  re- 
garded under  the  aspect  of  its  present  corporeal 
embodiment,  including  of  necessity  the  "soul" 
(xii.  ay),  and  the  "spirit"  (xi.  33,  xiii.  ai, 
xix.  30),  as  belonging  to  the  totality  of  man 
(comp.  Heb.  ii.  14).  At  the  same  time  the 
word  marks  the  points  of  connexion  between 
man  and  the  material  world,  so  that  it  has  a 
further  significance  as  presenting  in  a  familiar 
contrast  the  spiritual  and  the  material  (the 
Word,  flesh).  Thus  several  ante-Nicene  Fathers 
speak  of  the  Word,  or  the  Son,  as  Spirit  with 
reference  to  this  passage  (Tertull.  'de  Carne 
Christi'  18 ;  Hippol.  'c.  Noet.'  4;  Hennas, 
•Sim.'  v.  6,  ix.  i ;  Theoph.  'ad  Autol.'  n.  10; 
Clem.  '  ii.  ad  Cor.'  ix.  with  Lightfoot's  note). 

dwelt  (tabernacled)]  The  original  word 
(ecnc^tKixrfv,  Vulg.  habitauit  [inhabit auit])  de- 
scribes properly  the  occupation  of  a  temporary 
habitation.  The  tent  or  tabernacle  was  easily 
fixed  and  easily  removed,  and  hence  it  fur- 
nished a  natural  term  for  man's  bodily  frame. 
Yet  apparently  the  original  idea  of  "tent" 
(O-K^ITJ)  was  lost  in  the  form  crKrjpo?  which 
expresses  the  idea  of  "frame"  apart  from  any 
further  figurative  meaning:  Wisd.  ix.  15;  a 
Cor.  v.  i,  4;  a  Pet.  i.  13  f.  (o-Kijcu/ja).  And 
so  also  the  verb  itself  (o-xipoa)  is  used  with- 
out any  reference  to  the  notion  of  transitori- 
ness:  Rev.  vii.  15,  xii.  12,  xiii.  6,  xxi.  3. 

Whether  however  the  thought  of  the  tem- 
porariness  of  Christ's  sojourn  upon  earth  is 
indicated  by  the  term  or  not,  there  can  be  no 
doubt  that  it  serves  to  contrast  the  Incarna- 
tion with  the  earlier  "  Christophanies,"  which 
were  partial,  visionary,  evanescent,  and  at  the 
same  time  to  connect  the  Personal  Presence 
of  the  Lord  with  His  earlier  Presence  in  the 
Tabernacle  wh  ch  foreshadowed  it,  Ex.  xxv.  8 ; 
Lev.  xxvi  n.  The  Lord  in  old  times  walked 
in  a  tent  and  in  a  tabernacle  (a  S.  vii.  6  ;  cf. 
Ps.  Ixxviii.  67  fF.),  as  now.  He  dwelt  among 
men  according  to  the  promises  expressed  after 


12 


ST.  JOHN.    I. 


that  type  (Joel  iii.  21;  Ezek.  xxxvii.).  The 
parallelism  becomes  more  striking  if  we  accept 
the  current  view  that  the  Tabernacle  was  a 
symbol  of  the  world. 

Many  also  have  found  in  the  word  itself  a 
distinct  reference  to  the  Shekinah;  but  before 
any  stress  can  be  laid  upon  the  coincidence  of 
form,  it  is  necessary  that  the  history  of  the 
term  Shekinah  should  be  examined  far  more 
carefully  than  it  has  been  examined  at  present, 
with  a  view  to  determining:  i.  The  earliest 
use  of  the  term.  2.  The  comparative  use 
of  the  word  in  the  different  Targums. 
3.  The  exact  senses  in  which  it  is  used 
in  relation  to  (a)  the  Word,  and  (/3)  the 
Glory. 

among  us~]  in  our  midst  (Iv  ijfjuv).  Among 
those  who,  like  the  Evangelist,  were  eye-wit- 
nesses of  His  life.  Compare  Gen.  xxiv.  3 
(LXX.). 

The  supposition  that  the  plural  marks  the 
dwelling  of  the  Word  as  being  realised  in  the 
nature  or  in  the  race,  as  distinguished  from 
the  individual,  is  quite  inconsistent  with  the 
historical  purport  of  the  whole  phrase.  More- 
over this  truth  has  been  already  stated  by  the 
use  of  the  term  "  flesh." 

and  ewe  beheld. ..Father]  The  breaking  ot 
the  construction  by  this  parenthetical  clause, 
marks  the  pause  which  the  Evangelist  makes 
to  contemplate  the  mystery  which  he  has 
declared.  He  looks,  as  it  were,  from  without 
upon  the  record  and  comments  upon  it.  The 
same  phenomenon  in  different  forms  recurs 
v.  16,  iii.  16,  31,  xix.  35  ;  i  John  i.  a. 

nve  beheld"]  i  John  i.  i.  The  abode  of  the 
Word  among  men  was  only  for  a  brief  space, 
but  yet  such  that  those  near  Him  could  con- 
template His  glory  at  leisure  and  calmly.  His 
historical  Presence  was  real  if  transitory. 
And  while  the  appearance  of  the  Lord  was  in 
humility,  yet  even  under  the  limitations  of 
His  human  form,  those  who  looked  patiently 
could  see  the  tokens  of  the  divine  revelation 
made  through  Him.  Comp.  Luke  ix.  32; 
2  Pet.  i.  16  ff.;  i  John  iv.  14  (rtdfa^fda). 

his  glory]  The  word  "glory"  (8o|a) 
carries  on  the  parallel  between  the  divine 
Presence  in  the  Tabernacle  and  the  divine 
Presence  by  the  Word  Incarnate  among  men. 
From  time  to  time  the  Lord  manifested  His 
glory  in  the  wilderness  (Exod.  xvi.  10,  xxiv. 
16,  xl.  34,  &c.)  ;  in  the  Temple  of  Solomon 
(i  K.  viii.  n);  and  to  the  prophets  (Isai.  vi.  3. 
Comp.  ch.  xii.  41 ;  Ezek.  i.  28,  &c. ;  Acts 
vii.  55)  ;  and  even  so  Christ's  glory  flashed 
forth  at  crises  of  His  history.  It  is  not  pos- 
sible for  us  to  define  exactly  in  what  way  this 
majesty  was  shewn,  by  signs,  by  words,  by 
events.  Comp.  Luke  ix.  31  f.  It  is  enough 
that  the  Evangelist  records  his  own  experience. 
The  Son  of  Man  had  a  glory  which  corre- 
sponded with  His  filial  relation  to  the  Father, 
even  when  He  had  laid  aside  His  divine  glory 
(xvii.  j). 


For  the  general  idea  of  "  gloiy  "  in  St  John, 
see  Introd. 

the  glory  as  of~\  Rather,  glory  as  of... 
This  glory  of  the  Incarnate  Word  is  described 
as  being  "  glory  as  of  an  only  son  from  his 
father,"  a  glory,  that  is,  of  one  who  represents 
another,  being  derived  from  him,  and  of  the 
same  essence  with  him.  The  particle  of  com- 
parison and  the  absence  of  articles  in  the 
original  shew  that  the  thought  centres  in  the 
abstract  relation  of  father  and  son  ;  and  yet  in 
the  actual  connexion  this  abstract  relation 
passes  necessarily  into  the  relation  of  "  the 
Son"  to  "the  Father." 

as  of]    Comp.  Rev.  v.  6,  xiii.  3. 

only  begotten]  Comp.  iii.  16  ;  I  John  iv.  9. 
This  rendering  somewhat  obscures  the  exact 
sense  of  the  original  word  (/loixxyfi/rjr),  which 
is  rather  "  only-born."  That  is,  the  thought 
in  the  original  is  centred  in  the  personal  Being 
of  the  Son  and  not  in  His  generation.  Christ 
is  the  One  only  Son,  the  One  to  whom  the 
title  belongs  in  a  sense  completely  unique  and 
singular,  as  distinguished  from  that  in  which 
there  are  many  children  of  God  (w.  12  f.). 
The  use  of  the  word  elsewhere  in  the  New 
Testament  to  describe  an  only  child  (Luke 
vii.  12,  viii.  42,  ix.  38;  Heb.  xi.  17)  brings 
out  this  sense  completely.  The  ideas  of  the 
Son  as  "  begotten  "  of  the  Father,  and  as  "  the 
only  Son,"  are  expressed  separately  in  the 
ancient  Creeds  (e.g.  '  Ep.  Syn.  Ant.'  Routh, 
'Rell.'  III.  290,  ytvvrfTov,  ^lovoyevfj  vlov. 
'  Symb.  Nic.'  ytwrjO.  IK  T.  jr.  povoyfitfj,  &c.). 

In  the  LXX.  the  word  occurs  seven  times: 
Tobit  iii.  15  (vi.  u),  viii.  17  (of  only  chil- 
dren) ;  Wisd.  vii.  22  ;  and  (as  a  translation  of 
TCP)  Ps.  xxii.  (xxi.)  21,  xxxv.  (xxxiv.)  17 
(of  the  soul,  the  one  single,  irreparable  life  ot 
man),  xxv.  (xxiv.)  16  (of  the  sufferer  left 
alone  and  solitary).  The  Hebrew  word  thus 
translated  is  in  seven  other  places  represented 
by  ayaTHjroff,  which  carries  with  it  also  the 
notion  of  an  only  child  (Gen.  xxii.  2,  12, 
16 ;  Judges  xi.  34 ;  Jer.  vi.  26 ;  Amos  viii. 
10 ;  Zech.  xii.  10). 

Christian  writers  from  early  times  have 
called  attention  to  the  connexion  of  the  two 
words  applied  in  the  New  Testament  to 
Christ  "the  only  Son"  (pH'oyej'T^)  and  "the 
first-born "  (n-pwroroKoy,  Col.  i.  15),  which 
present  the  idea  of  His  Sonship  under  com- 
plementary aspects.  The  first  marks  His 
relation  to  God  as  absolutely  without  parallel, 
the  other  His  relation  to  creation  as  pre- 
existent  and  sovereign.  Comp.  Lightfoot  on 
Coloss.  i.  15. 

of  (from)  the  Father]    Or,  from  a  father.\, 
The  idea  conveyed  is  not  that  of  sonship  only,    Y 
but  of  mission  also.     Christ  was  a  Son,  and  a 
Son  sent  to  execute  a  special  work  (comp. 
•v.  6,  an-eoT.  irapa  Btov,  vi.  46,  vii.  29,  xvi. 
27,  xv ii.  8).    The  converse  thought  is  ex- 
pressed in  v.  1 8  (6  <S«>  els  T.  K.  r.  TT.). 
full  of  grace  and  truth~\    The  phrase  is 


is—1?-] 


ST.  JOHN.    I. 


15  K  John  bare  witness  of  him,  and 
cried,  saying,  This  was  he  of  whom  I 
spake,  He  that  cometh  after  me  is  pre- 
ferred before  me :  for  he  was  before  me. 


16  And  of  his -^fulness  have  all 
received,  and  grace  for  grace. 

1 7  For  the  law  was  given  by  Moses, 
^wrgrace  and  truth  came  byjesus  Christ. 


connected  with  the  main  subject  of  the  sen- 
tence, the  Word.  ..dwelt  among  «j. .  .full  of  grace. 
For  a  moment  the  Evangelist  had  rested  upon 
the  glorious  memories  of  that  which  he  had 
seen  (comp.  i  John  i.  i,  a).  Now  he  goes 
on  to  characterize  Christ's  Presence  by  its 
inward  marks.  Each  of  the  two  elements  is 
laid  open  in  -w.  16,  17.  The  combination 
recalls  the  description  of  Jehovah,  Exod. 
xxxiv.  6  (Ps.  xxv.  10);  and  is  not  unfrequent 
in  the  O.T. :  Gen.  xxiv.  27,  49,  xxxii.  10; 
Ps.  xl.  10,  11,  Ixi.  7  (riDNl  non).  As  applied 
to  the  Lord,  the  phrase  marks  Him  as  the 
Author  of  perfect  Redemption  and  perfect 
Revelation.  Grace  corresponds  with  the  idea 
of  the  revelation  of  God  as  love  (i  John  iv. 
8,  1 6)  by  Him  who  is  Life;  and  Truth  with 
that  of  the  revelation  of  God  as  light  (i  John 
i.  5)  by  Him  who  is  Himself  Light. 

15.  The  testimony  of  John  is  introduced 
in  the  same  manner  as  before,  as  representing 
the  final  testimony  of  prophecy.  John  gave 
not  only  a  general  witness  to  "  the  Light," 
but  also  pointed  out  the  true  position  which 
Christ  occupied  towards  himself  in  virtue  of 
His  Nature. 

bare  witness... and  cried. ..]  beareth  twit- 
ness. ..and  crieth  (bath  cried)]  The  wit- 
ness of  John  is  treated  as  present  and  com- 
plete ;  present  because  his  mission  was  divine, 
complete  because  it  was  directed  to  a  special 
end  which  was  reached  (/laprupfl,  Kficpaytv). 
Comp.  "v.  34. 

The  words  of  John  are  given  here  in  a 
form  different  from  that  in  which  they  appear 
in  v.  30,  and  with  a  different  scope.  This 
was  He  of  whom  I  spake  (ov  ein-ov,  Vulg.  quern 
dixi),  to  whom  my  teaching  pointed  generally ; 
and  not  "  in  behalf  of  whom  (ynip  ov,  all. 
irtpl  ov,  Vulg.  de  quo)  I  made  a  special  state- 
ment." The  words  which  follow  are  there- 
fore most  probably  to  be  taken  as  an  inde- 
pendent statement:  "This  is  the  Christ  of 
whom  I  spake ;  and  He  has  now  entered  on 
His  office.  He  that  cometh  after  me  is  come 
to  be  (become)  before  me..." 

crieth  (K(Kpaytv)~\  vii.  28,  37,xii.  44.  The 
voice  of  the  Baptist  was  more  than  that  of  a 
witness.  It  was  the  loud,  clear  voice  of  the 
herald  who  boldly  proclaimed  his  message  so 
that  all  might  hear  it. 

was  he~\  The  Baptist  throws  himself  back- 
ward in  thought  to  the  time  when  he  looked 
forward  to  the  Christ  who  had  not  yet  ap- 
peared, and  proclaimed  His  coming. 

He  that  cometh  after  me  is  preferred  before 
me]  is  come  to  be  before  me  ((nnpo<r6ev 
pov,  Vulg.  ante  me).  The  words  express 


the  Baptist's  witness  to  Christ  from  the  mo- 
ment when  His  Messiahship  was  signified. 
As  soon  as  He  was  manifested  He  took 
up  a  position  in  advance  of  His  Forerunner, 
though  the  Forerunner  had  already  been  long 
labouring.  The  witness  of  the  Baptist  before 
Christ's  Baptism  was  simply  in  general  terms, 
"  He  that  cometh  after  me  is  mightier  than  I " 
(Matt.  Hi.  n  ;  Luke  iii.  16);  but  St  John 
gives  his  recognition  of  the  actual  present 
majesty  of  his  successor.  "  After"  and  "be- 
fore "  are  both  used  in  a  metaphorical  sense 
from  the  image  of  progression  in  a  line.  He 
who  comes  later  in  time  comes  "after;  "  and 
he  who  advances  in  front  shews  by  that  his 
superior  power.  The  supposed  reference  to 
the  pre-existence  of  the  Word,  as  if  the 
Baptist  said,  "  He  that  cometh  after  me  in 
respect  of  my  present  mission  hath  already  been 
active  among  men  before  I  was  born,"  seems 
to  be  inconsistent  with  the  argument  which 
points  to  a  present  consequence  (is  no<w  come 
to  be)  of  an  eternal  truth  (He  was  before  me). 

for  (because)  he  was  before  me~\  The 
precedence  in  dignity  (iii.  33)  which  Christ 
at  once  assumed  when  He  was  manifested, 
was  due  to  His  essential  priority.  He  was 
in  His  essence  (viii.  58)  before  John,  and 
therefore  at  His  revelation  He  took  the  place 
which  corresponded  with  His  nature. 

before  me~\  The  original  phrase  in  the  second 
clause  (nputros  /iov,  Vulg.  prior  me)  is  very 
remarkable.  It  expresses  not  only  relative, 
but  (so  to  speak)  absolute  priority.  He  was 
first  altogether  in  regard  to  me,  and  not  merely 
former  as  compared  with  me.  Comp.  xv.  18. 

16.  And  of  his  fulness..."]  According  to 
the  true  reading,  Be-cause  of  his  fulness... 
The  words  depend  on  v.  i$,full  of  grace  and 
truth,  so  that  the  sense  is,  We  have  know- 
ledge of  His  character  as  "  full  of  grace  and 
truth  "  because...  The  intercalated  witness  of 
the  Baptist,  pointing  to  the  true  nature  of 
Christ,  marks  the  source  of  this  spiritual  wealth. 

These  words  and  those  which  follow  are 
certainly  words  of  the  Evangelist  and  not  of 
the  Baptist.  This  is  shewn  not  only  by  their 
general  character,  but  by  the  phrase  we  all. 

of  his  fulness]  out  of  it  (CK),  as  a  copious 
source  of  blessing. 

fulness  (TrXjJpw/na,  Vulg.  plenitudoj]  the 
plenitude,  the  full  measure  of  all  the  divine 
powers  and  graces  which  were  concentrated 
absolutely  in  Christ,  the  Incarnate  Word. 
The  term  occurs  here  only  in  St  John's  wri- 
tings; but  it  is  found  five  times  in  the  two 
Epistles  of  St  Paul  to  the  Colossians  and 
Ephesians,  which  form  the  connecting  link 


ST.  JOHN.   I. 


[v.  1 8. 


hath  seen  God  at    which  is  in  the  bosom  of  the  Father, 


t6*  T'john'      I  ^    ^No  man 

«.  ta.        any   time;    the   only  begotten   Son,     he  hath  declared  him. 


between  the  writings  of  St  Paul  and  St  John 
(Col.  i.  19,  ii.  9 ;  Eph.  i.  23,  iii.  19,  iv.  13). 
Of  these  passages  the  two  in  the  Epistle  to 
the  Colossians  illustrate  most  clearly  the 
meaning  of  St  John.  St  Paul  says  that  "all 
the  fulness  dwelt"  in  Christ  (i.  19),  and  more 
definitely,  that  "  all  the  fulness  of  the  God- 
head dwells  in  Him,"  "and  ye,"  he  continues, 
addressing  the  Christians  to  whom  he  is 
writing,  "are  in  Him,  fulfilled  (iren\r]pa>fif- 
vot)..."  (ii.  9  f.).  Here  St  Paul's  thought  is 
evidently  that  the  whole  sum  of  the  divine 
attributes  exists  together  in  Christ,  and  that 
each  Christian  in  virtue  of  his  fellowship  with 
Him  draws  from  that  "fulness"  whatever 
he  needs  for  the  accomplishment  of  his  own 
part  in  the  great  life  of  the  Church,  And 
so,  from  another  point  of  sight,  the  Church 
itself,  made  up  of  the  many  parts,  thus  seve- 
rally perfected,  is  "  the  body  of  Christ,"  His 
"fulness"  realising  in  actual  fact  that  which 
answers  to  the  whole  divine  power  in  its 
Head  (Eph.  i.  23).  St  John's  idea  in  the 
present  passage  is  the  same:  Christians  re- 
ceive from  Christ,  as  from  a  spring  of  divine 
life,  whatever  they  severally  require  according 
to  their  position  and  work.  All  is  in  Him, 
and  all  in  Him  is  available  for  the  believer. 
Comp.  v.  20,  xv.  15,  xvii.  22.  For  a  com- 
plete discussion  of  the  word  see  Lightfoot, 
'  Colossians,'  pp.  323  flf. 

all  <vue\  The  addition  of  all  here  (as  com- 
pared with  v.  14)  appears  to  place  us  in  a  new 
company.  The  circle  of  the  eye-witnesses 
passes  into  the  larger  fellowship  of  the  Chris- 
tian Church.  Speaking  from  the  centre  of  the 
new  Society  the  Apostle  can  say  "We  all — 
whether  we  saw  Christ's  glory  or  not — can 
attest  the  reality  of  His  gifts.  We  all  re- 
ceived (r\.  IT.  eXa/So/iff,  not  have  all  we  re- 
ceived) of  His  fulness,  when  we  were  admitted 
into  His  fold,  and  at  each  succeeding  crisis 
of  our  spiritual  life."  The  essential  univer- 
sality of  the  blessing  excludes  the  special 
claims  of  every  select  body.  Comp.  iii.  34. 

received]  The  verb  is  without  any  direct 
object,  since  of  his  fulness  is  not  partitive. 
The  conception  of  "  the  fulness  "  however  at 
once  suggests  one:  "<we  all  received  that 
which  answered  to  our  wants." 

and  grace  for  grace}  Each  blessing  ap- 
propriated became  the  foundation  of  a  greater 
blessing.  To  have  realised  and  used  one 
measure  of  grace  was  to  have  gained  a  larger 
measure  (as  it  were)  in  exchange  for  it  (\aptv 
dvrl  x-)-  Thus  this  clause  is  not  an  explana- 
tion of  that  which  has  preceded,  but  a  distinct 
addition  to  it.  The  phrase  is  illustrated  by  a 
saying  in  'Aboth'  iv.  5,  "the  reward  of  a 
precept  is  a  precept." 


17.  For  (Because)  the  la<w...\  The  clause 
is  parallel  with  v.  16,  and  not  the  ground 
of  it. 

the  la<w  twas  given  by  (through)...^;^^ 
and  truth  came  by  (through)...]  The  Law 
is  represented  as  an  addition  to  the  essential 
scheme  of  redemption.  Comp.  Gal.  iii.  19  ; 
Rom.  v.  20.  It  was  "given"  for  a  special 
purpose.  On  the  other  hand,  the  Gospel 
"came"  (tyeWTo),  as  if,  according  to  the 
orderly  and  due  course  of  the  divine  plan, 
this  was  the  natural  issue  of  all  that  had  gone 
before.  Judaism  was  designed  to  meet  special 
circumstances ;  Christianity  satisfies  man's  es- 
sential nature. 

grace  and  trutb~\  Grace  and  Truth  are  now 
presented  under  the  aspect  of  their  complete 
embodiment  (f\  ^.  «u  r\  aX. :  comp.  v.  14,  v. 
xai  aX.).  The  Gospel  is  spoken  of  as  "grace, 
so  far  as  it  is  the  revelation  of  God's  free 
love,  and  as  "truth,"  so  far  as  it  presents  the 
reality  and  not  the  mere  images  or  shadows 
of  divine  things.  Comp.  iv.  23.  In  both 
respects  it  was  contrasted  with  the  Law.  The 
Law  had  a  reward  for  obedience  (Gal.  iii. 
12),  and  consequently  brought  a  knowledge 
of  sin  (Rom.  iii.  20;  comp.  vi.  14);  and  on 
the  other  hand,  it  had  only  the  shadow  of  the 
good  things  to  come  (Heb.  x.  i ;  Col.  ii.  17). 
This  exact  and  subtle  correspondence  of  St 
John's  teaching  with  that  of  the  other  apo- 
stolic writings  is  to  be  noticed.  The  word 
"grace"  does  not  occur  elsewhere  in  his 
writings  except  in  salutations,  2  John  3 ;  Rev. 
i.  4,  xxii.  21. 

For  the  idea  of  Truth  see  Introd. 

by  (through)  Jesus  Christ]  The  Person 
who  has  been  present  to  the  Evangelist 
throughout  is  now  at  last  fully  named.  Comp. 
xvii.  3,  xx.  31.  The  "name"  thus  given  in- 
cludes the  declaration  of  the  true  humanity  of 
the  Saviour  (Jesus),  and  of  His  relation  to  the 
earlier  dispensation  (Christ).  His  divine  na- 
ture is  set  forth  in  the  next  verse.  Compare 
i  John  i.  3. 

18.  This  last  verse  justifies  the  claim  of 
the  Gospel  to  be  the  Truth,  while  it  lays 
down  the  inherent  limitations  of  human  know- 
ledge.    It  is  impossible,  so  far  as  our  experi- 
ence yet  goes,  for  man  to  have  direct  know- 
ledge of  God  as  God.    He  can  come  to  know 
Him  only  through  One  who  shares  both  the 
human  and  divine   natures,   and  who  is  in 
vital  fellowship  both  with  God  and  with  man. 
In  Christ  this  condition  is  satisfied.     He  who 
as  the  Word  has  been  declared  to  be  God, 
who  as  the  Son  is  one  in  essence  with  the 
Father,  even  He  set  forth  that  which  we  need 
to  know.    It  is  tacitly  assumed  throughout, 


ST.  JOHN.   I. 


as  it  will  be  observed,  that  "the  Truth"  and 
"  the  knowledge  of  God  "  are  identical  terms. 

No  man  bath  seen  God  at  any  time  (ever 
yet  seen)]  Comp.  i  John  iv.  12.  In  both 
places  the  original  of  "God"  is  without  the 
article  (Qtov,  not  rov  $eoi/).  By  this  manner 
of  expression  thought  is  turned  to  the  divine 
Nature  rather  than  to  the  divine  Person : 
"  God  as  God"  (comp.  i.  i,  n.).  The  Theo- 
phanies  under  the  Old  Dispensation  did  not 
fall  under  this  category.  Comp.  Exod.  xxxiii. 
i  2  ff.  (xxxii.  30).  Even  Christ  Himself  was  not 
"  seen  "  as  God.  The  perception  of  His  true 
divine  Nature  was  not  immediate,  but  gained 
by  slow  processes  (xiv.  9).  The  words  set 
aside  the  false  views  of  Judaism  and  Heathen- 
ism (v.  37,  i  John  v.  20  f.).  They  do  not 
deny  the  possibility  of  a  true  knowledge  of 
God,  but  of  a  natural  knowledge  of  God, 
such  as  can  be  described  by  "sight."  The 
sight  of  God  is  the  final  transfiguration  of  man 
(i  John  iii.  2).  The  simple  act  of  vision  is 
marked  here  (ftapantv,  seen),  while  in  the 
Epistle  it  is  the  calm  sight  of  beholding  (T<- 
tfeorai).  Comp.  xiv.  9,  xii.  45. 

By  the  use  of  the  words  ever  yet  (TTW- 
TroTf)  the  Evangelist  perhaps  points  forward 
to  that  open  vision  of  the  Divine  which  shall 
be  granted  hereafter,  i  John  iii.  2 ;  Matt.  v.  8. 

the  only  begotten  Son']  The  remarkable  va- 
riation of  reading  in  this  place,  "one  who  is 
God  only-begotten"  (dtos  fiovoytv^s)  for 
"the  only-begotten  Son"  (6  p.ovnytvfn  vtor) 
(see  Additional  Note),  makes  no  difference  in 
the  sense  of  the  passage ;  and,  however  strange 
the  statement  may  appear,  does  not  seriously 
affect  the  form  in  which  it  is  conveyed  to  us. 
"One  who  is  God  only-begotten,"  or  "God 
the  only  Son"  (^ovoytv^s  &<>j),  One  of  whom 
it  can  be  predicated  that  He  is  unique  in  His 
Being,  and  God,  is  none  other  than  "the  only- 
begotten  Son  "  (o  p.ovoy(vT]s  tuor).  The  word 
Son — "  the  only-begotten  Son  " — carries  with 
it  the  idea  of  identity  of  essence.  The  article 
in  the  one  case  defines  as  completely  as  the 
predicate  in  the  other.  But  the  best- attested 
reading  (^ovoytvr^s  6e6s)  has  the  advantage  of 
combining  the  two  great  predicates  of  the 
Word,  which  have  been  previously  indicated 
(v.  I  dtoSf  i>.  14  p.ovoytvijs). 

<which  is  in  the  bosom]  The  image  is  used 
of  the  closest  and  tenderest  of  human  relation- 
ships, of  mother  and  child  (Num.  xi.  12),  and 
of  husband  and  wife  (Deut.  xiii.  6),  and  also 
of  friends  reclining  side  by  side  at  a  feast 
(comp.  xiii.  23),  and  so  describes  the  ultimate 
fellowship  of  love.  The  exact  form  of  the 
original  words  is  remarkable.  The  phrase 
is  not  strictly  "in  the  bosom,"  but  "into 
the  bosom "  (6  <av  tis  T.  *.).  Thus  there  is 
the  combination  (as  it  were)  of  rest  and 
motion,  of  a  continuous  relation,  with  a 
realisation  of  it  (comp.  i.  i,  fjv  irpos).  The 
"  bosom  of  the  Father"  (like  heaven)  is  a  state 
and  not  a  place. 


The  words,  as  used  by  the  Evangelist,  may 
point  to  the  exaltation  of  the  ascended  Christ ; 
but  in  connexion  with  "  God  the  only  Son  " 
(jtovoy.  0f6s)  it  is  more  natural  to  take  them 
as  an  absolute  description  of  the  nature  of  the 
Son,  so  that  the  participle  will  be  timeless. 
In  fact  the  Ascension  of  Christ  is  essentially 
connected  with  the  divine  glory  which  He 
had  "  before  the  foundation  of  the  world " 
(xvii.  5). 

of  the  Father}  The  choice  of  this  title  in 
place  of  God  (rot)  0«oC)  serves  to  mark  the 
limits  of  the  revelation  made  through  Christ. 
Even  this  was  directed  to  one  aspect  (so  to 
speak)  of  the  Godhead.  The  Son  made  God 
known  not  primarily  as  God,  but  as  the 
Father.  At  the  same  time  this  title  lays  the 
foundation  of  revelation  in  the  essential  rela- 
tion of  the  Persons  of  the  Godhead.  Comp. 
i  John  i.  ^. 

In  this  connexion  the  description  of  the 
relation  of  the  Word  to  God  (v.  i,  d  Xoyo? 
fjv  irpbs  TOV  6f6v)  is  seen  to  be  comple- 
mentary to  that  of  the  relation  of  the  Son  to 
the  Father.  The  one  marks  an  absolute  rela- 
tion in  the  Godhead.  The  other  a  relation 
apprehended  with  regard  to  creation.  Hence 
in  the  latter  the  form  of  expression  is  borrowed 
from  human  affection. 

be}  The  pronoun  (eVcfii/or)  emphasizes  the 
attributes  of  the  person  already  given,  and 
isolates  Him  for  the  distinct  contemplation  ot 
the  reader.  Comp.  v.  33.  This  usage  finds 
an  interesting  illustration  in  the  fact  that  in 
i  John  this  pronoun  is  used  distinctively  for 
the  Lord :  i  John  ii.  6,  iii.  3,  5,  7,  16,  iv.  17. 

hath  declared  him}  More  exactly  be  de- 
clared Him,  once  and  for  ever.  The  word 
which  occurs  here  (t^yjivaTo,  Vulg.  enarravit 
[disseruit,  exposuit])  is  constantly  used  in 
classical  writers  of  the  interpretation  of  divine 
mysteries.  Cf.  Gen.  xli.  8,  24;  Lev.  xiv.  57. 
The  absence  of  the  object  in  the  original  is 
remarkable.  Thus  the  literal  rendering  is 
simply,  he  made  declaration  (Vulg.  ipse  enarra- 
•vit).  Comp.  Acts  xv.  14. 

The  position  of  the  object  of  the  former 
clause  (God)  at  the  beginning  of  the  sentence, 
leads  naturally  to  the  supplying  of  it  in 
thought  here ;  or  rather  suggests  that  which 
corresponds  with  it  in  connexion  with  the 
new  verb,  "  the  truth  concerning  Him,  re- 
vealed as  a  Father,  as  man  could  bear  the 
revelation."  The  knowledge  of  God,  which 
Christ  had  as  God,  He  set  forth  to  men  as 
man.  Comp.  Matt.  xi.  IT.  Men  hear  from 
Him  that  which  He  saw.  Comp.  vi.  45  f. 
note. 

Several  important  reflections  follow  from 
the  consideration  of  the  Prologue. 

i.  The  writer  occupies  a  distinct  historical 
position.  He  speaks  as  one  (i)  who  was 
originally  a  Jew,  (ii)  who  had  been  an  eye- 
witness, (iii)  who  is  surrounded  by  a  Christian 
society. 


i6 


ST.  JOHN.    I. 


(i)  His  Jewish  descent  appears  to  be  marked 
by  the  use  of  "  his  own  home"  (TO  1810),  and 
"his  own  people"  (of  18101,  i>.  n);  by  the 
mode  in  which  creation  is  spoken  of  (tv 
dpxfl);  by  the  implied  reference  to  the  Fall 

(•"•  5). 

(ii)  It  is  impossible  to  interpret  v.  14 
(fQeavantQa)  without  violence  otherwise  than 
as  containing  a  direct  statement  of  the  writer's 
experience,  and  that  too  given  in  a  form  which 
is  strikingly  natural. 

(iii)  The  phrase  "we  all"  (v.  16)  can  only 
be  an  appeal  to  the  experience  of  the  Christian 
body  in  which  the  writer  was  living. 

2.  There  is  no  effort  on  the  part  of  the 
writer  to  establish,  or  to  enforce,  or  to  explain. 
He  sets  forth  what  is  matter  of  experience  to 
him  with  complete  conviction  and  knowledge. 
Nothing  can  be  farther  from  the  appearance 
of  introducing  any  new  teaching.    The  Evan- 
gelist takes  for  granted  that  his  readers  under- 
stand perfectly  what  he  means  by  "  the  Word," 
"the  Father."     He  does  not  expressly  affirm 
but  assumes  the  identification  of  the  Word 
with  Jesus  Christ  (i>.  17). 

3.  There  is  no  trace  of  any  purely  specu- 
lative interest  in  the  propositions  which  are 
laid  down.    The  writer  at  once  passes  to  life 
and  history  from  the  contemplation   of  the 
divine  in  itself  (v.  i).     After  the  first  verse 
everything  is  set  down  with  a  view  to  the  reve- 
lation of  God  through  the  Word  to  men ; 
and  this  revelation  is  treated  historically  in  its 
different  elements,  and  from  the  side  of  man. 
Moreover  the  Person  of  the  Revealer  is  one 

The  main  subject  of  the  Gospel  which  has 
been  prepared  by  the  Prologue  is  THE  SELF- 
REVELATION  OF  CHRIST  TO  THE  WORLD 
AND  TO  THE  DISCIPLES.  Under  this  aspect 
the  Gospel  falls  into  two  great  divisions,  THE 
SELF-REVELATION  OF  CHRIST  TO  THE 
WORLD  (i.  19 — xii.  50) ;  and  THE  SELF- 
REVELATION  OF  CHRIST  TO  THE  DIS- 
CIPLES (xiii.  i — xxi.  23). 

The  first  of  these  two  great  divisions  falls 
also  into  two  parts,  THE  PROCLAMATION 
(i.  I9 — iv.  54),  and  THE  CONFLICT  (v.  i — 
xii.  50). 

THE  PROCLAMATION  (i.  19 — iv.  54). 

The  record  of  the  beginning  of  the  Gospel 
contained  in  the  first  four  chapters  presents  in 
act  and  word  the  main  elements  of  the  Mes- 
sage which  Christ  claimed  to  bring  and  to 
be,  and  typical  examples  of  the  classes  of  men 
to  whom  it  was  offered.  So  far  He  meets 
with  misunderstanding,  but  with  no  active 
hostility.  Principles  and  tendencies  are  laid 
open,  but  they  await  their  development. 

The  Proclamation  consists  of  two  parts, 
which  are  marked  distinctly  in  the  construc- 
tion of  the  narrative  (ii.  u,  iv.  54).  The 
first  part  deals  with  (i)  THE  TESTIMONY  TO 


from  first  to  last,  though  He  is  regarded  suc- 
cessively as  the  Word,  the  Life,  the  Light, 
the  Word  made  flesh,  even  Jesus  Christ 
And  the  last  term  under  which  God  is  spoken 
of  is  "the  Father,"  in  which  the  abstract  idea 
is  lost  in  the  personal. 

4.  Though  the  purely  speculative  is  absent 
from  the  Prologue,  as  it  is  from  the  Gospel 
generally,  the  treatment  of  the  subject  is  such 
that  the  Evangelist  supplies  the  clues  for  the 
prosecution  of  the  highest  problems  so  far  as 
man  can  pursue  them.     This  he  does  (i)  By 
opening  a  momentary  vision  of  the  Godhead 
itself  in  which  can    be  seen  the  Immanent 
Trinity,    (2)   By    shewing    the    relation    of 
Creation  to  the  Creator  as  Preserver,  (3)  By 
the  declaration  of  the  fact  of  the  Incarnation, 
in  which  the  Unity  of  the  Finite  and  the  In- 
finite is  realised.     And  the  more  the  Prologue 
is  studied  under  these  aspects,  the  more  con- 
spicuous become  its  originality  and  exhaus- 
tiveness. 

5.  The  Prologue  does  in  fact  define  the 
scope  of  the  Gospel  and  interpret  it.     In  this 
respect  it  corresponds  with  the  close,  xx.  31, 
which  expresses  in  other  terms  w,  14,  18. 

And  while  the  phraseology  is  peculiar,  this 
section  contains  nothing  which  is  not  either 
directly  affirmed  in  the  Lord's  discourses,  or 
directly  deducible  from  them. 

1.  The  Preexistence  of  Christ,  vi.  62,  viii. 
58,  xvii.  5,  24. 

2.  His  Creative  energy,  v.  17. 

3.  The  Universality  of  His  work,  viii.  12, 
x.  1 6. 

CHRIST  (i.  19 — ii.  n),  and  the  second  with 
(ii)  THE  WORK  OF  CHRIST  (ii.  13 — iv.  54). 

i.  THE  TESTIMONY  TO  CHRIST 
(i.  19 — ii.  u). 

This  section  consists  of  three  divisions, 
which  deal  with  three  forms  of  witness,  three 
typical  relations  of  Christ,  three  modes  of 
revelation.  The  first  gives  the  witness  of  the 
prophet,  the  relation  of  Christ  to  the  pre- 
paratory dispensation,  the  revelation  by  direct 
divine  communication  (i.  19 — 34).  The 
second  gives  the  witness  of  disciples,  the  rela- 
tion of  Christ  to  individual  men,  the  revelation 
through  spiritual  insight  (i.  35 — 51).  The 
third  gives  the  witness  of  acts,  the  relation  of 
Christ  to  nature,  the  revelation  through  signs 
(ii.  i — u).  In  each  case  there  is  an  activity 
of  faith  in  recognising  the  divine  message, 
half-veiled,  half-open ;  and  the  section  closes 
characteristically  with  the  joyful  confirmation 
of  believers  (ii.  n). 

The  period  covered  by  the  incidents  is 
marked  as  a  week  (i.  29,  35,  43,  ii.  i),  which 
corresponds  with  the  week  at  the  close  of  the 
Lord's  ministry. 

The  incidents  are  peculiar  to  St  John,  and 
he  writes  as  an  eye-witness  throughout :  i.  35, 
41,  ".  a. 


v.  i 9.] 


ST.  JOHN.    I. 


19    fl   And  this   is  the   record  of    and  Levites  from  Jerusalem  to  ask 
John,  when    the  Jews    sent    priests     him,  Who  art  thou? 


i.    THE  TESTIMONY  OF  THE  BAPTIST 
(i.  19—34). 

The  narrative  of  St  John  starts  from  the 
same  point  as  the  original  Apostolic  Gospel 
(compare  Acts  i.  22,  x.  37,  xiii.  24;  Mark 
i.  i);  but,  as  belonging  to  a  later  period  in 
the  growth  of  the  Church,  it  distinguishes 
more  exactly  than  that  did  the  relation  of  the 
Baptist  both  to  the  old  Covenant  and  to 
Christ. 

The  first  part  of  the  Baptist's  testimony  is 
concerned  with  the  popular  expectations  to 
which  his  preaching  had  given  fresh  life,  and 
contains  the  announcement  of  the  Christ 
(19 — 1% \  The  second  part  gives  his  personal 
recognition  of  the  Christ  who  had  now  entered 
on  His  work  (29 — 34).  The  verses  which  fol- 
low (35 — 37)  form  a  transition,  but  belong 
most  properly  to  the  next  section. 

The  circumstances  of  the  Baptism  of  Christ 
are  evidently  presupposed  as  known  ;  and  the 
Baptism  itself  had  already  taken  place  before 
the  mission  from  Jerusalem.  This  follows  both 
from  the  record  of  time  (w.  29,  35,  &c.), 
and  from  the  fact  that  the  Baptist  already 
"  knew  "  Jesus  as  the  Christ  (v.  26,  "  whom 
je  know  not."  Comp.  v.  33). 

St  John  says  nothing  of  the  Baptist's  preach- 
ing of  repentance,  though  it  is  implied  in  the 
words  by  which  the  Baptist  described  his 
office  (o>.  23).  This  did  not  fall  within  the 
scope  of  the  Evangelist,  which  was  confined 
to  the  direct  relations  of  the  Herald  and  the 
Christ.  How  fully  these  relations  are  defined 
will  appear  from  the  following  analysis  of  the 
Baptist's  testimony  as  given  by  the  Evangelist: 

The  Testimony  of  John. 

a.  In  answer  to  the  mission  of  the  Jews. 

The  Christ  announced  (i.  19 — 28). 
a.  His  own  position  (i>i>.  19 — 23). 

(1)  Negatively  (w.  19 — 21). 
Not  the  Christ  (v.  20). 

Not  the  promised  Forerunner 
of  the  day  of  the  Lord 
(v.  ai). 

Not  the  prophet,  of  undefined 
mission  (v.  21). 

(2)  Positively  (vv.  22,  23). 
"  A  voice." 

/3.  His  office  (w.  24 — 28). 
To  baptize  (v.  25) 

with   a  preparatory  baptism 

of  water  [v.  26), 
beforethecoming  of  amightier 
One  (v.  27). 

b.  Spontaneously  in  the  presence  of  Christ. 

The  Christ  revealed  (irv.  29 — 34). 
a.  The    fulfilment    of   prophecy 
(in>.  29 — 31). 


The  Person  (v.  29). 

The  work  (v.  30). 

The  relation  to  the  precursor 

(•".  30- 
/3.  The  sign  of  the  fulfilment  (vv. 

32—34). 

The  sign  itself  (v.  32). 
The  sign  in   relation  to  the 

promise  (o>.  33). 
The  sign  interpreted  (v.  34). 

The  Christ  announced  in  answer  to  the  official 

inquiries  of  the  Jews  (19 — 28). 
This  mission  from  Jerusalem,  which  is  not 
mentioned  by  the  Synoptists,  took  place,  as  has 
been  seen,  after  the  Baptism,  and  was  probably 
caused  by  some  rumours  which  arose  from 
that  event.  It  may  be  regarded  as  being, 
in  some  sense,  a  Temptation  of  John  corre- 
sponding to  the  (simultaneous)  Temptation  of 
Christ.  John  refused  the  titles  in  which  the 
hierarchical  party  expressed  their  false  views, 
even  as  Christ  refused  to  satisfy  their  expecta- 
tions by  the  assumption  of  external  power. 
The  position  which  John  occupies  relatively 
to  the  Jewish  teachers  on  the  one  side,  and  to 
Christ  on  the  other,  offers  a  remarkable  pic- 
ture of  the  religious  circumstances  of  the 
time.  Both  negatively  and  positively  the  scene 
is  a  living  picture  of  a  crisis  of  transition. 
The  answer  of  the  Baptist  to  the  people 
(Luke  iii.  15  ff. ;  Matt.  iii.  n)  is  distinct 
from,  and  yet  perfectly  harmonious  with,  St 
John's  record. 

19.  And~\  The  conjunction  takes  up  the 
references  already  made  to  John's  testimony : 
w.  15,  6,  7.  Thus  the  history  is  bound  up 
with  the  dogmatic  Prologue,  the  transition 
lying  in  v.  17  (Jesus  Christ) ;  and  so  the 
loftiest  thoughts  pass  at  once  and  naturally 
into  simple  facts.  It  may  be  noticed  also  that 
the  narrative  evidently  begins  with  the  imme- 
diate, personal  knowledge  of  the  writer ;  and 
perhaps  from  the  fact  to  which  he  referred  the 
beginning  of  his  own  faith. 

the  record  (witness)]  Comp.  i.  7,  iii.  n, 
v.  31,  and  notes. 

John]     Comp.  v.  6,  note. 

the  J<MW]  Specifically  the  Pharisees  as  the 
representative  class  (v.  24).  On  the  use  of 
the  term  generally  see  Introd.  p.  ix.  a.  In 
this  case  the  envoys  were  probably  despatched 
by  the  Sanhedrin.  Compare  ch.  v.  33. 

sent  priests... from  Jerusalem]  sent  unto 
him  from  Jerusalem  priests...  Those 
who  were  sent  came  directly  from  the  reli- 
gious centre  of  the  people. 

priests  and  Levites]  The  two  classes  re- 
presenting the  ecclesiastical  side  of  the  nation. 
The  compound  phrase  is  nowhere  else  used  in 


18 


ST.  JOHN.    I. 


[v.  20 — 25. 


20  And  he  confessed,  and  denied 
not ;    but  confessed,  I   am    not   the 
Christ. 

21  And   they  asked    him,  What 
then?     Art    thou    Elias?     And    he 
saith,  I  am  not.    Art  thou  '  that  pro- 
phet ?     And  he  answered,  No. 

22  Then    said    they    unto    him, 
Who  art  thou?  that  we  may  give  an 


answer  to  them  that  sent  us.    What 
sayest  thou  of  thyself? 

23  AHe  said,  I  am  the  voice  of* Matt.  3. 
one  crying  in  the  wilderness,  Make  * 
straight  the  way  of  the  Lord,  as  said 

the  prophet  Esaias. 

24  And    they   which   were    sent 
were  of  the  Pharisees. 

25  And  they  asked  him,  and  said 


the  New  Testament;  and  "  Levite"  occurs 
only  in  Luke  x.  3z  (with  "priest"  in  signifi- 
cant connexion),  and  Acts  iv.  36.  The  exact 
description  of  those  sent  marks  the  special 
knowledge  of  the  Evangelist.  It  may  be 
added  that  he  nowhere  uses  the  titles  scribes 
and  elders  found  in  the  other  Gospels  (viii.  3 
is  unauthentic).  On  the  popular  expectation 
of  the  Messiah  see  vii.  41,  note. 

Who  art  thou  ?]  The  pronoun  is  emphatic, 
"  As  for  thyself,  who  art  thou?" 

20.  he  confessed,  and  denied  not]     For  the 
combination  compare  -v.  3,  note.     The  first 
term  (confessed)  marks  the  readiness  of  the 
testimony;  the  second  (denied  not)  the  com- 
pleteness of  it.     Both  terms  are  used  abso- 
lutely.   A  similar  phrase  is  quoted  from  Jose- 
phus  ('Antt.'  vi.  7.  4),  "Saul  confessed  that 
he  was  guilty,  and  denied  not  the  sin." 

but  confessed]  and  lie  confessed.  The 
substance  of  the  confession  is  added  to  the 
statement  of  the  fact  of  the  confession. 

/  am  not]  The  position  of  the  pronoun, 
according  to  the  true  reading,  is  emphatic. 
"  /  am  not  the  Christ  for  whom  you  take  me, 
but  the  Christ  is  indeed  among  you."  Thus 
the  answer  is  addressed  rather  to  the  spirit 
than  to  the  form  of  the  question.  The  em- 
phatic insertion  of  the  pronoun  (e'yaS)  through- 
out the  section  is  remarkable :  I  am  the  voice 
(v.  23);  /  baptize  (v.  26);  /  am  not  worthy 
(v.  27);  of  whom  /  said  (v.  30);  /  knew 
him  not  (vv.  31,  33);  /came  (v.  31);  /have 
seen  (v.  34).  The  relation  of  the  Baptist  to 
Christ  is  suggested  everywhere. 

the  Christ]  As  some  then  supposed,  Acts 
xiii.  25  ;  Luke  iii.  15,  note. 

21.  What  then?    Art  thou  Ellas f]     The 
construction  of  the  original  words  adopted  in 
A.  V.  is  not  found  elsewhere  in  St  John,  though 
it  occurs  in  St  Paul  (Rom.  vi.  15,  xi.  7).  The 
words  can  also  be  rendered,  What  then  (not 
Who)  art  thou  ?     What  is  the  function  which 
thou  hast  to  discharge  ?     Art  thou  Elids  f 

Elias]  Mai.  iv.  5,  the  forerunner  of  the 
day  of  the  Lord.  Matt.  xi.  14,  xvii.  10 — 13. 
In  a  spiritual  sense  John  was  Elias  (comp. 
Luke  i.  1 7),  yet  not  so  as  the  Jews  literally 
understood  the  promise.  Thus  the  denial  of 
the  Baptist  is  directed  to  the  Jewish  expecta- 
tion of  the  "bodily  return  of  Elijah,  of  which 


Lightfoot  has  collected  interesting  notices  on 
Matt.  xvii.  10.  And  at  the  same  time  the  mis- 
sion of  the  Baptist  did  not  exhaust  the  promise 
of  the  coming  of  Elijah ;  beyond  that  coming 
there  was  yet  another :  Matt.  /.  c .  ((pxerai  «ai 
aTTOKaraarjfo-ei.  See  Chrysostom  on  the  pas- 
sage). Comp.  Luke  ix.  30. 

that  prophet]  the  prophet.  The  abruptness 
of  the  form  of  the  question  in  the  original  is 
remarkable  (The  prophet  art  thou?).  The 
reference  is  probably  to  Deut.  xviii.  15,  inter- 
preted not  of  the  Christ  (Acts  iii.  22,  vii.  37), 
but  in  some  lower  sense.  Comp.  vii.  40,  vi. 
14.  The  general  expectation  often  took  a 
special  shape,  Matt.  xvi.  14. 

he  answered,  No]  The  replies  grow  shorter 
from  time  to  time :  "  I  am  not  the  Christ," 
"  I  am  not,"  "  No." 

22.  Then  said  they.. .]  They  said  there- 
fore...    This  consequential   (not  temporal) 
then  (oZv)  is  very  common  in  St  John ;  and 
it  is  necessary  in  most  cases  to  give  it  the  full 
rendering  therefore  in  order  to  mark  the  con- 
nexion (often   subtle)   which  the   Evangelist 
indicates.     The  fresh  question  was  a  conse- 
quence of  the  former  answer. 

Who  art  thou?  that...]  The  same  natural 
ellipsis  occurs  ix.  36. 

23.  the  •voice]  Or,  a  voice.     The  Baptist 
was  simply  "a  voice  of  one  crying,"  not  in- 
vested with  a  distinct  personality  ("  thou  art 
to  me   No  bird,  but  an   invisible  thing,  A 
voice,  a  mystery").     Moreover,  the  answer 
comes  wholly  from    Isai.  xl.  3,   where  the 
words  herald  the  revelation  of  the  glory  of 
the  Lord.     In  the  Synoptists  the  quotation 
is  applied  to  the  Baptist :  Matt.  iii.  3 ;  Mark 
i.  3  ;  Luke  iii.  4. 

in  the  ivilderness~\  as  once  before  in  the 
triumphal  march  from  Egypt.  Comp.  Ps. 
Ixviii.  7.  In  the  original  (Hebrew)  these 
words  are  joined  with  the  verb  which  follows, 
and  it  may  be  so  here,  make  straight  in  the 
wilderness...  In  either  case  the  moral  ap- 
plication of  the  words  is  obvious. 

24.  they  which  were  sent  were  of. . .]     Ac- 
cording to  the  oldest  reading  (KOI  oTreoroX/ifVoi 
...not  Kai  ol  an-eoraX/xeVoi)  the  translation  is, 
they  had  been  sent  from... 

the  Pharisees']    and  therefore  men  whose 


v.  26 — 29.] 


ST.  JOHN.    I. 


'  Matt.  3. 

ii. 

Acts  ig.  4. 


unto  him,  Why  baptizest  thou  then, 
if  thou  be  not  that  Christ,  nor  Elias, 
neither  that  prophet  ? 

26  John  answered  them,  saying,  I 
baptize  with  water:  but  there  stand- 
eth one  among  you,  whom  ye  know 
not; 

27  'He   it   is,   who   coming  after 


me  is  preferred  before  me,  whose 
shoe's  latchet  I  am  not  worthy  to 
unloose. 

28  These    things    were   done    in 
Bethabara     beyond    Jordan,     where 
John  was  baptizing. 

29  11   The   next  day  John  seeth 
Jesus   coming  unto   him,   and  saith, 


attention  would  be  fixed  on  the  solemn  and 
startling  rite  with  which  the  new  movement 
was  inaugurated. 

25.  Why.. .then]  They  wished  to  condemn 
him  from  his  own  admission. 

baptizest}  The  obvious  symbolism  of  the 
rite — already  adopted,  as  it  seems,  at  the  re- 
ception of  proselytes — as  marking  spiritual 
defilement  in  the  chosen  people,  would  make 
it  distasteful  to  legalists.  It  was  however  con- 
nected with  the  work  of  Messiah,  Ezek.  xxxvi. 
25  ;  Isai.  lii.  15  ;  Zech.  xiii.  i.  Comp.  Heb. 
x.  22. 

if  thou  he  not  that  Christ... that  prophet..^} 
if  thou  art  not  the  Christ...  the  prophet... 

26.  /  baptize    with    (In)    water}     The 
answer  is  in  two  parts,  and  suggestive  rather 
than  explicit.     "  I  baptize,  because  the  form 
of  this  baptism  shews  that,  however  striking 
outwardly,  it  does  not  belong  to  the  work  of 
the  Christ ;  and  still  it  is  designed  to  prepare 
for  the  recognition    of   the  Christ  actually 
present  in  the  midst  of  you.     My  work  is  the 
work  of  a  servant,  and  the  work  of  a  herald. 
There  is  nothing  to  condemn  in  my  conduct, 
if  you  consider  what  my  baptism  is,  and  what 
the  Christ's  baptism  is,  and  know  that  He  is 
among  you,  so  that  the  preparatory  rite  has 
a  just  place."    The  order  of  the  words  in  the 
Greek  (comp.  31)  shews  that  the  first  thought 
is  of  the  baptism  as  such,  and  next  of  its 
special  character.     Comp.  Acts  i.  5. 

but  there  standeth  one  among  you...'}  In  the 
midst  of  you  standeth  ow...The  absence  of 
the  conjunction,  according  to  the  true  text, 
and  the  position  of  the  adjective  (/i«Voy)  at 
the  beginning  of  the  sentence,  bring  out  sharply 
the  opposition  between  the  Baptist  (/  baptize) 
and  his  Successor. 

standeth}  The  word  (orr/Kft),  as  distin- 
guished from  "  is,"  marks  the  dignity  and 
firmness  of  the  position  which  Christ  was 
shewn  to  hold.  (Mark  xi.  25  ;  i  Thess.  iii.  8, 
&c.) 

ye  know  not}  The  ye  is  emphatic.  St  John 
had  at  this  time  recognised  Jesus ;  he  knew 
Him,  but  his  questioners  did  not. 

27.  He  it  is... before  me~}     The  most  pro- 
bable text  gives  simply  coming  after  me,  which 
is  to  be  taken  closely  with  the  words  which 
precede. 

shoe's  latchet}     To  loose  this,  or  to  "carry 

New  Test.— VOL.  II. 


the  shoes"  (Matt.  iii.  n),  was  the  business  of 
a  slave.     Compare  Mark  i.  7,  note. 

The  Pharisees  hear  words  which  might 
well  move  them  to  deeper  questionings ;  but 
for  this  they  had  no  heart.  It  is  enough  to 
have  discharged  their  specific  duty. 

28.  Beihabard}     This   name   (Judg.   vii. 
24  ?)  is  a  mere  correction,  made  as  early  as  the 
end   of  the   second   century   (Syr.  •vt.'),    for 
Bethany,  which  was  probably  an  obscure  vil- 
lage in  Peraea,  and  not  to  be  confounded  with 
the  Bethany  (xi.  18)  on  the  Mount  of  Olives. 
According  to  a  possible  derivation  Bethany 
may  mean  "  the  house  of  the  boat "  as  Beth- 
abara "  the  house  of  the  passage,"  both  equally 
marking  the  site  of  a  ferry  or  ford  across  the 
Jordan. 

The  mention  of  the  locality  adds  to  the 
force  of  the  preceding  recital ;  and  inciden- 
tally shews  that  the  date  of  the  mission  falls 
after  the  first  stage  of  the  ministry  of  the 
Baptist,  when  he  had  left  "  the  wilderness  of 
Judaea"  (Matt.  iii.  i)  and  retired  "beyond 
Jordan."  Compare  x.  40,  iii.  23. 

John  was  baptizing}  The  form  of  expres- 
sion in  the  original,  where  the  imperfect  of 
the  verb  is  represented  by  the  imperfect  of  the 
substantive  verb  and  the  participle,  is  charac- 
teristic of  the  New  Testament  writers,  and 
serves  to  emphasize  the  idea  of  continued 
action.  Comp.  viii.  18,  v.  39,  xi.  i. 

The  Christ  revealed  as  the  fulfilment  of  the 
Forerunner's  work  (29 — 34). 

The  inquiries  made  from  Jerusalem  would 
naturally  create  fresh  expectation  among 
John's  disciples.  At  this  crisis  (the  next  day) 
the  Lord,  who  had  retired  for  a  time  after 
His  Baptism  (Luke  iv.  i),  returned,  and 
John  solemnly  marked  Him  out,  not  by  name 
but  by  implication,  as  the  promised  Saviour. 

29.  John    (he)   seeth ..  .coming    unto   him} 
Compare  -v.  36.    Christ  was  probably  coming 
directly  from  the  Temptation.     It  was  fitting 
that  His  active  ministry  should  begin  with  the 
solemn  recognition  by  His  herald.    The  omis- 
sion of  the  Temptation  by  St  John  can  cause 
no  difficulty  except  on  the  irrational  supposi- 
tion that  he  was  bound  to  relate  all  he  knew, 
and  not  that  only  which    belonged    to  his 
design. 

saith}     No  one  is  directly  addressed.    The 


20 


ST.  JOHN.    I. 


[v.  .30. 


Behold    the   Lamb   of  God,   which         30    This  is  he  of  whom  I  said, 
"  taketh  away  the  sin  of  the  world.          After   me  cometh  a  man  which    is 


words  (as  in  v.  3  6)  are  spoken  for  those  who 
"  had  ears  to  hear  them." 

Behold]  "  Lo,  here  is  before  you  (tSe)..." 
Compare  v.  47,  xix.  5,  14;  and  contrast 
Luke  xxiv.  39. 

the  Lamb  of  GW]  It  seems  likely  from  the 
abrupt  definiteness  of  the  form  in  which  the 
phrase  is  introduced  that  it  refers  to  some 
conversation  of  the  Baptist  with  his  disciples, 
springing  out  of  the  public  testimony  given  on 
the  day  before.  The  reference  which  he  had 
made  to  Isaiah  might  naturally  lead  to  further 
inquiries  as  to  the  general  scope  of  the  pro- 
phet ;  and  there  can  be  no  doubt  that  the 
image  is  derived  from  Isaiah  liii.  (comp.  Acts 
viii.  32).  But  the  idea  of  vicarious  suffering 
endured  with  perfect  gentleness  and  meekness, 
which  is  conveyed  by  the  prophetic  language 
(compare  Jer.  xi.  19),  does  not  exhaust  the 
meaning  of  the  image.  The  lamb  was  the 
victim  offered  at  the  morning  and  evening 
sacrifice  (Exod.  xxix.  38  ff.),  and  thus  was 
the  familiar  type  of  an  offering  to  God.  And 
yet  more,  as  the  Passover  was  not  far  off 
(ii.  12,  13),  it  is  impossible  to  exclude  the 
thought  of  the  Paschal  Lamb,  with  which  the 
Lord  was  afterwards  identified  (xix.  36.  Cp. 
i  Pet.  i.  19).  The  deliverance  from  Egypt 
was  the  most  conspicuous  symbol  of  the 
Messianic  deliverance  (ReV.  xv.  3  ;  Heb.  iii. 
3  ff. ;  Ezek.  xx.  33  ff.) ;  and  "the  lamb" 
called  up  all  its  memories  and  its  promises. 
And  it  has  been  plausibly  conjectured  that 
this  thought  may  have  been  brought  home  by 
the  sight  of  the  flocks  of  lambs  passing  by  to 
Jerusalem  as  offerings  at  the  coming  Feast. 
However  this  may  have  been,  the  title  as  ap- 
plied to  Christ,  under  the  circumstances  of 
its  utterance,  conveys  the  ideas  of  vicarious 
suffering,  of  patient  submission,  of  sacrifice,  of 
redemption,  not  separately  or  clearly  defined, 
but  significant  according  to  the  spiritual  pre- 
paration and  character  of  those  before  whom 
the  words  were  spoken.  A  corresponding 
glimpse  of  Christ's  sufferings  is  given  by  Sy- 
meon  in  Luke  ii.  25  ff. ;  and  there  can  be  no 
difficulty  in  believing  that  at  this  crisis  the 
Forerunner  had  a  prophetic  insight  into  a 
truth  which  was  afterwards  hidden  from  the 
disciples  (Matt.  xvi.  21  ff). 

It  must  be  further  noticed  that  the  Lamb 
which  the  Baptist  recognises  was  not  one  of 
man's  providing.  Christ  is  the  Lamb  of  God, 
that  is,  the  Lamb  which  God  Himself  furnishes 
for  sacrifice  (Gen.  xxii.  8),  while  the  accessory 
notions  of  "  fitness  for,"  "belonging  to,"  are 
also  necessarily  included  in  the  genitive. 

The  explanation  which  has  been  given  of 
the  definite  article  appears  to  be  the  most 
simple ;  but  it  is  possible  that  the  article  may 


represent  some  earlier  and  well-known  use  of 
the  phrase,  as  in  "  the  prophet "  (v.  21),  "  the 
root  of  David"  (Rev.  v.  5).  Nor  can  any 
stress  be  laid  upon  the  fact  that  the  application 
of  the  title  to  Christ  is  strange  and  unprepared. 
The  title  the  Lion  of  the  tribe  ofJudah  (Rev.  v. 
5  ;  comp.  Gen.  xlix.  9)  is  not  less  singular ; 
and,  according  to  many  (but  see  Note  on  -v. 
51),  the  title  "the  Son  of  man"  rests  upon 
the  single  passage  of  Daniel  (vii.  13)  in  the 
Old  Testament.  The  figure  is  found  again 
in  Rev.  v.  6  ff.  (apviov)  and  in  i  Pet.  i.  19  f. 

which  taketh  away\  It  seems  to  be  most 
in  accordance  with  St  John's  usage  to  take 
this  phrase  as  defining  the  character  of  "the 
Lamb  of  God,"  and  not  as  presenting  Christ 
under  a  new  aspect,  "  even  He  that  taketh 
away  the  sin  of  the  world."  The  majority  of 
the  Old  and  Vulgate  Latin  copies,  the  Old 
Syriac  and  other  early  authorities,  however, 
adopt  the  latter  rendering  by  repeating  "Be- 
hold "  (Vulg.  Ecce  agnus  Dei,  Ecce  qui  tol- 
lit...).  The  word  (a'ipei)  may  mean  either 
(i)  taketh  upon  him,  or  (2)  taketh  away.  But 
the  usage  of  the  LXX.  and  the  parallel  passage 
i  John  iii.  5,  are  decisive  in  favour  of  the 
second  rendering  (Vulg.  qui  tollit,  all.  qui  au- 
ferf) ;  and  the  Evangelist  seems  to  emphasize 
this  meaning  by  substituting  another  word  for 
the  unambiguous  word  of  the  LXX.  ((pepei, 
beareth).  It  was  however  by  "taking  upon 
Himself  our  infirmities"  that  Christ  took  them 
away  (Matt.  viii.  1 7) ;  and  this  idea  is  dis- 
tinctly presented  in  the  passage  of  Isaiah  (liii. 
n).  The  present  tense  marks  the  future  re- 
sult as  assured  in  the  beginning  of  the  work 
and  also  as  continuous  (comp.  i  John  i.  7). 

the  sin  of  the  world']  The  singular  (as  con- 
trasted with  the  plural,  i  John  iii.  5)  is  im- 
portant, so  far  as  it  declares  the  victory  of 
Christ  over  sin  regarded  in  its  unity,  as  the 
common  corruption  of  humanity,  which  is 
personally  realised  in  the  sins  of  separate  men. 
The  parallel  passage  in  the  Epistle  (I.e.)  shews 
that  the  redemptive  efficacy  of  Christ's  Work 
is  to  be  found  in  His  whole  Life  (He  was 
manifested)  crowned  by  His  Death.  Of  the 
two  aspects  of  the  Atonement,  as  (i)  The 
removal  of  the  punishment  of  sin,  and  (a) 
The  removal  of  sin,  St  John  dwells  habitually 
on  the  latter.  Yet  see  iii.  36  ;  i  John  ii.  2. 

The  plural  (sins'),  which  has  been  trans- 
ferred into  our  own  Prayer-Book  from  the 
early  Western  Service-Books  (O  Lamb  of  God 
that  takest  away  the  sins  of  the  world),  occurs 
in  Latin  quotations  from  the  time  of  Cyprian 
(qui  tollis  peccata),  but  it  is  not  found  in  any 
of  the  best  MSS.  of  the  Old  Latin  or  of  the 
Vulgate.  It  occurs  also  in  the  Morning 
Hymn  of  the  Alexandrian  Church  (Gloria  in 


v.  3i— 33-] 


ST.  JOHN.    I. 


preferred  before  me:  for  he  was  be- 
fore me. 

31  And  I  knew  him  not:  but  that 
he  should  be  made  manifest  to  Israel, 
therefore  am  I  come  baptizing  with 
water. 


32  *And  John  bare   record,   say-*  Matt  3. 
ing,  I  saw  the  Spirit  descending  from  l6 
heaven  like  a  dove,  and  it  abode  upon 

him. 

33  And  I  knew  him  not:  but  he 
that  sent  me  to  baptize  with  water, 


excelsis),  though  not  in  immediate  connexion 
with  "  the  Lamb  of  God,"  and  this  is  probably 
the  source  of  the  liturgical  use  which  slightly 
influenced  the  Latin  texts. 

the  world]  Creation  summed  up  in  hu- 
manity considered  apart  from  (viii.  12,  ix.  5, 
r  John  iv.  9),  and  so  at  last  hostile  to  God 
(xiv.  17,  xv.  1 8).  Yet  potentially  the  work 
of  Christ  extends  to  the  whole  world  (vi.  33  ; 
i  John  ii.  2).  Compare  Additional  Note  on 
v.  10. 

The  Synoptists  have  preserved  a  trace  of 
this  extension  of  the  work  of  Messiah  from 
the  Jews  to  mankind  in  the  teaching  of  the 
Baptist  (Matt.  iii.  9).  His  call  to  confession 
and  repentance  included  the  idea  of  the  uni- 
versality of  his  message.  He  addressed  men 
as  men.  Comp.  v.  7  note. 

30.  of 'whom']    Literally,  according  to  the 
true  text,  in  behalf  of  whom  (yirtp  oJ),  i.e. 
vindicating  whose  glorious  office  as  compared 
with  my  own. 

/  (e'yo»)  said]  The  pronoun  is  purposely 
expressed :  /,  the  prophetic  messenger  of  His 
advent,  declared  His  superior  majesty. 

Jlfter  me. ..which  is  come  to  be  before  me"] 
See  if.  15,  note. 

a  man]  The  word  chosen  (ai/Tjp,  Vulg. 
vir)  is  emphatic,  and  here  serves  to  give 
dignity  to  the  person  described  (contrast 
avdpvnosi  "v.  6).  Elsewhere,  except  in  the 
sense  of  "  husband,"  it  occurs  in  St  John  only 
in  vi.  10,  where  the  two  terms  (di/ifp,  avdpoirot) 
are  contrasted. 

31.  /  knew  him  not]     I   (emphatic),  his 
precursor,  trained  for  my  work  in  the  deserts 
(Luke  i.  80)  till  the  day  for  my  mission  came, 
knew  Him  not  as  Messiah  (v.  26).     From 
the  narrative  in  St  Luke  it  appears  to  be 
doubtful  whether  the  Baptist  had  any  personal 
knowledge  of  Jesus. 

but  that  he  should  be  made  manifest]  but 
apart  from  such  special  knowledge  I  had  a 
distinct  charge ;  and  I  knew  that  my  mission 
was  to  lead  up  to  the  present  manifestation 
of  the  Christ  to  the  chosen  people. 

Israel]  The  term  is  always  used  with  the 
idea  of  the  spiritual  privileges  attaching  to  the 
'•ace,  i.  (50)  49,  iii.  10,  xii.  13. 

The  popular  belief  that  Messiah  would  be 
unknown  till  He  was  anointed  by  Elijah,  is 
given  in  a  very  remarkable  passage  of  Justin's 
'  Dialogue,'  c.  8. 

am  I  come  baptizing  with  (in)  water] 
Rather,  came  I,  fulfilling  my  initiatory  work. 


The  order  of  the  words  differs  from  that  in 
•w.  26,  33,  so  that  the  subordinate  character 
of  his  baptism  is  here  the  predominant  idea. 

32.  bare    record]    bare   witness.     It  is 
important  to  preserve  the  identity  of  language 
throughout:  -w.  7,  8,  15,  19,  34. 

/  saw~]  Rather,  I  have  beheld  (re&'a/im), 
"gazed  on,"  with  calm,  steady,  thoughtful 
ga/e,  as  fully  measuring  what  was  presented 
to  my  eyes  (i  John  i.  i).  The  perfect  is 
found  only  i  John  iv.  12,  14.  The  aorist 
occurs  frequently,  i.  14,  38,  &c.  The  verb 
in  v.  34  is  different  (etapaKa). 

the  Spirit  descending]  This  communication 
of  the  Spirit  to  Christ  belongs  to  the  fulfil- 
ment under  human  conditions  of  His  whole 
work.  Hitherto  that  work  had  been  accom- 
plished in  the  perfection  of  individual  Life. 
Messiah  now  enters  on  His  public  office,  and 
for  that  receives,  as  true  Man,  the  appropriate 
gifts.  The  Spirit  by  whom  men  are  subjec- 
tively united  to  God  descends  upon  the  Word 
made  Flesh,  by  whom  objectively  God  is 
revealed  to  men. 

from  (out  of)  heaven  like  (as)  a  dove~\ 
This  definite  revelation  may  be  compared  with 
that  of  the  "  tongues  of  fire,"  Acts  ii.  3.  The 
word  used  of  the  Spirit  "moving  on  the  face 
of  the  waters"  in  Gen.  i.  2,  describes  the 
action  of  a  bird  hovering  over  its  brood,  and 
the  phrase  is  explained  in  the  Talmud,  "The 
Spirit  of  God  was  borne  over  the  water  as  a 
dove  which  broods  over  her  young  "  ('  Chag.' 
15  a).  To  those  who  had  not  "eyes  to  see" 
the  outward  phenomenon  may  not  have  ap- 
peared anything  extraordinary,  just  as  the 
articulate  voice  of  God  was  said  by  such  to 
be  thunder  (xii.  29).  But  Christ  Himself, 
who  "saw"  this  visible  manifestation  in  its 
divine  fulness  (Matt.  iii.  16;  Mark  i.  10), 
heard  also  the  divine  words  as  a  definite 
message.  The  dove,  as  a  symbol  here,  sug- 
gests the  notion  of  (i)  Tenderness,  (2)  Inno- 
cence, Matt.  x.  1 6,  (3)  Gentle  and  tranquil 
movement. 

and  it  abode  upon  him]  The  transition  to 
the  finite  verb  gives  emphasis  to  this  fact. 
The  phrase  occurs  Isai.  xi.  2.  The  Spirit 
came  to  the  prophets  only  from  time  to  time 
(comp.  a  K.  iii.  15),  but  with  Christ  it  re- 
mained unchangeably. 

33.  And  I  knew  him  not]     The  phrase  is 
solemnly  repeated  from  v.  31.    The  mission 
and  the  sign  of  the  fulfilment  of  the  mission 
are  treated  in  the  same  way. 

C  2 


ST.  JOHN.    I 


b-  34. 


the  same  said  untc  me,  Upon  whom 
thou  shalt  see  the  Spirit  descending, 
and  remaining  on  him,  the  same  is  he 


which  baptizeth  with  the  Holy  Ghost. 
34   And  I   saw,  and  bare   record 
that  this  is  the  Son  of  God. 


he  that  sent  me. ..the  same  (he)  said}  This 
detail  is  peculiar  to  St  John.  In  what  form 
this  revelation  was  conveyed  to  the  Baptist  we 
cannot  tell.  He  was  conscious  of  a  direct 
personal  charge.  This  is  brought  out  promi- 
nently by  the  repetition  of  the  pronoun  '•'•he 
(e'/ceivos)  said."  Comp.  v.  18. 

Upon  whom]  Rather,  Upon  whomsoever, 
so  that  the  dependence  of  the  Baptist's  know- 
ledge on  the  divine  sign  is  placed  in  a  stronger 
light. 

remaining]  abiding,  as  v.  32.  Both 
elements  (the  descent  and  the  resting)  in  this 
sign  are  obviously  significant.  The  Spirit 
"descended"  for  the  fulfilment  of  a  ministry 
on  earth;  He  "abode"  on  Christ  so  that 
from  henceforth  that  which  was  immanent  in 
the  "Word" — His  "glory" — was  continu- 
ously manifested  to  believers.  The  Son  be- 
came the  Giver  of  the  Spirit  who  revealed 
Him,  even  as  the  Spirit  enabled  Him  to  reveal 
the  Father.  He  Himself  received  the  Spirit, 
as  it  was  His  office  to  baptize  with  the  Spirit. 

The  "abiding"  no  less  than  the  "descent" 
of  the  Spirit  was  an  object  of  "sight"  to  the 
herald  of  Christ.  He  was  enabled  to  discern 
in  the  Lord  after  His  return  from  the  Tempta- 
tion the  permanence  of  His  divine  endowment. 

baptizeth  with  (in)  the  Holy  Ghost]  the 
atmosphere,  the  element  of  the  new  life.  Comp. 
iii.  5  ;  Matt.  iii.  n,  "with  the  Holy  Ghost  and 
jfire."'  The  inward  and  outward  purification 
are  thus  combined.  Tha  transference  of  the 
image  of  baptism  to  the  impartment  of  the 
Holy  Spirit  was  prepared  by  such  passages  as 
Joel  ii.  28  (Acts  ii.  17). 

The  "descent,"  and  "abiding"  of  the 
Spirit  upon  Him  "who  was  in  the  beginning 
with  God "  illustrates  the  perfect  order  with 
which  the  divine  counsel  is  accomplished.  As 
"  the  Son  of  Man"  (comp.  <v.  51),  Christ  was 
thus  "consecrated  to  His  public  Work. 
Such  a  consecration  is  spoken  of  as  wrought 
by  the  Father  before  the  Incarnation  (x.  36), 
and  by  the  Son  before  the  Passion  (xvii.  19). 

34.  /  saw,  and  bare  record~]  Rather,  I 
(emphatic)  have  seen  as  a  fact,  without  the 
accessory  notion  of  attentive  observation  (v. 
32),  and  have  given  my  witness  that... 
So  far  my  experience  and  my  work  are  now 
completed.  The  sign  for  which  I  waited  has 
been  given ;  the  Messiah  whom  I  was  sent  to 
herald  has  been  revealed. 

the  Son  of  God]  Dan.  iii.  25.  The  phrase 
is  to  be  interpreted  according  to  the  context 
in  which  it  occurs  of  those  who  are  in  each 
case  regarded  as  the  direct  representatives  of 
God,  as  sometimes  of  kings,  &c.  (Ps.  Ixxxii. 
6);  and  so  here  it  is  used  in  the  highest  sense 


(comp.  Ps.  ii.  7).  Some  very  early  authorities 
(K,  Syr.  *vt.,  &c.)  read  the  chosen  one  of  God. 

In  comparing  this  section  with  the  corres- 
ponding passage  in  the  Synoptists,  we  notice : 

i.  The  Baptism  and  Temptation  must  pre- 
cede i).  19.  John  knew  Jesus  as  Messiah 
(v.  26),  of  which  he  was  first  assured  at  His 
Baptism  (v.  33).  And  the  succession  of  time 
(29,  35)  leaves  no  interval  for  the  Temptation, 
of  which  the  Baptist  would  naturally  have  no 
knowledge.  It  is  probable  that  v.  29  marks 
the  return  of  the  Lord  from  the  Temptation. 

z.  The  testimony  of  John  given  in  the 
Synoptists  belongs  to  the  time  before  the 
Baptism,  and  is  addressed  to  a  popular  au- 
dience :  that  in  St  John,  to  special  messengers 
(as  it  seems)  from  the  Sanhedrin,  and  to  the 
immediate  disciples  of  the  Baptist.  The  sub- 
stance of  the  testimonies  corresponds  to  these 
differences  of  circumstances.  The  former  is 
general,  and  combined  with  the  idea  of  judg- 
ment; the  latter  is  carefully  defined  with 
regard  to  current  belief,  and  stimulative  to 
faith.  Moreover,  the  testimony  recorded  by 
St  John  distinctly  refers  to  the  earlier  testi- 
mony (v.  30). 

3.  The  particularity  and  exactness  of  St 
John's  narrative,  preserving  the"  exact  marks 
of  time,  and  place,  and  look,  and  position, 
mark  the  work  of  an  eye-witness. 

4.  The  testimony  of  John,  which  was  the 
first  recognition  and  the  first  manifestation 
of  Christ,  is  the  natural  beginning  of  St  John's 
Gospel,  whose  design  is  to  give  the  historic 
development  of  faith  and  unbelief.     Comp. 
xx.  31.     In  this  incident  faith  in  Christ  was 
first  shewn  and  first  tried.     The  testimony  of 
John  was  a  word  of  inspiration  answering  to 
the  faith  which  regarded  outward  facts  in  a 
divine  light. 

5.  The  descent  of  the  Holy  Spirit  upon 
Christ  at  His  Baptism  is  presented  by  St  John 
simply  as  an  objective  sign   to  the  Baptist. 
He  does  not  speak  of  any  communication  of 
the  Holy  Spirit  to  Christ.     The  "abiding"  is 
part  of  the  sign,  the  completion  of  the  "de- 
scent."    By  a  comparison  of  the  other  Gospels 
we  see  that  the  manifestation  was  a  sign  to 
Christ  also  as  well  as  to  the  Baptist;  just  a? 
the  words  which  contained  the  divine  revela- 

•  tion  (My  beloved  Son)  were  heard  in  their 
twofold  application,  as  addressed  to  others, 
This  is  my  beloved  Son  (Matt.),  and  as  ad- 
dressed to  the  Lord,  Thou  art  my  beloved  Son 
(Mark,  Luke).  To  the  Baptist  the  sign  shewed 
that  his  work  was  consummated  by  the  open 
advent  of  Him  whose  way  he  was  himself  sent 
to  prepare:  to  Christ,  that  the  hour  of  His 
public  ministry  was  come,  a  ministry  com- 


.  35,  36.] 


ST.  JOHN.    I. 


35  ^  Again  the  next  day  after 
John  stood,  and  two  of  his  disci- 
ples; 


36  And  looking  upon  Jesus  as  he 
walked,  he  saith,  Behold  the  Lamb 
of  God ! 


menced  by  an  act  of  self-humiliation.  At  the 
same  time  we  cannot  but  believe  (so  far  as  we 
realise  the  perfect  humanity  of  Christ)  that 
Christ  at  this  crisis  first  became  conscious  as 
man  of  a  power  of  the  Spirit  within  Him 
corresponding  to  the  new  form  of  His  work. 
See  i\  33,  note. 

For  the  rest  it  will  be  seen  that  the  narra- 
tives of  this  event  lend  no  support  to  the  Ebio- 
nitic  view  that  the  Holy  Spirit  was  first  im- 
parted to  Christ  at  His  Baptism;  or  to  the 
Gnostic  view  that  the  Logos  was  then  united 
to  the  man  Jesus.  And  at  the  same  time  this 
event  enables  us  to  apprehend  the  different 
spheres  of  the  Word  and  of  the  Spirit.  By 
the  Word  God  is  revealed  objectively  to  man  : 
by  the  Spirit  man  is  subjectively  brought  into 
fellowship  with  God.  We  could  not,  with- 
out destroying  the  essential  idea  of  the  Chris- 
tian Faith,  suppose  either  that  the  Spirit  was 
made  flesh  or  that  the  Word  descended  upon 
Christ. 

2.    THE  TESTIMONY  OF  DISCIPLES 
(i-  35—51). 

The  work  of  the  Baptist  passed  naturally 
into  the  work  of  Christ.  His  testimony 
found  a  true  interpretation  from  some  of  his 
disciples,  and  they  first  attached  themselves  to 
the  Lord.  Christ  who  had  been  announced 
and  revealed  was  welcomed  and  followed. 

The  whole  section  consists  of  a  series  of 
examples  of  spiritual  insight.  Christ  reveals 
His  power  by  shewing  His  knowledge  of 
men's  thoughts  (w.  42,  48);  and  the  dis- 
ciples recognise  their  Master  by  their  experi- 
ence of  what  He  is  (irv.  39,  41,  49).  The 
incidents  are  a  commentary  on  the  words 
"Come  and  see"  (w.  46,  39),  and  the  pro- 
mise with  which  the  section  closes  opens  the 
prospect  of  a  more  perfect  divine  vision  (v. 
5i). 

The  very  mixture  of  Hebrew  (Simon,  Na- 
thanael)  and  Greek  (Andrew,  Philip)  names 
seems  to  indicate  the  representative  character 
of  this  first  group  of  disciples ;  and  there  is  a 
progress  in  the  confessions  which  they  make : 
'•'•We  ha-ve  found  the  Messiah'11  (v.  41):  "  We 
have  found  him  of  whom  Moses  in  the  Law, 
and  the  Prophets,  did  write..."  (v.  45):  "Rab- 
bi, thou  art  the  Son  of  God,  thou  art  the  King 
of  Israel"  (v.  49). 

The  history  falls  into  two  parts,  and  deals 
with  two  groups  of  disciples.  First,  John's 
work  is  crowned  (35 — 42)]  and  then  Christ's 
work  is  begun  (43 — 51).  This  will  be  seen 
in  the  subjoined  table. 
The  Testimony  of  Disciples. 

a.     The  first  group.     John's  teaching 
crowned  (vv.  35 — 42). 


a.    John's  word  understood   and    o- 
beyed  (35—39)- 

(1)  John's  disciples  and  John 

(35—37). 

(2)  John's  disciples  and  Christ 

(38,  39). 

,3.  The  new  message  proclaimed  (40 — • 
4*). 

(1)  The  mission  (40,  41). 

(2)  The  blessing  (42). 

b.  The  second  group.    Christ's  teaching 
begun  (v-v.  43—51). 
<r.  Christ's  call  and  its  issue  (outward 

power)  (43—46). 
/3.  Christ's    knowledge   of   the  heart 

(inward  power)  (47 — 51). 

The  work  of  the  first  day  of  Christ's  Minis- 
try. John's  teaching  crowned  (35 — 42). 

On  this  first  day  of  His  teaching  Christ  is 
recognised  by  those  who  have  been  already 
prepared  to  receive  Him.  The  disciples  ot 
John  are  shewn  in  their  true  position  towards 
him  and  his  Successor.  Christ  is  not  said 
to  have  called  any  one  to  Himself.  Two 
pairs  of  brothers,  as  it  appears,  form  the  first 
group  of  disciples,  of  whom  the  first  pair  are 
named,  Andrew  and  Simon;  and  the  second 
pair,  John  and  James,  are  only  faintly  indi- 
cated. The  first  disciples  become  the  first 
preachers. 

The  date  is  shortly  before  the  Passover  (ii. 
i,  12);  and  in  accordance  with  this  an  early 
tradition  fixed  the  beginning  of  Christ's  Mi- 
nistry at  the  venial  equinox  ('  Clem.  Horn.'  I. 
16). 

35.  Again  tlx  next  day  after  John  stood] 
Again  the  next  day  John  was  standing. 
The  picture  is  one  of  silent  waiting.    The 
hearts  of  all  were  full  with  thoughts  of  some 
great  change.     Was  standing:  compare  vii. 
37,  xviii.  5,  16,  18,  xix.  25,  xx.  n. 

two  of  his  disciples']  Comp.  viii.  17.  One 
of  them  is  identified  (v.  40)  as  Andrew;  and 
the  other  was  evidently  the  Evangelist.  This 
appears  from  the  absence  of  all  further  desig- 
nation, and  from  the  fact  that  the  narrative 
bears  the  marks  of  having  been  written  by  an 
eye-witness  for  whom  each  least  detail  had  a 
living  memory. 

36.  looking  upon]    having  looked   on. 
The  word  (tpfiXf^rat)  describes  one  penetrat- 
ing glance,  as  again  in  v.  42,  the  only  other 
place  where  it  is  found  in  St  John.     Comp. 
Mark  x.  21,  27;  Luke  xx.  17,  xxii.  61. 

as  he  walked]  no  longer  "coming  unto 
him"  (v.  29),  but  evidently  (37,  38)  going 
away.  So  for  the  last  time  the  Baptist  and 
the  Christ  were  together ;  and  the  Baptist 


I  Or, 

abidest. 


ST.  JOHN.    I. 


[v.  37—41- 


37  And    the  two  disciples    heard 
him  speak,  and  they  followed  Jesus. 

38  Then  Jesus  turned,   and  saw 
them  following,  and  saith  unto  them, 
What  seek  ye  ?    They  said  unto  him, 
Rabbi,  (which  is  to  say,  being  inter- 
preted,   Master,)     where     ^dwellest 
thou  ? 


39  He  saith  unto  them,  Come  and 
see.     They  came  and  saw  where  he 
dwelt,  and  abode  with  him  that  day : 

for  it  was  l!  about  the  tenth  hour.          J  That  was 

/"v  /-l  I'll  1    two  hours 

40  One  of  the  two  which  heard  before 
John  speak)  and  followed  him,  was  ni) 
Andrew,  Simon  Peter's  brother. 

41  He  first  findeth  his  own  brother 


gave  by  anticipation  a  commentary  on  his  own 
sublime  words  (iii.  30)  where  he  pointed  his 
scholars  to  their  true  Lord. 

Behold  the  Lamb  of  God!']  The  words  are 
not  at  this  time  a  new  revelation  (as  -v.  29) 
and  therefore  the  explanatory  clause  is  omitted. 
They  are  a  suggestion  by  the  Baptist  *to  those 
who  had  hitherto  faithfully  followed  him,  that 
now  they  were  called  away  to  a  greater 
Master.  The  first  disciples  of  Christ  naturally 
came  from  among  the  Baptist's  disciples.  So 
the  divine  order  was  fulfilled,  and  the  prepa- 
ratory work  had  fruit.  The  new  Church 
grew  out  of  the  old  Church,  as  its  proper 
consummation.  The  revelation  of  Christ  as 
He  was  (v.  29)  shewed  to  those  whose  souls 
were  rightly  disciplined  that  He  would  com- 
plete what  the  Baptist  had  begun.  At  the 
same  time  the  disciples  of  the  Baptist  could 
leave  their  teacher  only  in  obedience  to  his 
own  guidance  as  he  interpreted  their  thoughts. 
And  the  direction  came  not  as  a  command, 
but  in  a  form  which  tested  their  faith.  The 
words  spoken  answered  to  their  inmost 
thoughts,  and  so  they  could  understand  and 
obey  them.  But  without  this  spiritual  corres- 
pondence the  decisive  sentence  could  have  no 
power  of  constraint,  for  it  does  not  appear 
that  St  John  even  addressed  them,  but  rather 
he  spoke  indefinitely  (v.  29),  and  the  message 
came  home  to  them:  He  saith. ..and  the  two 
disciples  heard  him  speak  (as  he  spoke,  r/Kovvav 
AaAotjj/roj),  and  followed  Jesus. 

37.  followed]     The  word  expresses  the 
single  act  as  their  choice  was  made  once  for 
all.  The  circumstance  has  a  significance  for  all 
time.     Christ's  first  disciples  were  made  by 
the  practical  interpretation  of  a  phrase  which 
might  have  been  disregarded. 

38.  Then    (But)    Jesus    turned]     as    He 
was  going  away.     This  action  hindered  the 
two  disciples  from  following  Him  silently  and 
unperceived  as  they  might  have  done  (they  . . . 
followed ...  but  Jesus  ...). 

saw  them]     beheld  them.     Comp.  vi.  5. 

What  seek  ye?]  Not  whom?  It  is  of  inter- 
est to  compare  the  first  words  of  Christ  re- 
corded in  the  several  Gospels.  Suffer  it  to  be 
so  now;  for  thus  it  becometh  us  to  fulfil  all 
righteousness  (Matt.  iii.  15).  The  time  is  ful- 
filled, and  the  kingdom  of  heaven  is  at  hand: 
repent  je  and  believe  the  gospel  (Mark  i.  ij). 


How  is  it  that  ye  sought  me?  wist  ye  not  that  I 
must  be  about  my  Father's  business  ?  (Luke  ii. 
49).  The  first  words  in  the  text  followed  by 
Come  and  ye  shall  see,  the  searching  ques- 
tion and  the  personal  invitation,  are  a  parable 
of  the  message  of  faith. 

They  said  (And  they  said)... Rabbi]  The 
fresh  recollection  of  the  incident  seems  to 
bring  back  the  original  terms  which  had  al- 
most grown  to  be  foreign  words  (w.  41,  42). 
The  English  Master  is  to  be  taken  in  the 
sense  of  "Teacher."  Comp.  iii.  2,  note. 

dwellest]  Rather  abide st,  as  -v.  39  (dwelt, 
abode). 

The  answer  implies  that  if  they  could  be 
with  Christ,  that,  and  nothing  less  than  that, 
would  satisfy  their  want.  For  a  thing  (what? 
v.  38)  these  first  disciples  substituted  a  Per- 
son. They  were  in  need  of  Christ  first  and 
not  of  any  special  gift  of  Christ. 

39.  Come  and  see]    According  to  the  most 
probable  reading,  Come  and  ye   shall   see. 
The   present    imperative    (ep^FoA,   compare 
v.  47,  vii.  37,  xi.  34,  and  on  the  other  hand 
iv.  16,  «A$e)  describes  an  immediate  act  con- 
templated as  already  begun.     The  act  of  faith 
goes  first:  knowledge  is  placed  definitely  after. 
The  double  repetition,  So  they  came  and  saw, 
must  be  noticed. 

They  came... day... for  it  was...]  They  came 
therefore  (So  they  came) . . .day . . .it  was... 

that  day]  that  memorable  day,  from  which 
the  Christian  society  took  its  rise.  Compare 
xx.  19  note. 

the  tenth  hour]  i.e.  10  a.m.  Comp.  iv.  6, 
note,  and  Additional  Note  on  ch.  xix.  An 
early  hour  seems  to  suit  best  the  fulness  of 
the  day's  events.  The  mention  of  the  time  is 
one  of  the  small  traits  which  mark  St  John. 
He  is  here  looking  back  upon  the  date  of  his 
own  spiritual  birth. 

40.  One  of  the  two...]     The  other  being 
St  John;  v.  35,  note. 

heard  John  speak]  Literally,  heard  from 
John,  heard  the  great  tidings  from  him,  i.e. 
that  Jesus  was  the  Lamb  of  God.  For  the 
construction  see  vi.  45. 

Andrew]  Compare  vi.  8,  xii.  22 ;  Mark 
xiii.  3,  where  the  same  four  disciples  appear 
together  as  here.  See  note. 

Simon  Peter's  brother]  Thus  Peter  is  treat- 
ed as  the  better  known. 


V.  42-J 


ST.  JOHN.    I. 


Anointed. 


Simon,  and  saith  unto  him,  We  have 
found  the  Messias,  which  is,  being 
interpreted,  "the  Christ. 

42  And  he  brought  him  to  Jesus. 


And  when  Jesus  beheld  him,  he  said, 
Thou  art  Simon  the  son  of  Jona: 
thou  shalt  be  called  Cephas,  which  is 
by  interpretation,  "A  stone. 


HOr, 
Peter. 


41.  first findetb  his  own  brother]  f indeth 
first  his  own  brother.  The  words  imply 
that  someone  else  was  afterwards  found ;  and 
from  the  form  of  the  sentence  we  may  con- 
clude that  this  was  the  brother  of  the  second 
disciple,  that  is  James  the  brother  of  John. 
All  this  evidently  took  place  on  the  same  day 
(vv.  35,  43)- 

fndeth]  The  use  of  the  word  in  this  chapter 
is  most  remarkable.  It  occurs  again  in  this 
verse  and  in  43  (44),  and  twice  in  i>.  45  (46). 
The  search  and  the  blessing  go  together. 

We  have  found}  This  was  the  result  of 
their  intercourse  with  Christ.  The  verb  stands 
first,  thus  giving  prominence  to  the  search 
(v.  38)  now  joyously  ended.  It  is  otherwise 
in  v.  45.  The  plural  shews  the  sympathy 
but  not  the  presence  of  St  John. 

Messias  ...  interpreted  the  (omit)  Christ'] 
The  Hebrew  name  is  found  only  here  and  iv. 
25.  Compare  v.  38  (Rabbi),  note,  v.  42 
(Cephas);  and  contrast  irv.  20,  25.  On  the 
form  (Mfo-er/ar  or  Meo-iay)  as  representing  the 
Aramaic  (NPPy'p)  see  Delitzsch,  'Ztschr.  f. 
Luth.  TheoV  1876,  s.  603. 

The  announcement  was  an  interpretation  of 
the  disciples'  own  experience.  It  does  not 
appear  that  the  title  was  used  by  the  Baptist. 
The  prerogatives  of  the  Christ,  the  works  of 
the  Christ,  were  laid  open,  and  it  was  the 
office  of  faith  to  recognise  Him  in  whom  they 
were  found. 

The  title  "the  Christ"  is  found  in  the  nar- 
rative of  St  John's  Gospel,  just  as  in  the  Sy- 
noptists.  It  is  not  unfrequently  used  by  the 
people  doubting  and  questioning  (vii.  26  f., 
31,  41  f.,  x.  24,  xii.  34.  Comp.  ix.  22); 
and  by  the  Baptist  in  answer  to  them  (i.  20, 
25,  iii.  28) ;  but  very  rarely  in  a  confession  of 
faith,  as  here  and  xi.  27.  Comp.  iv.  25,  29. 
The  word  is  introduced  wrongly  in  iv.  42, 
vi.  69.  For  the  usage  of  St  John  himself  see 
xx.  31;  i  John  ii.  22,  v.  i ;  i  John  9;  Rev. 
xi.  15,  xii.  10,  xx.  4.  Comp.  i.  17  note. 
Perhaps  the  Hebrew  form  is  definitely  pre- 
served in  order  to  connect  the  Lord  with  the 
Jewish  hope  and  to  exclude  Gnostic  specula- 
tions on  the  ./Eon  Christ. 

41,  42.    fndeth  ...  saith  ...  brought]     The 
change  of  tense  gives  vividness  to  the  narrative. 

42.  And  he  brought. ..And  when  Jesus  be- 
held   him    be    said]     He    brought.. .Jesus 
looked  on  him  and  said. 

beheld  him]     Comp.  v.  36  note. 

Thou  art]  This  is  not  necessarily  a  pro- 
phetic declaration  by  divine  knowledge.  It 
rather  means  simply  "  this  is  your  natural 


name."  Some  take  the  phrase  interrogatively: 
Art  thou... ?  placing  the  old  and  the  new  in 
sharper  contrast. 

son  of  Jona]  Here  and  in  ch.  xxi.  the  best 
text  gives  son  of  J  o  h  n. 

thou  shalt  be  called  Cephas"]  Hereafter  thou 
shalt  win  the  name  of  Cephas.  This  promise 
received  its  fulfilment,  Matt.  xvi.  18  (Thou 
art  Peter),  where  the  earlier  naming  is  implied. 
The  title  appears  to  mark  not  so  much  the 
natural  character  of  the  Apostle  as  the  spiritual 
office  to  which  he  was  called. 

Cephas]  The  Aramaic  name  (NQ^3)  is 
found  in  the  New  Testament  elsewhere  only 
in  i  Cor.  i.  12,  iii.  22,  ix.  5,  xv.  5 ;  Gal.  i.  18, 
ii.  9,  n,  14. 

by  interpretation,  A  stone"]  The  sense  would 
perhaps  be  given  better  by  keeping  the  equiva- 
lent proper  name:  by  interpretation  Peter,  that 
is  a  stone,  or  rather  a  mass  of  rock  detached 
from  the  living  rock  (Vulg.  Cephas  quod  inter- 
pretatur  Petrus). 

As  to  the  relation  of  this  meeting  with  St 
Peter  to  the  call  recorded  in  Matt.  iv.  18 — 22 ; 
Mark  i.  16 — 20;  Luke  v.  i — ii,  it  may  be 
observed  that 

1.  All  the  features  are  different. 

(a)  Place — Judaea:  Galilee. 

(b)  Time — Close  on  the  Baptism:  Some 
time  after. 

(c)  Persons — Philip  and  Nathanael  are 
not  named  by  Synoptists. 

(d)  Circumstances — A  simple  meeting :  A 
miracle. 

2.  The  narrative  in  the  Synoptists  implies 
some  previous  connexion. 

3.  This  was  the  establishment  of  a  personal 
relationship :  that  was  a  call  to  an  official  work. 
The  former  more    naturally  belongs  to  St 
John's  scope,  as  giving  the  history   of  the 
growth  of  faith.    The  latter  falls  in  with  the 
record  of  the  organization  of  the  Church. 

4.  The  teaching  in  Galilee  to  which  the 
call  recorded  in  the  Synoptists  belongs  was 
really  the  beginning  of  a  new  work,  distinct 
from  the  Lord's  first  work  at  Jerusalem. 

5.  The  occupation  of  the  disciples  with 
their  ordinary  work  after  the  first  call  finds  a 
complete  parallel  in  John  xxi. 

The  work  of  the  second  day  of  Chrisfs  minis- 
try. Christ's  own  work  begun  (43 — 51). 

The  record  of  the  fulfilment  of  John's  work 
in  the  attachment  of  his  disciples  to  Christ  is 
followed  by  the  record  of  the  beginning  of 
Christ's  work.  Jesus  now  "  seeks"  and  com- 
mands (v.  43),  and  reveals  both  His  authority 
and  His  insight. 


26 


ST.  JOHN.    I. 


[v.  43—46. 


43    ^    The    day    following   Jesus         45   Philip  findeth  Nathanael,  and 
would  go  forth  into  Galilee,  and  find-     saith  unto  him,  We  have  found  him, 
1    "'  •'•  '      '-1-   ------  L-'-     1?~1       of  whom  /Moses  in  the  law,  and  the 'Gen.  49. 

prophets,  did  write,  Jesus  of  Naza-  \l\  ^^ 


eth  Philip,  and  saith  unto  him,  Fol- 
low me. 


44  Now  Philip  was  of  Bethsaida,     reth,  the  son  of  Joseph. 


*Isai.  4.  2. 


the  city  of  Andrew  and  Peter 


46  And  Nathanael  said  unto  him, 


43.  Toe  Jay  following  Jesus  would  go  forth 
... and jindeth... and  salt b...~]  The  next  day 
(w.  29,  35)  lie  was  minded  to  go  forth... 
and  he/«<&/£...and  Jesus  saith...  The  trans- 
position of  the  subject  by  the  best  authorities 
creates  no  real  ambiguity.  Compare  xix.  5. 
The  purpose  is  evidently  spoken  of  as  in 
accomplishment. 

The  coordination  of  the  two  clauses  (he 
was  minded,  and  he  saith},  which  would  com- 
monly be  placed  in  dependence,  is  character- 
istic of  St  John's  style.  Comp.  ii.  13  if. 

go  forth  into  Galilee']  "His  hour  was  not 
yet  come"  for  a  public  manifestation  at  Jeru- 
salem, and  therefore  He  returned  for  a  time  to 
His  usual  place  of  abode. 

findeth']  How  and  where  "Jesus  found 
Philip"  must  remain  unknown;  but  the  word 
implies  that  the  meeting  was  not  accidental. 
Compare  <w.  43,  45  (46):  v.  14.  The  Lord 
"found"  those  who  were  "given"  to  Him: 
xvii.  6  ff.,  vi.  37.  Comp.  iv.  23. 

Philip]  Seevi.  5,  7,  xii.  21  ff.,  xiv.  8,  9. 
These  passages  throw  light  on  the  character  of 
the  disciple  whom  Christ  sought.  The  name 
Philip  is  pure  Greek.  Comp.  xii.  20  f. 

Follow  me]  As  a  disciple  bound  to  my  ser- 
vice. The  words  are  here  first  pronounced 
by  Christ.  Comp.  Matt.  viii.  22,  ix.  9,  xix. 
21,  and  parallels;  ch.  xxi.  19,  22.  The  phrase 
in  Matt.  iv.  19  is  different. 

44.  was  of  Bethsaida,  the  city...']  More 
exactly,  was  from  (ano)  Bethsaida,  of  (Vie) 
the  city...  The  Synoptists  mention  that  Simon 
and  Andrew  had  a  house  at  Capernaum  (Mark 
i.  21,  29;  comp.  Matt.  viii.  5,  14;  Luke  iv. 

Bethsaida']  Defined  as  Bethsaida  of  Galilee, 
xii.  21 ;  and  identified  by  Dr  Thomson  with 
Abu  Zany  on  the  west  of  the  entrance  of  the 
Jordan  into  the  lake,  and  by  Major  Wilson 
with  Khan  Minyeh  ( Wilson,  '  Sea  of  Galilee,' 
in  Warren's  'Recovery  of  Jerusalem,'  pp. 
342,  387).  Comp.  Matt.  xiv.  22  note;  Mark 
viii.  22  note. 

The  notice  of  the  home  of  Philip  explains 
how  he  was  prepared  to  welcome  Christ.  He 
knew  and  was  in  sympathy  with  Andrew  and 
Peter;  and  probably  he  too  with  them  had 
followed  the  Baptist. 

45.  Philip  fndeth]  Probably  on  the  jour- 
ney. Nathanael  was  "of  Cana  in  Galilee" 
(xxi.  a).  The  first  disciple  who  "found 
Christ,"  and  the  first  disciple  whom  Christ 
"  found,"  became  alike  evangelists  at  once. 

Nathanaef]=  Theodore.     He    is    probably 


to  be  identified  with  Bartholomew,  for  the 
following  reasons : 

(1)  The    mention    of  him   in   this   place 
and  in  xxi.  2  shews  that  he  occupied 
a  prominent  position   among  the  dis- 
ciples.    Those  with  whom  he  is  classed 
in  each  place  are  Apostles. 

(2)  No  mention  is  made  of  Nathanael  in  the 
Synoptists,  or  of  Bartholomew  in  St 
John;    while   the   name  Bartholomew 
is  a  patronymic  (Son  of  Tolmai)  like 
Barjona  (Matt:  xvi.  17),  and  Barjesus 
(Acts  xiii.  6). 

(3)  In  the  list  of  Apostles  Bartholomew  is 
coupled   with  Philip  by  St  Matthew 
(x.  3),  St  Luke  (vi.  14),  St  Mark  (Hi. 
1 8),  so  that  the  six  first  are  the  six  first 
called.     In  xxi.  2  Thomas  is  added,  as 
in  Acts  i.  13. 

We  have  found]  Here,  in  the  original, 
the  verb  stands  last.  "Him  of  whom  Moses 
wrote  and  the  prophets,  we  have  found." 
This  form  of  the  sentence  (contrast  v.  41) 
seems  to  imply  that  Philip  and  Nathanael  had 
often  dwelt  on  the  Old  Testament  portraiture 
of  Messiah.  By  the  use  of  the  plural,  Philip 
unites  himself  to  the  little  group  of  disciples, 
and  his  words  shew  that  he  had  been  before 
in  communication  with  them. 

Moses  in  the  law~\  By  types  (ch.  iii.  14  f.) 
and  by  more  distinct  words  (Deut.  xviii.  15. 
Comp.  Acts  iii.  22,  vii.  37).  Comp.  v.  46. 

Jesus  of  Nazareth,  the  son  of  Joseph]  i.  e. 
in  Jesus  of  Na/areth.  Philip  describes  the 
Lord  by  the  name  under  which  He  would  be 
commonly  known.  Comp.  Matt.  xxi.  1 1 ; 
and  ch.  vi.  42  (vii.  42). 

46.  Can  there  any  good  thing  come  out  of 
Nazareth?']  Literally,  From  Nazareth  can 
any  good  thing  be?  i.e.  can  any  blessing,  much 
less  such  a  blessing  as  the  promised  Messiah, 
arise  out  of  a  poor  village  like  Nazareth,  of 
which  not  even  the  name  can  be  found  in  the 
Old  Testament?  Contrast  Isai.  ii.  3  (Z/ow). 
There  is  no  evidence,  unless  the  conduct  of 
the  Nazarenes  to  the  Lord  be  such  (Luke 
iv.  1 6  ff".),  that  Nazareth  had  a  reputation 
worse  than  other  places  in  Galilee  (Matt, 
xiii.  58;  Mark  vi.  6).  It  was  proverbial, 
however,  that  "out  of  Galilee  ariseth  no  pro- 
phet" (vii.  52) ;  and  the  candour  of  Nathanael 
would  not  hide  a  misgiving  even  when  it  was 
to  the  dishonour  of  his  own  country.  The 
phrase  be  out  of  (eu>ai  (K)  denotes  more  than 
the  simple  home.  It  expresses  the  ideas  of 


.  47—49-] 


ST.  JOHN.    I. 


27 


Can  there  any  good  thing  come  out 
of  Nazareth  ?  Philip  saith  unto  him, 
Come  and  see. 

47  Jesus  saw  Nathanael  coming 
to  him,  and  saith  of  him,  Behold  an 
Israelite  indeed,  in  whom  is  no  guile  ! 

48  Nathanael    saith    unto    him, 


Whence  knowest  thou  me?  Jesus 
answered  and  said  unto  him,  Before 
that  Philip  called  thee,  when  thou 
wast  under  the  fig  tree,  I  saw  thee. 

49  Nathanael  answered  and  saith 
unto  him,  Rabbi,  thou  art  the  Son  of 
God ;  thou  art  the  King  of  Israel. 


derivation  and  dependence,  and  so  of  moral 
correspondence.     Comp.  iii.  31  note,  iv.  22. 

Come  and  see'}  Compare  v.  39.  The 
words  contain  the  essence  of  the  true  solution 
of  religious  doubts.  The  phrase  is  common 
in  Rabbinic  writers  (HS-ll  K13).  See  Wet- 
stein  on  v.  40. 

47.  coming']     Nathanael  at  once  accepted 
the  challenge. 

of  bint]  not  to  him,  but  to  the  bystanders,  as 
reading  the  soul  of  the  man  approaching  Him. 

It  will  be  noticed  how  the  Lord  interprets 
the  thoughts  of  all  whom  He  meets  in  these 
opening  chapters  of  St  John:  St  Peter  (T;.  42), 
St  Philip  (v.  43),  Nathanael  (v.  47),  the 
Blessed  Virgin  (ii.  4),  Nicodemus  (iii.),  the 
Woman  of  Samaria  (iv.).  Compare  ii.  25. 

an  Israelite  indeed]  one,  that  is,  who  an- 
swers in  character  to  the  name  which  marks 
the  spiritual  privileges  of  the  chosen  nation — 
"soldiers  of  God."  There  is  already  here  a 
reference  to  Jacob's  victories  of  faith  (v.  51), 
which  is  made  yet  clearer  by  the  second  clause. 

indeed}  Literally,  in  truth  (d\n6a>s).  The 
adverb  is  characteristic  of  tt  John  :  iv.  42,  vi. 
14,  vii.  40,  viii.  31  ;  i  John  ii.  5. 

in  suborn  is  no  guile}  who  is  frank,  simple, 
with  no  selfish  aims  to  hide,  no  doubts  to 
suppress.  In  whom  the  spirit  of  Jacob — the 
supplanter — has  been  wholly  transformed  to 
the  type  of  Israel.  The  future  growth  of  St 
Peter  had  formed  the  main  topic  of  Christ's 
welcome  to  him  (v.  42),  as  here  the  present 
character  of  Nathanael. 

48.  Whence  knowest  thou  mef]    Nathanael 
must  have  overheard  the  words  spoken  about 
him,  and  found  in  them  some  clear  discern- 
ment of  his  thoughts  (comp.  ii.  25),  which 
roused  him  to  this  question  of  surprise  uttered 
without  reserve. 

Before  that...'}  The  love  of  Christ  had  an- 
ticipated the  love  of  the  friend  in  finding  Na- 
thanael. 

when  thou  wast  under  the  fig  tree,  I  saw 
thee~\  This  sentence,  like  the  former  one, 
points  to  some  secret  thought  or  prayer,  by 
knowing  which  the  Lord  shewed  His  divine 
insight  into  the  heart  of  man.  He  saw  not 
that  which  is  outward  only,  but  that  which 
was  most  deeply  hidden.  Compare  iv.  19. 
There  is  nothing  to  shew  whether  Nathanael 
was  still  in  meditation  when  Philip  found  him 
or  not. 


the  Jig  tree}  which  would  be  in  leaf  about 
this  time  (Matt.  xxi.  10  tt'.,  ch.  ii.  13).  The 
definite  article  (the  fig-tree)  calls  up  the  exact 
scene.  Compare  Mic.  iv.  4;  Zech.  iii.  10,  &c. 
The  form  of  the  phrase  (VTTO  TTJV  O-VKIJV, 
contrasted  with  viroKarot  T^S  O-VKTJS,  v.  50,  un- 
derneath) implies  that  Nathanael  had  with- 
drawn under  the  fig-tree,  for  thought  or 
prayer.  This  meditation  turned  (as  we  must 
suppose)  upon  the  ideas  recognised  in  the 
Lord's  words.  Augustine's  narrative  of  the 
crisis  of  his  own  conversion  is  a  singular  com- 
mentary on  the  scene.  He  too  had  retired 
beneath  a  fig-tree  for  solitary  thought  when 
the  voice  from  heaven  "Tolle,  lege"  decided 
his  choice.  ' Confessiones,'  vm.  12.  28.  A 
passage  is  also  quoted  from  the  Jerusalem . 
Talmud  ('  Berachoth,'  n.  8),  in  which  R. 
Akiva  is  described  as  studying  the  law  under 
a  fig-tree. 

49.  answered  and  saith  unto  him} 
answered  him,  according  to  the  best 
text. 

Rabbi}  All  prejudice  and  doubt  is  laid 
aside,  and  the  title  is  given  by  instinct  which 
before  (T.  48)  he  had  withheld. 

thou  art  the  Son  of  God ;  thou  art  the  King 
(art  King)  of  Israel}  Thus  Messiah  was  . 
described  in  relation  to  (i)  His  divine  origin 
(2)  His  human  sovereignty.  Both  attributes 
are  implied  in  the  conception  of  a  kingdom 
of  God.  "The  'true  Israelite,' "  as  it  has  been 
well  said,  "acknowledges  his  king."  Com- 
pare Peter's  confession  in  Matt.  xvi.  16,  and 
in  ch.  vi.  68,  69,  and  that  of  Thomas  in  xx. 
28. 

the  Son  of  God'}  The  words  are  an  echo  of 
the  testimony  of  the  Baptist  (v.  34).  No- 
thing can  be  more  natural  than  to  suppose 
that  the  language  of  John  had  created  strange 
questionings  in  the  hearts  of  some  whom  it 
had  reached,  and  that  it  was  with  such 
thoughts  Nathanael  was  busied  when  the  Lord 
"saw"  him.  If  this  were  so,  the  confession 
of  Nathanael  may  be,  as  it  were,  an  answer  to 
his  own  doubts. 

King  of  Israel}  As  here  at  the  beginning, 
so  once  again  this  title  is  given  to  Christ  at 
the  close  of  His  ministry,  xii.  13.  Compare 
Matt,  xxvii.  42;  Mark  xv.  32,  where  the 
mockery  is  made  more  bitter  by  the  use  of 
this  theocratic  phrase  in  place  of  the  civil  title, 
"  King  of  the  Jews."  See  xviii.  33  note. 


28 


ST.  JOHN.    I. 


5°,  51- 


50  Jesus  answered  and  said  unto         51  And  he  saith  unto  him,  Verily, 

him,  Because  I  said  unto  thee,  I  saw  verily,  I  say  unto  you,  Hereafter  ye 

thee    under   the    fig    tree,    believest  shall  see  heaven  open,  and  the  angels 

thou?   thou  shalt  see  greater  things  of  God    ascending    and    descending 

than  these.  upon  the  Son  of  man. 


50.  believest  thou  f]      The  words  can  also 
be  taken  affirmatively;  but  the  same  sense  is 
given  more  forcibly  by  the  question  (comp. 
xvi.  31,  xx.  29),  which  conveys  something  of 
surprise    that    the    belief    was   accorded    so 
readily,  and  something  of  warning  that  even 
this  expression  of  belief  did  not  exhaust  the 
power  of  faith. 

see  greater  things  than  these~]  actually  ex- 
perience greater  proofs  of  my  divine  mission 
than  are  shewn  in  these  revelations  of  thy 
thoughts.  The  plural  (these  things)  marks  the 
class  and  not  the  special  incident.  Comp. 
3  John  4- 

51.  he  saith  unto  him. .  .1  say  unto  you . . .  ye] 
The  word  is  for  Nathanael,  but  thie  blessing 
is  for  all  believers. 

Verily,  verify]  i.e.  Amen,  Amen.  The  phrase 
is  found  in  the  New  Testament  only  in 
the  Gospel  of  St  John  (who  never  gives  the 
simple  Ameri),  and  (like  the  simple  Amen 
in  the  Synoptists)  it  is  used  only  by  Christ. 
The  word  Amen  is  represented  by  in  truth  or 
truly  in  Luke  iv.  25,  ix.  27.  In  the  LXX.  the 
original  word  is  retained  only  in  responsive 
phrases  (Neh.  v.  13,  viii.  6).  Elsewhere  it  is 
translated,  "be  it  so"  (yeVotro),  Ps.  xli.  13, 
Ixxii.  19,  Ixxxix.  52.  The  word  is  properly 
a  verbal  adjective,  "firm,"  "sure."  Comp. 
Isai.  Ixv.  16  (God  of  the  Amen.  LXX.  o  6(bs 
6  dXndivos) ;  Rev.  iii.  14  (the  Amen).  See 
Delitzsch,  'Ztschr.  f.  Luth.  Theol.'  1856,  ij. 
422  ff. 

Hereafter  (From  henceforth)]  This 
word  must  be  omitted  according  to  decisive 
authority.  If  it  were  genuine  it  would  de- 
scribe the  communion  between  earth  and 
heaven  as  established  from  the  time  when  the 
Lord  entered  on  His  public  ministry. 

heaven  open]  Rather,  opened.  The  phrase 
is  the  symbol  of  free  intercourse  between  God 
and  man.  Comp.  Isai.  Ixiv.  i. 

angels  ...  ascending  and  descending']  The 
order  is  remarkable.  The  divine  messengers 


are  already  on  the  earth  though  we  see  them 
not ;  and  they  first  bear  the  prayer  to  God 
before  they  bring  down  the  answer  from 
Him.  So  it  was  in  the  vision  of  Jacob  (Gen. 
xxviii.  12),  which  furnishes  the  image  here; 
and  by  the  Incarnation  that  vision  was  made 
an  abiding  reality.  That  which  was  a  dream 
to  the  representative  of  Israel  was  a  fact  for 
the  Son  of  Man.  Thus  the  reference  is  to 
the  continuing  presence  of  Christ  (Matt, 
xxviii.  20),  in  whom  believers  realise  the 
established  fellowship  of  the  seen  and  the  un- 
seen, and  not  to  the  special  acts  of  angelic 
ministration  to  Christ  alone  during  His 
earthly  life.  There  is  an  interesting  discussion 
of  Jacob's  vision  in  Philo,  '  De  Somn.' 
§§  22  ff.  pp.  640  ff. 

The  locality  of  the  conversation  may  have 
been  near  Bethel  or  the  ford  Jabbok,  so  that 
the  references  to  Jacob's  history  were  forcibly 
suggested  by  the  places  made  famous  through 
the  patriarch. 

angels']  ch.  xx.  12  (comp.  xii.  29).  There 
are  no  other  references  (v.  4  is  a  gloss)  to  the 
being  and  ministry  of  angels  in  the  Gospel  or 
Epistles  of  St  John. 

the  Son  of  man]  By  the  use  of  this  title 
the  Lord  completes  the  revelation  of  His 
Person,  which  has  been  unfolded  step  by  step 
in  the  narrative  of  this  chapter,  in  which  He 
has  been  acknowledged  as  the  greater  Succes- 
sor of  the  Baptist  (-w.  26  f.),  the  Lamb  of 
God  (w.  29,  36),  the  Son  of  God  (-v-v.  34, 
49),  the  Messiah  (w.  41,  45),  the  King  of 
Israel  (v.  49).  These  titles  had  been  given  by 
others.  He  chooses  for  Himself  that  one 
which  definitely  presents  His  work  in  relation 
to  humanity  in  itself,  and  not  primarily  in 
relation  to  God  or  to  the  chosen  people,  or 
even  to  humanity  as  fallen.  If,  as  appears 
probable,  the  title  was  now  first  adopted,  it  is 
to  be  noticed  that  it  was  revealed  in  answer 
to  a  signal  confession  of  faith  (Matt.  xiii.  12). 
See  Additional  Note. 


ADDITIONAL   NOTES   on   CHAP.  I. 


3,  4.  The  last  words  of  v.  3  (o  yeyovev 
\that\iuhich  hath  been  made)  can  be  taken  either 
(i)  with  the  words  which  follow,  or  (2)  with 
the  words  which  go  before.  In  the  former  case 
the  text  will  run...^a>pif  avrov  (ytvero  ovSe 
tv.  o  yeyovtv  tv  OVTOI  £0)17  ^v...iuithout  Him  was 
not  anything  made:  that  which  hath  been  made 
was  life  in  Him  (in  Him  <was  life);  in  the 
latter  case^.^wpif  avrov  fyivtro  oi)5e  tv  o  y«'- 


yovfv.  tv  avTa  £&»}  ?\v ..  .without  Him  ivas 
not  anything  made  that  hath  been  made.  In 
Him  <was  life... 

The  former  (to  speak  generally)  was  the 
punctuation  of  the  ante-Nicene  age :  the  latter 
is  that  of  the  common  texts,  and  of  most  mo- 
dern versions  and  popular  commentaries. 
The  evidence  in  greater  detail  is  as  follows : 
(i) . .  ,\<u>p\s  aiirov  iyivtro  ov8(  ev.    6  ytyovtv 


ST.  JOHN.   I. 


29 


£v  aJrw  £0)17  jJi/.-.This  punctuation  is  sup- 
ported by  overwhelming  ancient  authority  of 
MSS.,  versions,  and  Fathers. 

(a)  Manuscripts.  AC  (firsthand)  D  place 
a  distinct  point  before  o  yeyovev,  and  no  point 
after  it1.  The  remaining  two  (KB)  of  the 
five  most  ancient  MSS.  make  no  punctuation. 
Other  important  but  later  MSS.  give  the  same 
stopping,  as  e.g.  L. 

(/3)  Persians.  One  of  the  most  important 
of  the  Old  Latin  copies  (h}  inserts  autem,  so 
that  the  connexion  is  unquestionable:  Quod 
autem  factum  est,  in  eo  -vita  est.  Others  (a,  c, 
fiff'1  &c.)  give  the  same  connexion  by  punc- 
tuation. But  in  themselves  the  words  are 
ambiguous;  and  therefore  it  is  not  surprising 
that  in  c  and  in  MSS.  of  the  Vulgate  generally 
(as  in  the  editions)  the  quod  factum  est  is 
connected  with  the  words  which  go  before. 

The  Old  Syriac  (Curetonian),  like  b,  intro- 
duces a  conjunction,  so  as  to  leave  no  doubt 
as  to  the  punctuation  which  it  follows:  But 
that  which  was...  The  Thebaic  and  j£thio- 
pic  versions  support  the  same  connexion. 

(y)  Fathers.  The  same  connexion  is  sup- 
ported by  Clem.  Alex.,  Orig.,  (Euseb.),  Cyr. 
Alex.,  Hil.,  Aug.,  and  by  the  earliest  heretical 
writers  quoted  by  Irenaeus,  Hippolytus, 
Clem.  Alex. 

Ambrose  gives  both  readings,  but  he  adopts 
the  reading  quod  factum  est  in  ipso  vita  est, 
and  evidently  implies  that  this  was  known  to 
be  the  oldest  reading,  though  it  was  felt  to  be 
ambiguous  in  sense.  Jerome's  quotations  ap- 
pear to  recognise  both  punctuations. 

(j)  x<Bptr  avrov  fytvfro  ov8(  tv  o  ytyovtv. 
fi>  au'rtu  £1017  rjv.  This  punctuation  is  sup- 
ported "by 

(a)  Manuscripts.  The  mass  of  secondary 
uncials  and  later  manuscripts. 

()3)  Versions.  The  Memphitic  and  the 
printed  Latin  texts.  But  the  clause  "which 
hath  been  made"  is  omitted  in  one  MS.  of  the 
Memphitic. 

(•y)  Fathers.  The  modern  stopping  was 
due  to  the  influence  of  the  Antiochene  School, 
who  avowedly  adopted  it  to  make  it  clear  that 
the  former  words  applied  only  to  "things 
created"  and  not,  as  had  been  alleged,  to  the 
Holy  Spirit. 

So  Chrysostom  (in  /of.)  "Without  Him 
was  made  not  even  one  thing  which  hath  been 

1  A  careful  and  repeated  examination  of  D 
satisfies  me  completely  that  this  MS.  has  no  stop 
after  ytyovev.  There  is  a  slight  flaw  in  the  vel- 
lum which  extends  towards  ytyovtv  from  the  top 
of  the  following  e,  of  which  the  upper  boundary 
is  above  the  level  of  the  writing,  but  this  is  cer- 
tainly not  the  vestige  of  a  stop.  The  stops  are 
below  the  level  of  the  writing.  And  again,  there 
is  no  increased  space  between  yiyovev  and  tv 
such  as  is  found  where  a  stop  occurs,  as  between 
ouSfv  and  8.  On  holding  the  leaf  to  the  light, 
the  point  of  a  C  falls  within  the  flaw  and  gives 
the  semblance  of  a  stop. 


made,"  "that  is  of  things  made  (r<5v 
both  visible  and  mental  (vorjTttv)  none  has  been 
brought  to  being  without  the  power  of  Christ. 
For  we  shall  not  put  the  full  point  at  'not 
even  one  thing,'  as  the  heretics  do  (*ara  TOVS 
alpfTiKovs)',  for  they  say  thus  'that  which 
hath  become  in  Him  was  life,'  wishing  to 
speak  of  the  Holy  Spirit  as  a  creation  (KTUT/UCI)." 
At  the  same  time  he  takes  the  next  clause 
iv  aura  foil)  rjv  as  meaning  "  that  in  Him 
all  things  live  and  are  in  Him  providentially 
ordered  (jrpofoeirat),  so  that  that  which  has 
been  said  of  the  Father  might  properly  be 
said  also  of  Him,  that  in  Him  we  live  and 
move  and  have  our  being." 

The  punctuation  thus  recommended  was 
supported  also  by  Theodoret  and  Theodore  of 
Mopsuestia,  and  prevailed  in  later  times. 

Epiphanius  in  his  'Ancoratus'  (c.  LXXV.) 
written  in  374  A.  D.,  after  quoting  the  passage 
according  to  the  old  punctuation  (c.  LXXIV.), 
goes  on  to  say  that  the  words  have  been  used 
by  some  to  derogate  from  the  honour  of  the 
Holy  Spirit.  The  true  way  of  reading  the 
passage  is,  he  continues,  All  things  were  made 
through  Him,  and  without  Him  was  nothing 
made  that  hath  been  made  in  Him.  Nothing 
can  be  said  for  this  division  of  the  words,  and 
it  may  be  fairly  concluded  that  Epiphanius 
is  simply  hazarding  a  hasty  judgment.  In 
'Haer.'  LXIX.  §  56  (p.  779),  he  treats  the 
words  o  yiyovtv  as  the  subject  of  fa})  fjv,  while 
he  connects  them  with  the  words  which  go 
before  («mfi>)  rjv  jccu  rjv  *al  rjv  (v.  i)  KO.I  ra 
iv  <7VT&>  £017  tjv). 

The  interpretation  of  the  passage  is  un- 
doubtedly most  difficult,  but  it  does  not  seem 
that  the  difficulty  is  increased  by  the  ancient 
punctuation.  The  difficulty  in  either  case 
centres  in  the  use  of  the  imperfect  ("  was 
life..."  "  was  the  light..."),  for  which  several 
ancient  authorities  read  is  in  the  first  place, 
a  substitution  which  can  only  be  regarded 
as  an  arbitrary  correction.  It  is  indeed  by  no 
means  clear  in  what  sense  it  can  be  said :  Life 
was  in  the  Word,  and  the  Life  [thus  spoken  of 
as  in  the  Word]  was  the  Light  of  men ;  or 
again :  That  which  hath  been  made  was  Life 
in  the  Word,  and  the  Life  [thus  enjoyed  by 
creation  in  the  Word]  was  the  Light  of  men. 
Yet  the  second  conception  will  be  seen  upon 
consideration  to  fall  in  with  the  scope  of  St 
John's  view  of  the  nature  and  action  of  the 
Word. 

The  Apostle  deals  with  the  two  main 
aspects  of  finite  being,  origin  and  continuance. 
As  to  the  first,  he  says  exhaustively  that  all 
things  became  through  the  Word  as  Agent ;  and 
Nothing,  no  not  one  thing,  became  without — 
apart  from — Him.  At  this  point,  then,  the 
view  of  the  act  of  creation  is  completed.  But 
the  continuance  of  created  things  has  yet  to 
be  noticed.  That  which  "  became  "  still  lasts. 
And  as  Creation  (on  one  side)  was  "  in  the 
Word,"  so  too  continuance  is  in  Him.  The 


ST.  JOHN.    I. 


endurance  of  the  universe  is  due  to  its  essen- 
tial relation  to  the  Creator.  Creation  has  not 
"  life  in  itself"  (v.  26),  but  it  had  and  has 
life  in  the  Word. 

It  will  however  be  objected  that  the  phrase 
of  the  Apostle  is  "  was  life  in  Him,"  and  not 
"has  life  in  Him."  At  first  sight  the  objec- 
tion appears  to  be  strong.  The  latter  phrase 
would  no  doubt  be  far  simpler  than  that 
which  is  actually  used,  and  it  would  express 
part  of  the  truth  more  clearly ;  but  at  the 
same  time  it  would  fall  short  of  the  fulness 
of  what  is  written.  As  it  is,  the  thought  of 
the  reader  is  carried  away  from  the  present, 
and  raised  (so  to  speak)  to  the  contemplation 
of  the  essence  of  things.  For  a  moment  we 
are  taken  from  phenomena — "that  which 
hath  become" — to  being,  to  the  divine  "  idea'' 
of  things.  From  this  point  of  sight  the  Life 
of  the  world  was  included  in  the  Word,  and 
with  the  Life  also  the  destination  of  the  Life. 
Even  in  that  which  is  fleeting  there  is  that 
which  "was,"  something  beyond  time,  of 
which  particular  issues  are  shewn  in  time. 
In  regard  to  God  things  "were"  in  their 
absolute,  eternal,  perfection ;  in  regard  to  men 
"they  have  become."  The  thought  occurs 
once  again  in  the  writings  of  St  John.  There 
is  the  same  contrast  between  the  "  idea"  and 
the  temporal  realisation  of  the  idea,  in  the 
Hymn  of  the  Elders  in  the  Apocalypse  (iv. 
n):  Thou  art  worthy,  our  Lord  and  our  God, 
to  receive  glory  and  honour  and  power,  for  thou 
didst  create  all  things,  and  for  thy  pleasure 
(6t\rjna)  they  were  (rja-av,  according  to  the 
true  reading),  and  ivere  created. 

Human  language  is  necessarily  inadequate 
to  express  distinctly  such  a  conception  as  has 
been  faintly  indicated ;  but  at  least  it  will  be 
seen  that  the  early  punctuation  of  the  passage 
suggests  a  view  of  the  relation  of  the  Creation 
to  the  Creator  which  claims  to  be  reverently 
studied.  That  which  was  created  and  still 
continues,  represents  to  us  what  was  beyond 
time  (if  we  dare  so  speak)  in  the  Divine  Mind. 
In  its  essence  it  was  not  only  living,  but  life 
in  the  Word,  in  virtue,  that  is,  of  its  con- 
nexion with  Him  (comp.  ch.  v.  17,  note). 
And  through  it — through  the  finite — the  Word 
made  Himself  known  ;  so  that  Creation  was 
essentially  a  manifestation  of  the  Word  to 
men  who  were  able  to  observe  and  to  interpret 
in  part  the  phenomena  of  life. 

According  to  this  view  the  word  life  is  used 
both  times  in  the  same  sense  to  express  the 
divine  element  in  creation,  that  in  virtue  of 
which  things  "  are,"  each  according  to  the 
fulness  of  its  being.  It  is  the  sum  of  all  that 
is  physically,  intellectually,  morally,  spiritually 
in  the  world  and  in  man.  This  "  life"  is  for 
rational  beings  a  manifestation  of  God  through 
the  Word;  and  it  was  the  Divine  Will  that 
it  should  be  so:  the  life  was  the  light  of  men. 
Comp.  Rom.  i.  19,  20,  ii.  14,  15 ;  Acts  xiv. 
17,  xvii.  23  ff. 


It  will  be  seen  that  in  this  explanation  the 
words  in  Him  are  connected  with  was  life, 
and  not  with  that  which  hath  been  made. 
The  unusual  but  emphatic  order  finds  a 
parallel  in  the  true  reading  of  iii.  15.  The 
other  combination  however  -has  very  early 
authority  (comp.  Iren.  i.  8.  5).  Thus  Cle- 
ment of  Alexandria  applies  the  words  to  the 
Christian  reborn  in  Christ.  "He  that  hath 
been  baptized  (o  Tre^wrto-^eVo?)  is  awake  unto 
God  and  such  a  one  lives:  For  that  which 
hath  been  made  in  Him  is  lite"  ('Pasd.'  n. 
9  §  79  ;  comp.  'Peed.'  I.  6  §  27). 

Cyril  of  Alexandria,  who  grasps  with  sin- 
gular vigour  the  double  relation  of  Creation 
to  the  Word  as  Creator  and  Preserver  of  all 
things,  which  is  conveyed  in  the  passage,  ap- 
pears to  invert  the  description  of  the  continu- 
ous vital  connexion  of  the  Word  and  the 
world.  "As  for  that  which  hath  come  into 
being" — so  he  paraphrases — "the  Life,  the 
Word  that  is  the  Beginning  and  Bond  (cnWa- 
o-is)  of  all  things,  was  in  it  "..."The  Word,  as 
Life  by  nature,  was  in  the  things  which  have 
become,  mingling  Himself  by  participation  in 
the  things  that  are  "  ('  Comm.'  ad  loc.}.  This 
construction  seems  to  be  quite  impossible; 
and  the  meaning  suffers,  inasmuch  as  things 
are  not  referred  to  their  one  centre  of  living 
unity,  but  on  the  contrary  this  one  life  is  re- 
garded as  dispersed. 

Augustine  (•  Comm.'  in  /or.)  has  illustrated 
the  meaning  well.  "  Quod  fact-am  est;  hie  sub- 
distingue  [he  has  just  set  aside  the  punctua- 
tion quod  factum  est  in  illo,  vita  est~\  et  deinde 
infer,  in  illo  vita  est.  Quid  est  hoc?...Qiio- 
modo  possum  dicam. . . .  Faber  facit  arcam. 
Primo  in  arte  habet  arcam:  si  enim  in  arte 
arcam  non  haberet,  unde  illam  fabricando 
proferret?...In  arte  invisibiliter  est,  in  opere 
visibiliter  erit....Arca  in  opere  non  est  vita, 
area  in  arte  vita  est;  quia  vivit  anima  artificis, 
ubi  sunt  ista  omnia  antequam  proferantur: 
Sic  ergo,  fratres  carissimi,  quia  Sapientia  Dei, 
per  quam  facta  sunt  omnia,  secundum  artem 
continet  omnia  antequam  fabricat  omnia,  hinc 
quse  fiunt  per  ipsam  artem  non  continue  vita 
sunt,  sed  quidquid  factum  est,  vita  in  illo  est. 
Terram  vides...caelum  vides...foris  corpora  . 
sunt,  in  arte  vita  sunt." 

Thus  the  ancient  division  of  the  clauses 
gives  a  consistent  if  mysterious  sense  to  every 
phrase.  If  however  the  other  punctuation, 
that  of  A.  V.,  be  adopted,  the  addition  of  the 
words  "that  hath  been  made"  adds  nothing 
to  the  sense,  and  the  harmony  of  the  rhythm 
of  the  original  is  spoiled,  especially  if  the  true 
reading  (ovSe  ev  for  ouSeV)  be  taken.  Then 
further  there  is  a  certain  abruptness  in  the 
beginning,  In  Him  was  life,  unlike  the  repeti- 
tion of  the  subject  in  the  adjacent  clauses 
(vv.  i,  z...the  Word. ..the  same  'was,  vv.  4,  5, 
the  light.. .the  light  shineth...).  It  is  a  still 
further  objection  to  this  arrangement  of  the 
passage,  that  nothing  is  said  of  the  means  by 


ST.  JOHN.    I. 


which  the  Life  became  the  Light  of  men.  The 
3rd  verse  naturally  prepares  the  way  for  the 
announcement  of  the  revelation  of  the  Word 
through  and  in  His  works. 

But  still,  even  in  this  arrangement  of  the 
clauses,  the  sense,  though  less  clearly  ex- 
pressed, will  remain  substantially  the  same. 
The  mention  of  "  life"  in  the  Word  must  be 
made  in  reference  to  finite  being  and  not  in 
reference  to  Himself.  He  was  the  centre  and 
support  of  all  things  according  to  their  several 
natures;  and  the  life  thus  derived  from  Him 
was  the  light  of  men.  According  to  this  view 
the  verb  it-aj  describes  what  was  the  historical 
relation  of  things  at  the  moment  after  creation, 
and  not  what  was  the  archetypal  idea  of 
things.  Still  even  so  that  which  "  was  "  when 
God  pronounced  all  things  ''  very  good," 
represents  the  essential  law  of  being. 

4.  //.  him  was  (fjv)  life]  An  important 
and  well-marked  group  of  ancient  authorities, 
which  represent  a  text  of  the  second  century, 
KD,  MSS.  of  Orig.,  Lot.  vt.,  Syr.  ?•/.,  read  in 
him  is  (itrriv)  life.  The  variant  is  without 
doubt  a  very  early  gloss  ;  and  it  may  be  ob- 
served, once  for  all,  that  these  authorities,  both 
separately  and  collectively,  are  characterized  by 
a  tendency  to  introduce  interpretative  readings. 
In  such  cases  where  they  stand  alone  against 
the  other  authorities,  their  reading,  though  of 
great  antiquity  and  once  wjdely  current,  is 
very  rarely  to  be  received. 


10.     The  <worlJ,  <J 

1.  The  conception  of  the  "world" 

is  eminently  characteristic  of  the  writings  of 
St  John.  He  nowhere  uses  aluv  (o  vvv  auoi>, 
o  aio>«>  ovrof,  &c.)  for  the  moral  order;  and 
conversely  xo'cr/inr  is  very  rarely  used  with  a 
moral  sense,  as  the  sphere  of  revelation,  by  the 
Synoptists  (comp.  .Matt.  v.  14,  xiii.  38,  xviii. 
;,  xxvi.  13;  [Mk.  xvi.  i,-]),  though  it  occurs 
more  frequently  in  St  Paul  (Rom.  iii.  19;  I 
Cor.  i.  21,  &c.). 

2.  The  fundamental  idea  of  KOCT/JO?  in  St 
John  is  that  of  the  sum  of  created  being  which 
belongs  to  the  sphere  of  human  life  as  an 
ordered   whole,  considered  apart  from  God 
(xvii.  5,  24).     The  world  is  relative  to  man 
as  well  as  to  God.     So  far  as  it  includes  the 
material  creation,  this  is  regarded  as  the  ap- 
pointed medium  and  scene  of  man's  work 
(comp.    Wisd.  ix.  2  f.,  x.  i).     Spiritual  ex- 
istences (angels,  &c.)  are  not  included  in  this 
conception  of  the  world:   they  are  "of  the 
things  above"  as  contrasted  with  "the  things 
below"  (viii.  23). 

In  this  widest  sense  "the  world  was  made 
through  (8m)"  the  Word  (i.  10).  Comp. 
Rev.  xiii.  8,  xvii.  8. 

3.  More  specially  the  world  is  that  system 
which  answers  to  the  circumstances  of  man's 
present   life.     At   birth   he  "comes  into  the 
world"   (vt.  14,   xvi.  21),    and    "is   in   the 


world"  till  death  (xiii.  i,  xvii.  n),  comp.  xvii. 
15.  The  Lord  during  His  earthly  Life,  or 
when  He  submits  to  its  conditions,  is  "in  the 
world"  (ix.  5,  xvii.  u,  13)  in  a  more  definite 
manner  than  that  in  which  He  is  "in  the 
world"  from  creation  (i.  10),  "coming  into 
the  world"  (i.  9,  xi.  27,  xii.  46,  xvi.  28,  xviii. 
37),  and  being  "sent  into  the  world"  by  the 
Father  (x.  36,  xvii.  18;  i  John  iv.  9),  and 
again  "leaving  the  world"  (xvi.  28).  Comp. 
Rev.  xi.  15. 

4.  So   far. "the  world"   represents  that 
which  is  transitory  and  seen  as  opposed  to  the 
eternal  (i  John  ii.  15  ff.,  iii.  17).     And  these 
particular  ideas  of  the  transitoriness,  the  exter- 
nality, the  corruption  of  "  the  world  "  are  em- 
phasized in  the  phrase  "this  world"  (6  «roo-/*os 
oJroj,  viii.  23,  xi.  9,  xii.  25,  31,  xiii.  i,  xviii.  36, 
xvi.  1 1 ;  i  John  iv.  1 7.    Comp.  xiv.  30).     So 
far  as  it   is  regarded  under  this  aspect  the 
"world"  has  no  direct  connexion  with  God 
(comp.  i  John  v.  19). 

5.  It  is  easy  to  see  how  the  thought  of  an 
ordered  whple  relative  to  man  and  considered 
apart  from  God  passes  into  that  of  the  ordered 
whole  separated  from  God.     Man  fallen  im- 
presses his  character  upon  the  order  which  is 
the  sphere  of   his  activity.     And  thus   the 
"world"  comes  to  represent  humanity  in  its 
present  state,  alienated  from  its   Maker,  and 
so  far  determining  the  character  of  the  whole 
order   to  which  man   belongs.     The  world 
instead  of  remaining  the  true  expression  of 
God's  will  under  the  conditions  of  its  crea- 
tion, becomes  His  rival  (r  John  ii.  15 — 17). 
St  John  says  little  as  to  cause  or  process  of 
this  alienation.     It  is  referred  however  to  the 
action  of  a  being  without,  who  is  the  source 
and  suggestor  of  evil  (viii.  44,  xiii.  2  ;  i  John 
iii.  8). 

6.  Through  this  interruption  in  its  normal 
development,  the  world  which  was  made  by 
the  Word,  recognised  Him  not  (i.  10;  comp. 
xvii.  25.;   i  John  iii.  i).     It  became  exposed 
to  destruction  (arrwXtia,  iii.  16,  viii.  24 ;  i  John 
v.  19  ff.,  ii.  2).   Still  it  was  the  object  of  God's 


xii.  47  ;  i  John  iv.  14),  giving  life  to  it  (vi.  33, 
51).  He  spoke  not  to  a  sect  or  to  a  nation, 
but  to  the  world  (xviii.  20,  viii.  26).  He  is 
a  propitiation  "for  the  whole  world"  (i  John 
ii.  2). 

7.  The  coming  of  Christ  into  the  world 
was  necessarily  a  judgment  (ix.  39).  Out  of 
the  whole,  regarded  as  a  system  containing 
within  itself  the  spring  of  a  corresponding  life 
(xv.  19,  xvii.  14,  16;  i  John  iv.  5,  ii.  16), 
some  were  chosen  by  (xv.  19)  or  "given"  to 
Him  (xvii.  6).  Thus  the  whole  has  become 
divided.  Part  attaches  itself  to  God  in  answer 
to  His  call:  part  still  stands  aloof  from  Him. 
In  contrast  with  the  former  the  latter  is  called 
the  world.  In  this  sense  the  "world"  de- 


ST.  JOHN.    I. 


scribes  the  mass  of  men  (comp.  xii.  19)  distin- 
guished from  the  people  of  God,  characterized 
by  their  peculiar  feelings  (vii.  7,  xiv.  27,  xv. 
18  f.,  xvi.  20,  xvii.  14;  i  John  iii.  13,  iv.  5) 
and  powers  (xiv.  17;  i  John  iii.  i),  hostile  to 
believers,  and  incapable  of  receiving  the  divine 
spirit.  The  disciples  and  "the  world"  stand 
over  against  one  another  (xiv.  19,  22).  On 
the  one  side  are  the  marks  of  "light"  and 
"love"  and  "life;"  on  the  other,  "darkness" 
and  "hatred"  and  "death."  The  world  has 
its  champions  (i  John  iv.  i  ff.),  its  inspiring 
power  (i  John  iv.  4,  v.  19),  its  prince  (xiv. 
30,  xvi.  u).  In  the  world  the  disciples  have 
tribulation,  though  Christ  has  conquered  it 
(xvi.  33);  and  His  victory  is  repeated  by  them 
through  the  faith  (i  John  v.  4  f.). 

8.  But  even  this  "world"  is  not  uncared 
for,  though  for  a  time  it  was  left  (xvii.  9). 
The  disciples  are  sent  into  it  (xvii.  18^).     The 
Paraclete's  Mission  is  to  convict  it  (xvi.  8),  the 
self-surrender  of  Christ  (xiv.  31),  the  unity 
(xvii.  21)  and  the  glory  of  the  disciples  (xvii. 
23),  are  to  the  end  that  the  world  may  come 
to  knowledge  and  faith. 

9.  From  this  analysis  of  St  John's  usage 
of  the  term  it  will  be  seen  how  naturally  the 
original  conception  of  an  order  apart  from 
God  passes  into  that  of  an  order  opposed  to 
God :   how  a  system  which   is  limited  and 
transitory  becomes  hostile  to  the  divine :  how 
the  "world"  as  the  whole  scene  of  human 
activity  is  lost  in  humanity:  how  humanity 
ceases  to  be  "of  the  world"  by  its  union 
with  God  in  Christ. 

13.  In  some  of  the  early  Latin  copies  (b, 
Tertullian  and  perhaps  the  translator  of  Ire- 
naeus)  a  very  remarkable  variation  was  intro- 
duced into  this  verse,  by  which  it  was  referred 
to  the  Word  as  subject,  Who  . . .  was  born. 
The  variation  arose  from  the  ambiguity  of  the 
relative  in  Latin,  which  was  taken  with  the 
nearest  antecedent  (ejus,  qm  ...  natus  est}. 

15.  of  whom  I  spake]    The  variations  in  a 
few  of  the  most  ancient  authorities  here  sug- 
gest the  possibility  of  some  very  early  corrup- 
tion of  the  text.     The  original  hand  of  X 
gives,  This  was  be  that  cometh  after  me  who  is 
become  before  me  (OVTOS  rjv  6  on.  p..  epx-   o? 
(p.  ft.  y.).    This  insertion  of  the  relative  (oj) 
finds  some  support  in  one  old  Latin  copy. 
The  first  hands  of  B  and  C  and  a  very  early 
corrector  of  N  read  nvbo  spake  (o  flncav  for  ov 
e«roi>) ;  and  this  reading  gives  an  intelligible 
sense  by  emphasizing  the  reference  to    the 
Baptist's  testimony:  "this  John  and  no  other 
was  he  who  spake  the  memorable  words." 

16.  And  of...']     This  reading,   which  is 
supported  by  A,  the  secondary  uncials,  almost 
all  the  cursives,  three  Syriac  versions  and  the 
Vulgate,  is  a  good  example  of  a  change  intro- 
duced, probably  by  the  unconscious  instinct 
of  the  scribe,  for  the  sake  of  smoothness  and 


(as  it  was  supposed)  of  clearness.  At  a  very 
early  time  (second  century)  verse  16  was  re- 
garded as  a  continuation  of  the  words  of  the 
Baptist,  so  that  the  true  reference  of  the  se- 
cond because  (em)  was  lost,  and  the  repetition 
of  the  conjunction  in  two  consecutive  clauses 
was  felt  to  be  very  harsh.  The  true  reading, 
because  of...  (on  e'ic...)  is  supported  by  an 
overwhelming  concurrence  of  the  representa- 
tives of  the  most  ancient  texts  (B,  ND, 
CLX,  33,  Lat.  tit.,  Memph.)  though  it  prac- 
tically disappeared  from  later  copies. 

18.  the  only  begotten  Son]  Two  readings 
of  equal  antiquity,  as  far  as  our  present  au- 
thorities go,  though  unequally  supported,  are 
found  in  this  passage.  Of  these  the  first, 
followed  by  A.  V.,  the  only  begotten  Son  (o  /xo- 
voytvrjs  vloi),  is  found  in  AX,  the  secondary 
uncials,  all  known  cursives  except  33,  the 
Lt.  vt.t  Syr.  vt.,  Syr.  Hcl.  and  Hier.,  the  Vul- 
gate, Arm. 

The  second,  one  <who  is  God,  only  begotten 
(fjLovoyfvfjs  decs),  'l5  found  in  X*BC*L,  Pe- 
sbito,  Syr.  Hfl.,  mg.  [D  is  defective.] 

A  third  reading,  the  only  begotten  God  (o 
povoyevfis  6e6s),  which  is  found  in  Nc,  33 
(the  reading  of  the  Memphitic  version  is  am- 
biguous :  it  may  express  the  only-begotten  of 
God,  but  it  is  more  probable  that  it  expresses 
the  only-begotten  God  (o  ^ovoyev^s  decs) : 
Schwartze  rejects  the  former  rendering,  which 
is  that  of  Wilkins,  too  peremptorily),  pro- 
bably arose  from  a  combination  of  the  two 
readings,  and  may  be  dismissed  at  once.  The 
Strangely  inaccurate  statement  of  many  com- 
mentators that  d  \iov.  dtos  is  the  reading  of 
"NBCL,  &c.,"  shews  a  complete  misappre- 
hension not  only  of  the  facts  but  of  the  signi- 
ficance of  the  readings.  The  tempting  reading 
of  one  Latin  copy,  the  only  begotten,  has  still 
less  real  claim  to  be  taken  into  account  in  the 
face  of  the  facts  of  the  case.  In  considering 
this  evidence  it  will  appear  that 

1.  The  most  ancient  authorities  for  the 
reading,  the  only-begotten  Son,  the  Old  Latin 
and  Old  Syriac  versions,  are  those  which  are 
inclined  to    introduce    interpretative    glosses 
(see  note  on  v.  4),  and  on  this  occasion  their 
weight  is  diminished  by  the  opposition  of  N. 

2.  The  reading,  God,  only-begotten,  in  the 
Peshito,  can  hardly  have  been  a  correction  of 
the  original  text,  because  this  reading  is  not 
found  in  the  type  of  text  (e.g.  AX)  by  the 
help  of  which  the  version  appears  to  have  been 
revised. 

3.  There  is  no  ancient  Greek  authority  for 
the   reading,  the   only-begotten  Son,  while  the 
Greek  authorities  for  God,  only-begotten,  re- 
present three  great  types,  B,  K,  CL. 

4.  The  universal  agreement  of  the  later 
copies  in   the   reading,   the  only-begotten  Son, 
shews  that  there  was  no  tendency  in  scribes  to 
change  it,  while  the  correction  of  N  (the  oniy- 
begotten  God)  shews  us  the  reading,  God,  only- 


ST.  JOHN.    I. 


33 


begotten,  modified  under  the  influence  of  the 
common  reading. 

5.  The  substitution,  intentional  or  acci- 
dental, of  God  (6s)  for  Son  (^)  does  not  ex- 
plain the  omission  of  the  article  in  the  reading, 
God,    only-begotten-    while,    on   the  contrary, 
the  substitution  of  Son  for  God  would  natu- 
rally cany  with  it  the  addition  of  the  article 
(ch.  iii.  16,  18). 

6.  The  occurrence  of  the  word  "  Father" 
in  the  context  would  suggest  the  use  of  the 
word    "Son,"   while  the  word  God  would 
appear  at  first  sight  out  of  place  in  the  relation 
described. 

Thus  the  testimony  of  the  direct  docu- 
mentary evidence  for  thr  text  very  decidedly 
preponderates  in  favour  of  the  reading,  God, 
only-begotten. 

The  patristic  testimony  is  complicated,  and 
it  is  impossible  to  discuss  it  at  length.  It 
must  be  enough  to  say  that 

1.  The  phrase  God  only  begotten  (ftovoyt^s 
6f6i)  is  found  from  very  early  times  in  Greek 
writers  of  every  school.     By  Clement,  Irc- 
nzus  and  Origen  it   is  connected  with  this 
passage.     [The  Latin  writers,  almost  without 
exception,  have  uniciu  or  unigenitus flitu .] 

2.  It  is  very  unlikely  that  a  phrase  in  itself 
most  remarkable  should  have  obtained  universal 
and  unquestioned  currency  among  Greek  wri- 
ters if  it  were  not  derived  from  apostolic  usage. 

It  may  further  be  added  that  the  Valentinian 
writers,  the  earliest  writers  by  whom  the  text 
is  quoted,  could  have  had  no  reason  for  intro- 
ducing the  reading,  God,  only-begotten,  which 
they  give.  While  on  the  other  hand  the  sub- 
stitution of  tfx  only-begotten  Son  for  God  only- 
begotten  is  not  unlike  the  style  of  "  Western  " 
paraphrase  (e.g.  •w.  4,  34;  Mark  i.  30,  vi. 
36,  56,  &c. ;  Luke  xxiii.  35). 

On  the  whole,  therefore,  the  reading  God 
only-begotten  must  be  accepted,  because  (i)  It 
is  the  best  attested  by  ancient  authority ;  (a) 
It  is  the  more  intrinsically  probable  from  its 
uniqueness  ;  (3)  It  makes  the  origin  of  the 
alternative  reading  more  intelligible. 

An  examination  of  the  whole  structure  of 
the  Prologue  leads  to  the  same  conclusion. 
The  phrase,  which  has  grown  foreign  to  our 
ears  though  it  was  familiar  to  early  Christian 
writers,  gathers  up  the  two  thoughts  of  son- 
ship  and  deity,  which  have  been  separately 
aftirmed  of  the  Word  (vu.  14,  i). 

The  reading  has  been  discussed  in  detail  by 
Dr  E.  Abbot  ('  Bibliotheca  Sacra,1  Oct.  1861 ; 
Unitarian  Review,'  June,  1875);  and  by  Dr 
Hort  ('Two  Dissertations...,'  Camb.  1875). 
The  conclusion  of  Dr  Hort  in  favour  of  povo- 
ytvfis  0(6s,  after  a  full  examination  of  Prof. 
Abbot's  arguments  for  <J  fiovoyfvrjs  vios,  is 
pronounced  by  Prof.  Harnack  in  an  elabo- 
rate review  of  his  essay  in  'Theol.  Lit.  Zeit.' 
1876,  pp.  541  ff.,  to  have  been  "established 
beyond  contradiction." 


24.  All  the  most  ancient  MSS.(X*A*BC*, 
D  is  defective),  with  Origen  (and  Mempb.}rezA 
air«TTa\iifvoi  rjtrav  in  place  of  of  dirt  err.  yo-av. 
This  reading  can  be  rendered  either :  they  had 
been  sent  from...,  or,  certain  had  been  sent 
from  among...  Origen  expressly  distinguishes 
two  missions,  the  first  in  -v.  19,  and  the  second 
here. 

2>8.  Bethabara']  The  great  preponderance 
of  authorities  is  in  favour  of  the  reading 
Bfthany.  Origen  implies  that  a  diversity  of 
reading  existed  here  in  his  time.  "Almost 
all  the  copies,"  he  says,  "  have  Bethany,  but  I 
am  convinced  that  we  ought  to  read  Betha- 
bara,'''' which  probably  was  the  reading  of  the 
minority.  His  reasons  are  simply  geogra- 
phical ;  and  it  is  a  striking  fact  that  even  his 
authority  thus  boldly  exerted  was  unable  to 
induce  scribes  to  alter  the  reading  which  they 
found  in  their  archetypes,  so  that  Bethabara 
still  remains  the  reading  only  of  a  small 
minority.  The  oldest  authority  which  gives 
Bethabara  is  Syr.  -vt.,  but  this  very  early 
translation  frequently  admits  glosses  (see  next 
note). 

34.  For  the  words  the  Son  of  God  a  group 
of  authorities  characteristically  "  Western " 
(see  v.  4,  note),  K,  e,  Syr.  -vt.,  Ambr.,  read 
the  chosen  of  God.  The  two  readings  are  com- 
bined curiously  in  several  early  Latin  authori- 
ties (elect iu  Deifillus). 

42.  There  is  no  doubt  that  'imnvov  (SBL, 
Lat.  vt.,  Memph.)  should  be  read  for  'iwi/o. 
Comp.  xxK,  15,  1 6,  17.  Both  words  are 
used  as  Greek  representatives  of  }3nii"P  Joha- 
nan.  Comp.  a  K.  xxv.  23  (LXX.). 

51.  The  words  air  aprt  (from  henceforth} 
must  be  omitted  on  the  authority  of  the  wit- 
nesses which  preserve  the  purest  ancient  text 
(HHL,  Latt.,  Memph.,  Orig.).  They  were 
probably  added  from  Matt.  xxvi.  64,  where 
the  words  are  undisturbed. 

THE  SON  OF  MAX. 

1.  The  title  "  the  Son  of  man  "  stands  in 
significant  contrast  with  the  other  titles  which 
are  assigned  to  the  Lord,  and  particularly  with 
that  title  which  in  some  respects  is  most  akin 
to  it,  "  the  Son  of  David."     It  was  essentially 
a  new  title ;  it  was  used,  so  far  as  we  know, 
with  one  exception  only,  by  the  Lord  and  of 
Himself;  it  expresses  a  relationship  not  to  a 
family  or  to  a  nation,  but  to  all  humanity. 

2.  The  title  was  a  new  one.  It  is  common 
to  regard  it  as  directly  derived  from  the  book 
of  Daniel.    But  in  reality  the  passage  (vii.  13) 
in  which  the  title  is  supposed  to  be  found 
has  only  a    secondary  relation  to  it.    The 
vision  of  Daniel  brings  before  him  not  "the 
Son  of  man,"  but  one  "like  a  son  of  man." 
The  phrase  is  general  (Ezek.  ii.  i),  and  is  in- 


34 


ST.  JOHN.    I. 


troduced  by  a  particle  of  comparison.  The 
Greek  represents  the  original  exactly  :  CDS  vios 
avBpwnov  epxaptvos  ijv,  and  the  true  parallel 
is  found  in  Rev.  i.  13,  xiv.  14.  The  thought 
on  which  the  seer  dwells  is  simply  that  of  the 
human  appearance  of  the  being  presented  to 
him  (comp.  Dan.  x.  16  ;  Ezek.  i.  26).  The 
force  of  this  comparison  comes  out  more 
plainly  if  the  context  be  taken  into  account. 
The  divine  kingdom  is  being  contrasted  with 
the  kingdoms  of  the  world.  These  are  pre- 
sented under  the  images  of  beasts.  The  brute 
forces  symbolized  them,  just  as  man,  to  whom 
originally  dominion  was  given,  symbolized 
the  rightful  sovereignty  which  was  to  be 
established.  "  I  saw,"  the  seer  writes,  "  in 
my  vision  by  night... and  four  great  beasts 
came  up  from  the  sea.  The  first  was  like  a 
lion,... and... a  second... like  a  bear,... and  lo 
another  like  a  leopard....!  saw  in  the  night 
visions,  and  behold  one  like  a  son  of  man 
came  with  the  clouds  of  heaven..."  (vii.  2  ff.). 
The  dominion  which  had  been  exercised  by 
tyrants  was  henceforward  to  be  entrusted  to 
"the  saints  of  the  Most  High"  (vii.  17  £,  27). 
The  former  rulers  had  come  forth  from  the 
sea — the  symbol  of  all  confusion  and  insta- 
bility— the  divine  ruler  came  from  heaven. 

3.  It  is  true  that  the  image  of  Daniel  found 
fulfilment  in  the  sovereignty  of  Christ,  and  so 
the  words  of  the  seer,  with  the  substitution  of 
"the    Son  of  man"  for  "one  like  a  son  of 
man  "  were  applied  by  the  Lord  to  Himself 
(Matt.  xvi.  27,  xxiv.  30,  xxvi.  64).     But  He 
was  not  only  "  like  a  son  of  man,"  He  was 
"  the  Son  of  man."    The  less  is  of  necessity 
included  in  the  greater ;  but  in  itself  the  lan- 
guage of  Daniel  furnishes  no  parallel  to  the 
language  of  the  Gospels. 

4.  The  same  may  be  said  of  all  the  other 
passages  in  which  the  phrases  "the  sons  of 
men  "or   "  Son  of  man "  occur  in  the  Old 
Testament.    They  describe  man  as  dependent, 
limited,  transitory.     The  singular,  except  in 
Ezekiel  as  addressed  to  the  prophet,  is  of  rare 
occurrence ;    and   (as   I  believe)   it  is  never 
found  with  the  article  (e.g.  Ps.  viii.  5,  Ixxx. 

I?)- 

5.  But  there  can  be  no  doubt  that  the 
image  in  Daniel  exercised  some  influence  upon 
later  apocalyptic  writings.     The  remarkable 
use  of  the  title  "  Son  of  man  "  in  reference  to 
the  Messiah  in  the  Book  of  Henoch  is  directly 
based  upon  it.     The  sense  of  the  title  how- 
ever remains  equally  limited  as  before.     The 
Messiah  is  "  a  Son  of  man,"  and  not  properly 
"the  Son  of  man"  (c.  46,  §§  i,  2,  3,  4  ;  c.  48, 
§  2).     In  these  places  the  chosen  messenger  of 
the  Most  High  is  described  simply  as  a  man, 
and  not  as  one  who  stands  in  any  special 
relation  to  the  human  race. 

6.  There  is  very  little  in  the  Gospels  to 
shew  how  far  the  fuller  applications  of  the 
title  found  in  the  apocalypse  of  Henoch  ob- 
tained currency,  or  how  the  people  commonly 


understood  the  title.  There  is  at  least  nothing 
to  shew  that  the  title  was  understood  to  be  a 
title  of  Messiah.  On  the  contrary,  "the  Son 
of  man  "  and  "  the  Messiah  "  are,  as  it  were, 
set  one  against  the  other,  Matt.  xvi.  13,  16 
(the  parallels,  Mark  viii.  27;  Luke  ix.  18,  give 
simply  me}  ;  John  xii.  34.  And  it  is  incon- 
ceivable that  the  Lord  should  have  adopted  a 
title  which  was  popularly  held  to  be  synony- 
mous with  that  of  Messiah,  while  He  carefully 
avoided  the  title  of  Messiah  itself. 

7.  The  title,  then,  as  we  find  it  in  the 
Gospels,  the  Son  of  man  absolutely,  was  a  new 
one.     It  is  out  of  the  question   to  suppose 
that  the  definite  article  simply  expressed  "  the 
prophetic  Son  of  man."   The  manner  in  which 
the  title  is  first  used  excludes  such  an  inter- 
pretation.    The  title   is   new,  and  the  limits 
within  which  its  usage  is  confined  serve  to 
fix  attention  on  its  peculiarity.  In  the  Gospels 
it  is  used  only  by  the  Lord  in  speaking  of 
Himself;    and  beyond  the  range  of  His  dis- 
courses it  is  found  only  in  Acts  vii.  56. 

8.  In  the  Lord's  discourses  the  title  is  dis- 
tributed generally.     It  is  found  both  in  the 
earlier  and  in  the  later  discourses  in  about  equal 
proportions.     It  is  not  however  found  in  the 
discourses  after  the  Resurrection.     The  title 
occurs  many  times  in  St  John's  Gospel,  but 
less  frequently  than  in  the  other  three ;    and 
in  the  last  discourses  which  St  John  gives  at 
length   it   occurs  only   once,  in  the  opening 
sentence,  xiii.  31.     [In  St  Matthew  30  times  ; 
in  St  Mark  13  ;  in  St  Luke  25  ;  in  St  John  12.] 

9.  The  passages  in  which  the  title  is  found 
in  the  Synoptic  Gospels  may  be  grouped  into 
two  great  classes :  (i)  those  which  refer  to  the 
earthly  work  of  the  Lord  in  the  time  of  His 
humility ;  and  (2)  those  which  refer  to  His 
future  coming  in  glory.     The  usage  in   St 
John  is  strictly  parallel,  but  the  occurrence 
of  the  title  in  his  Gospel  will  be  considered 
more  in  detail  on  ix.  35. 

(i)  The  earthly  presence  of  the  Lord  as  the 
Incarnate  Son  presented  a  series  of  startling 
contrasts,  (a)  He  was  to  outward  eyes  de- 
spised, and  yet  possessing  supreme  authority ; 
(|3)  He  lived  as  men  live,  and  yet  He  was  at 
all  times  busy  with  His  Father's  work ;  (y) 
His  true  nature  was  veiled,  and  yet  not  wholly 
hidden ;  (8)  His  mission  was  a  mission  of 
love,  and  yet  .it  imposed  on  those  to  whom 
He  came  heavy  responsibility ;  (e)  to  misin- 
terpret Him  was  to  incur  judgment,  and  yet 
the  offence  was  not  past  forgiveness  ;  (£)  He 
foresaw  the  end  from  the  beginning,  with  its 
sorrows  and  glory. 

The  following  passages  in  which  the  title 
occurs  illustrate  these  different  thoughts : 

(a)  Matt.  viii.  20  ||  Luke  ix.  58.  Matt.  ix. 
6  ||  Mark  ii.  10  ||  Luke  v.  24. 

(|3)  Matt.  xi.  19  ||  Luke  vii.  34.  Matt.  xiii. 
37.  Matt.  xii.  8  ||  Mark  ii.  28  ||  Luke  vi.  5. 

(y)  Matt.  xvi.  13. 

(8)  Luke  xix.  10,  xvii.  ^^. 


V.   I.J 


ST.  JOHN.   II. 


35 


(V)  Mark  viii.  38  ||  Luke  ix.  26.  Comp. 
Luke  xii.  8.  Matt.  xii.  32  ||  Luke  xii.  10. 
(Mark  iii.  28,  TOIS  vl.  r£v  av6p.). 

(f)  Mark  viii.  31  ||  Luke  ix.  22.  Comp. 
xxiv.  7.  Matt.  xvii.  12  ||  Mark  ix.  12.  Matt, 
xvii.  22  ||  Mark  ix.  31  |j  Luke  ix.  44.  Matt. 
xx.  1 8  ||  Mark  x.  33  ||  Luke  xviii.  31.  Matt. 
xxvi.  2.  Matt.  xxvi.  24  ||  Mark  xiv.  21  ||  Luke 
xxii.  22.  Matt.  xxvi.  45  ||  Mark  xiv.  41. 
Matt.  xii.  40  ||  Luke  xi.  30.  Matt.  xvii.  9 
||  Mark  ix.  9.  Matt.  xx.  28  ||  Mark  x.  45. 
Luke  xxii.  69  (ano  rot)  vvv).  Matt.  xxvi.  64 
(air  apn)  \\  Mark  xiv.  62.  Luke  xxii.  48. 

(2)  Side  by  side  with  these  traits  of  the 
human  life  of  the  Son  of  man,  visions  are 
opened  of  another  life  of  glory,  sovereignty, 
judgment,  (a)  Though  He  had  come,  yet 
He  still  spoke  of  His  coming  as  future.  (;3) 
Meanwhile  men  are  left  on  their  trial,  to 
which  an  end  is  appointed  in  a  swift  and 
unexpected  catastrophe.  This  "  presence"  of 
the  Son  of  man  at  "  the  consummation  of  the 
age"  is  to  be  followed  by  a  (y)  judgment  of 
men  and  nations,  and  (8)  by  the  gathering  of 
the  elect  into  a  divine  kingdom. 

These  thoughts  are  illustrated  by  the  fol- 
lowing passages  in  which  the  title  occurs  : 

(a)  Matt  x.  23,  xvL  27  f.,  xxiv.  44.  Comp. 
Luke  xii.  40. 

(,1)  Luke  vi.  22,  xvii.  30,  xviii.  8,  xxi.  36; 
Matt.  xxiv.  27,  37  (comp.  Luke  xvii.  24, 
»6),  39. 

(y)  Matt.  xiii.  40  f.,  xix.  28,  xxv.  31  ff., 
Matt.  xxiv.  30  j|  Mark  xiii.  26  |j  Luke  xxi.  27. 

Jo.  A  consideration  of  these  passages  will 
enable  us  to  seize  the  outlines  of  the  teaching 
which  is  summed  up  in  the  title.  The  idea  of 
the  true  humanity  of  Christ  lies  at  the  founda- 
tion of  it.  He  was  not  only  "like  a  son  of 
man,"  but  He  was  "a  Son  of  man:"  His 
manhood  was  real  and  not  apparent.  But  He 
was  not  as  one  man  among  many  (yet  the 
title  a»6p<anos  occurs  John  viii.  40  ;  i  Tim.  ii. 
5).  He  was  the  representative  of  the  whole 
race ;  "  the  Son  of  man "  in  whom  all  the 
potential  powers  of  humanity  were  gathered. 

ii.  Thus  the  expression  which  describes 
the  self-humiliation  of  Christ  raises  Him  at 


the  same  time  immeasurably  above  all  those 
whose  nature  He  had  assumed.  Of  no  one, 
simply  man,  could  it  be  said  that  he  was  "  the 
man,"  or  "  the  Son  of  man,"  in  whom  the 
complete  conception  of  manhood  was  abso- 
lutely attained. 

12.  The  teaching  of  St   Paul  supplies  a 
striking  commentary  upon  the  title  when  he 
speaks  of    Christ    as  the   "second  Adam" 
(i   Cor.  xv.  45.     Comp.  Rom.  v.  14),  who 
gathers  up  into   Himself  all  humanity,  and 
becomes  the  source  of  a  higher  life  to  the 
race. 

13.  As  a  necessary  conclusion  from  this 
view  of  Christ's  humanity  which  is  given  in 
the  title  "  the  Son  of  man,"  it  follows  that  He 
is  in  perfect  sympathy  with  every  man  of 
every  age  and  of  every  nation.     All  that  truly 
belongs  to  humanity,  all  therefore  that  truly 
belongs  to  every  individual  in  the  whole  race, 
belongs  also    to    Him.     (Compare  a  noble 
passage  in  Goldwin  Smith's  '  Lectures  on  His- 
tory,' pp.  134  ff.) 

14.  The  thought  is  carried  yet    further. 
We  are  allowed  to  see,  and  it  can  only  be  as 
it  were  "by  a  mirror  in  a  riddle"   (i  Cor. 
xiii.  12),  that  the  relation  which  exists  in  the 
present  order  of  things  between  every  man 
and  Christ,  is  continued  in  another  order.    As 
"the  Son  of  man"  He  is  revealed  to  the  eyes 
of  His  first  martyr,  that  Christians  may  learn 
that  that  which  is  begun  in  weakness  shall  be 
completed  in  eternal  majesty  (Acts  vii.  56). 

15.  It  may  well  be  admitted  that  the  early 
disciples  did  not  at  first  apprehend  all  that 
the  later  history  of  the  race  enables  us  to  see 
in  the  title.     Perhaps  it  may  have  been  from 
some  sense  of  the  mysterious  meaning  of  the 
term,  which  had  not  yet  been  illuminated  by 
the  light  of  a   Catholic  Church,   that  they 
shrank  themselves    from   using  it.     But  we 
cannot  be  bound  to  measure  the  interpretation 
of  Scripture  by  that  which  is  at  once  intelli- 
gible.    The  words  of  the  Lord  are  addressed 
to  all  time.  They  stand  written  for  our  study, 
and  it  is  our  duty  to  bring  to  their  interpreta- 
tion whatever  fulness  of  knowledge  a  later  age 
may  have  placed  within  our  reach. 


CHAPTER  II. 

I  Christ  fortieth  water  into  wine,  11  dfparteth 
into  Capernaum,  and  to  Jerusalem,  14  where 
he  purgeth  the  temple  of  buyers  and  sellers. 
19  He  foretelleth  his  death  and  resurrec- 
tion. 23  Many  believed  because  of  his  mira- 


cles, but  he  would  not  trust  himself  with 
thein. 

A  3D  the  third  day  there  was  a 
marriage   in  Cana  of  Galilee ; 
and  the  mother  of  Jesus  was  there : 


3.  THE  TESTIMONY  OF  SIGNS  (ii.  i— n). 
The  manifestation  of  the  glory  of  Christ 
(ii.  n)  follows  naturally  upon  the  recognition 
of  His  claims  in  virtue  of  testimony  and  ex- 
perience. He  shews  by  a  significant  sign, 
spontaneously  offered  in  the  presence  of  an 
acknowledged  want  and  significant  only  to 

New  Test. — VOL.  II. 


disciples  (v.  ii),  the  nature  of  the  new  order 
which  He  has  already  described  (i.  51).  He 
has  been  announced,  and  followed;  He  is  now 
believed  in.  The  scene  still  lies  in  the  circle 
of  the  family,  and  not  among  "  the  people  "  or 
in  "  the  world." 

The  narrative  proceeds  in   a   simple  and 


ST.  JOHN.    II. 


[v.  2-4. 


1  And  both  Jesus  was  called,  and 
his  disciples,  to  the  marriage. 

3  And  when  they  wanted  wine, 


the  mother  of  Jesus  saith  unto  him, 
They  have  no  wine. 

4  Jesus  saith  unto  her,  Woman, 


exact  sequence.  The  Evangelist  describes  the 
time  and  scene  (vv.  i,  2),  the  occasion  (vv. 
3 — 5),  the  manner  (vv.  6 — 8),  the  result 
(vv.  9,  10),  and  the  effect  (v.  n)  of  Christ's 
first  sign. 

CHAP.  II.  1,  2.  The  details  of  time,  place, 
and  persons  contribute  to  the  meaning  of  "the 
beginning  of  signs."  It  was  shewn  in  close 
connexion  with  the  faith  of  the  first  disciples 
(the  third  day),  at  the  village  where  one  at 
least  of  them  dwelt  (xxi.  a),  at  a  festival  of 
the  highest  natural  joy. 

1.  the  third  day]  i.e.  from  the  last  day 
mentioned,  i.  43.  The  distance  from  the  place 
where  John  was  baptizing  to  Nazareth  was 
about  sixty  miles,  three  days  journey. 

a  marriage]  or  a  marriage  feast,  which  was 
frequently  celebrated  for  several  (seven)  days, 
Gen.  xxix.  22  ff. ;  Judges  xiv.  12.  It  is  wholly 
unknown  in  whose  honour  the  feast  was  held. 

Cana  of  Galilee]  So  called  each  time  when 
it  is  mentioned  in  the  Gospel,  to  distinguish  it 
from  a  Cana  in  Ccelo-Syria  (Jos.  '  Antt.'  xv. 
5.  i,  &c.).  This  village  is  mentioned  in  the 
N.  T.  (comp.  Jos.  'Vita,'  §  16)  only  by  St 
John  here  and  iv.  46,  xxi.  2.  It  has  been 
traditionally  identified  (from  the  8th  century) 
with  Kefr  Kenna,  about  4^  miles  north-west 
of  Nazareth.  Recently  the  site  has  been  sought 
at  a  village  about  nine  miles  north  of  Nazareth, 
Khurbet-Cana,  which  is  said  (though  this  is 
doubtful)  to  have  retained  the  name  Kana-el- 
Jelil.  The  Syriac  versions  agree  in  inserting 
a  -t-  in  the  name  (Katna).  This  may  point 
to  local  knowledge;  and  it  has  been  conjec- 
tured that  Kana  may  be  identified  with  Ka- 
tana,  a  place  about  four  miles  from  Nazareth. 

the  mother  of  Jesus']  In  St  John  alone  the 
name  of  "the  mother  of  Jesus"  is  not  men- 
tioned, even  when  Joseph  is  named  (vi.  42). 
Comp.  xix.  25  ff.,  note. 

was  there]  From  v.  5  it  is  evident  that  the 
Virgin  Mary  was  closely  connected  with  the 
family ;  and  so  she  was  already  at  the  house 
when  Jesus  arrived  at  Cana  with  His  disciples. 
The  absence  of  all  mention  of  Joseph  here  and 
elsewhere  (see  xix.  27)  has  been  reasonably 
supposed  to  imply  that  he  was  already  dead. 
See  Mark  vi.  3,  note. 

2.  And  both  Jesus.. .and]  Rather,  And 
Jesus  &lso. ..and  (iii.  23,  xviii.  2,  5,  xix.  39). 

<was  called]  i.e.  on  his  return  from  the  Bap- 
tist, and  not  had  been  called. 
^  h'u  disciples']  This  is  the  first  distinct  men- 
tion of  the  relation  in  which  the  little  group 
gathered  from  "the  disciples  of  John"  (i.  35, 
3  7)  now  stood  to  the  greater  Teacher  ("Rabbi," 
i  49). 


3 — 5.  The  depth,  obscurity,  and  (at  the 
same  time)  naturalness  of  this  conversation 
witness  to  the  substantial  truth  of  the  record. 
The  words  only  become  intelligible  when  the 
exact  relation  between  the  mother  of  Jesus 
and  her  divine  Son  is  apprehended.  As  soon 
as  this  is  grasped  the  implied  request,  the 
apparent  denial,  the  persistence  of  trust,  the 
triumph  of  faith,  are  seen  to  hang  harmoni- 
ously together. 

3.  when  they  quanted  wine]  Rather, -when 
the  wine  failed,  as  it  might  be  expected  to 
do  from  the  unexpected  addition  of  seven 
guests  to  the  party  already  gathered.  The 
fact  that  the  arrival  of  Jesus  had  brought  the 
difficulty,  made  it  more  natural  to  apply  to 
Him  for  the  removal  of  it.  There  is  a  Jewish 
saying,  "Without  wine  there  is  no  joy" 
('Pesach.'  109  a,  Wiinsche),  and  the  failure 
of  the  wine  at  a  marriage  feast  would  be  most 
keenly  felt.  The  reading  of  some  early  au- 
thorities (X*  and  copies  of  Lat.  vt.~)  is  a  re- 
markable example  of  the  paraphrases  which 
are  characteristic  of  the  "  Western "  text : 
they  had  no  wine,  for  the  wine  of  the  marriage 
was  consumed  (o-wereXeV^ij). 

They  have  no  wine]  It  is  enough  to  state 
the  want.  To  describe  the  circumstance  is  in 
such  a  case  to  express  a  silent  prayer.  Com- 
pare xi.  3,  and  contrast  that  passage  with 
iv.  47. 

The  Mother  of  the  Lord  having  heard  of 
the  testimony  of  the  Baptist,  and  seeing  the 
disciples  gathered  round  her  Son,  the  circum- 
stances of  whose  miraculous  birth  she  trea- 
sured in  her  heart  (Luke  ii.  19,  51),  must 
have  looked  now  at  length  for  the  manifesta- 
tion of  His  power,  and  thought  that  an  oc- 
casion only  was  wanting.  Yet  even  so  she 
leaves  all  to  His  will.  Contrast  Luke  ii.  48. 

4.  Jesus  saith'}  And  Jesus  saith.  These 
two  clauses  are  joined  together  closely,  just  as 
•vv.  7,  8,  while  vv.  5  and  7  are  not  connected 
with  what  immediately  precedes. 

The  order  here  is,  What  have  I  to  do  with 
thee,  woman  f  It  is  otherwise  in  xix.  26. 
Here  the  contrast  comes  first ;  there  the  per- 
sonality. 

Woman]  In  the  original  there  is  not  the 
least  tinge  of  reproof  or  severity  in  the  term. 
The  address  is  that  of  courteous  respect,  even 
of  tenderness.  See  xix.  a 6.  Comp.  iv.  21, 
xx-  J3»  15-  At  the  same  time  it  emphasizes 
the  special  relation  which  it  expresses ;  as  here 
the  contrast  between  the  divine  Son  and  the 
human  Mother. 

what  have  1  to  do  with  thee?']  Or,  what 
hast  thou  to  do  with  me  ?  Literally,  what  is 


v.  5-8.] 


ST.  JOHN.    II. 


37 


what  have  I  to  do  with  thee?  mine 
hour  is  not  yet  come. 

5  His  mother  saith  unto  the  ser- 
vants, Whatsoever  he  saith  unto  you, 
do  it. 

6  And  there  were  set  there  six 
waterpots  of  stone,    after  the    man- 


ner of  the  purifying  of  the  Jews, 
containing  two  or  three  firkins  a- 
piece. 

7  Jesus  saith  unto  them,  Fill  the 
waterpots   with   water.       And    they 
filled  them  up  to  the  brim. 

8  And  he  saith  unto  them,  Draw 


there  to  me  and  thee  f  (ri  e/io»  /cat  trot,  yvvat ; 
Vulg.  quid  mihi  et  tibl  est,  mulier?)  "Leave 
me  to  myself;  let  me  follow  out  my  own 
course."  The  phrase  occurs  not  unfrequently 
in  the  Old  Testament,  ^  S.  xvi.  10 ;  i  K.  xvii. 
18;  a  Chro.  xxxv.  21  (Judg.  xi.  iz).  It  is 
found  also  in  the  New  Testament:  Matt.  viii. 
29,  and  parallels.  Comp.  Matt,  xxvii.  19. 
Everywhere  it  marks  some  divergence  between 
the  thoughts  and  ways  of  the  persons  so 
brought  together.  In  this  passage  it  serves  to 
shew  that  the  actions  of  the  Son  of  God,  now 
that  He  has  entered  on  His  divine  work,  are 
no  longer  dependent  in  any  way  on  the  sug- 
gestion of  a  woman,  even  though  that  woman 
be  His  Mother.  Henceforth  all  He  does 
springs  from  within,  and  will  be  wrought  at 
its  proper  season.  The  time  of  silent  discipline 
and  obedience  (Luke  ii.  51)  was  over.  Comp. 
Matt.xii.  46  ff. 

mine  hour  is  not  yet  come~\  the  due  time 
for  the  fulfilment  of  my  work.  The  words 
are  here  used  of  that  part  of  Christ's  work 
which  was  shewn  in  the  first  revelation  of  His 
glory ;  but  more  commonly  they  refer  to  the 
consummation  of  it  in  the  Passion.  See  viii. 
20,  note,  xvii.  i,  note.  Mary  may  have  be- 
lieved that  the  first  manifestation  of  Christ 
would  lead  at  once  to  full  triumph ;  and  to 
that  fancy  the  words  are  a  pregnant  answer. 

There  is  no  inconsistency  between  this  de- 
claration of  Christ  that  "  His  hour  was  not 
yet  come,"  and  the  fulfilment  of  the  prayer 
which  followed  immediately.  A  change  of 
moral  and  spiritual  conditions  is  not  measured 
by  length  of  time.  Comp.  xiii.  i,  note. 

5.  The  Lord's  reply  left  the  faith  which 
rests  absolutely  in  Him  unshaken.     Nowhere 
else  perhaps  is  such  trust  shewn.     Whether 
divine  help  was  given  through  Him  or  not,  so 
much  at  least  could  be  provided,  that  if  the 
right  moment  came — and  it  is  impossible  to 
use  a  temporal  measure  for  moral  changes — all 
should  be  ready  for  His  action.     Whatsoever 
he  saitb  unto  you,  do  it ;  the  command  is  wholly 
unlimited :  all  is  left  to  Christ. 

6 — 8.  The  manner  of  working  the  miracle 
is  described  with  singular  minuteness  and  yet 
with  singular  reserve.  The  wine  is  found  to 
be  present ;  the  water  shews  the  contents  of 
the  source  from  which  it  was  drawn. 

6.  And  there. ..set  there. ..of  stone}     More 
exactly:  Now  there... there... of  stone  set... 


there"]  in  the  court  of  the  house  as  it  seems 
(v.  8)  and  not  in  the  guest-chamber. 

six  'waterpots']  The  large  number  would  be 
required  in  consequence  of  the  many  guests 
assembled  at  the  feast.  They  were  of  stone — 
as  our  canon  directs  fonts  to  be — since  that 
material  is  less  liable  to  impurity.  Vessels  of 
stone  or  earthenware  were  prescribed  by  Jew  • 
ish  tradition  for  the  washings  before  and  after- 
meals  ('  Sola,'  4,  WUnsche).  The  "purifying" 
extended  not  only  to  the  "  washing  of  hands," 
but  also  to  "  the  washing  of  cups  and  brasen 
vessels  and  couches"  (Mark  vii.  3,  4).  For 
the  washing  of  vessels,  which  were  immersed 
and  not  only  sprinkled,  later  tradition  pre- 
scribed a  receptacle  holding  "forty  Sata," 
about  five  times  as  large  as  one  of  these. 

Dr  E.  D.  Clarke  gives  a  remarkable  illus- 
tration of  the  passage:  "...walking  among 
these  ruins  [at  Cana]  we  saw  large,  massy 
stone  water- pots...  not  preserved  nor  exhibited 
as  reliques,  but  lying  about,  disregarded  by 
the  present  inhabitants  ...  From  their  appear- 
ance and  the  number  of  them,  it  was  quite 
evident  that  a  practice  of  keeping  water  in 
large  stone  pots,  each  holding  from  eighteen 
to  twenty-seven  gallons,  was  once  common  in 
the  country."  ('  Travels,'  II.  p.  445,  referred 
to  by  Van  Lennep,  •  Bible  Customs,'  p.  45, 
note.) 

the  purifying  of  the  Jews']  See  -v.  13.  The 
words  seem  to  contain  an  allusion  to  a  Chris- 
tian purification.  Comp.  iii.  45  ;  Heb.  i.  3  ; 
2  Pet.  i.  9. 

two  or  three  frkins  apiece]  The  measure 
here  (metretes)  probably  corresponds  with  the 
Bath,  which  was  equivalent  to  three  Sata  (mea- 
sures, Matt.  xiii.  33),  about  8|  gallons.  It  is 
reasonable  to  suppose  that  the  vessels  provided 
for  this  extraordinary  gathering  were  of  differ- 
ent sizes,  but  all  large. 

7.  unto  them]    The  sixth  verse  is  substan- 
tially parenthetical,  and  in  thought  v.  ^  fol- 
lows v.  5  directly. 

they  filed  them  up  to  the  brim]  This  pre- 
liminary work  was  done  completely,  so  that 
the  contents  of  the  vessels  were  obvious  to  all. 

8.  Draw  out]     Rather,  Draw.     There  is 
considerable  obscurity  as  to  the  meaning  of 
these  words.     According  to  the  current  inter- 
pretation the  water  in  the  vessels  of  purifica- 
tion was  changed  into  wine,  and  the  servants 
are    bidden   to  draw  from  these.     There  is 

D2 


ST.  JOHN.    II. 


[v.  9— n. 


out  now,  and  bear  unto  the  governor 
of  the  feast.    And  they  bare  it. 

9  When  the  ruler  of  the  feast  had 
tasted  the  water  that  was  made  wine, 
and  knew  not  whence  it  was:  (but 
the  servants  which  drew  the  water 
knew  j)  the  governor  of  the  feast  called 
the  bridegroom, 


10  And   saith    unto   him,    Every 
man  at  the  beginning  doth  set  forth 
good  wine ;  and  when  men  have  well 
drunk,  then  that  which  is  worse :  but 
thou  hast  kept  the  good  wine  until 
now. 

1 1  This  beginning  of  miracles  did 
Jesus  in  Cana  of  Galilee,  and  mani- 


nothing  in  the  text  wnich  definitely  points  to 
such  an  interpretation ;  and  the  original  word 
is  applied  most  naturally  to  drawing  water 
from  the  well  (iv.  7,  15),  and  not  from  a 
vessel  like  the  waterpot.  Moreover  the  em- 
phatic addition  of  now  seems  to  mark  the  con- 
tinuance of  the  same  action  of  drawing  as  be- 
fore, but  with  a  different  end.  Hitherto  they 
had  drawn  to  fill  the  vessels  of  purification : 
they  were  charged  now  to  "  draw  and  bear  to 
the  governor  of  the  feast."  It  seems  most 
unlikely  that  water  taken  from  vessels  of 
purification  could  have  been  employed  for 
the  purpose  of  the  miracle.  On  the  other 
hand,  the  significance  of  the  miracle  comes  out 
with  infinitely  greater  force  if  the  change  is 
wrought  through  the  destination  of  the  element. 
That  which  remained  water  when  kept  for  a 
ceremonial  use  became  wine  when  borne  in 
faith  to  minister  to  the  needs,  even  to  the 
superfluous  requirements,  of  life.  This  view, 
that  the  change  in  the  water  was  determined 
by  its  destination  for  use  at  the  feast,  can  be 
held  equally  if  the  water  so  used  and  limited 
to  that  which  was  used  were  "drawn"  from 
the  vessels,  and  not  from  the  well. 

If,  however,  the  traditional  view  of  the 
miracle  be  retained  no  real  difficulty  can  be 
felt  in  the  magnitude  of  the  marriage  gift  with 
which  Christ  endowed  the  house  of  a  friend. 

the  governor  (ruler,  as  v.  9)  of  the  feasf\ 
Some  have  supposed  this  "ruler"  to  be  the 
chief  servant,  "  steward,"  to  whose  care  all 
the  arrangements  of  the  feast  were  entrusted, 
and  not  one  of  the  guests.  This  is  the  classical 
usage  of  the  term  employed,  and  hence  Ju- 
vencus  speaks  of  summus  minister.  But  on 
the  other  hand,  in  Ecclus.  xxxv.  i?  2)  one  of 
the  guests  is  described  as  "ruler"  (jjyov/iei/os), 
and  there  is  no  certain  evidence  that  the  Jews 
had  any  such  an  officer  among  their  servants, 
who  certainly  would  not  in  any  case  be  likely 
to  be  found  in  such  a  household  as  this. 

9,  10.  The  independent  witness  to  the  two 
parts  of  the  miracle  establishes  its  reality. 
The  ruler  of  the  feast  declares  what  the  ele- 
ment is,  the  servants  knew  what  it  was. 

9.  When  the  ruler. ..the  governor... called] 
And  when  the  ruler. ..the  ruler. ..calleth 
(</>o>m,  Vulg.  i>ocat).  See  xviii.  33. 

that  <unu  model      Literally,  when  it  had 


become,  after  it  had  become.  The  clause  is 
predicative  and  not  simply  descriptive. 

and  knew  not. .  .knew]  This  clause  is  most 
probably  to  be  taken  as  a  parenthesis :  Whe n 
the  ruler  tasted. . .  (and  he  knew  not. .  .but. .  .knew) 
he  calleth... Com\>.  i.  14,  note.  -His  ignorance 
of  the  source  from  which  the  wine  came  did  not 
lead  to  his  inquiry,  but  rather  gave  weight  to 
his  spontaneous  testimony  to  its  excellence. 

which  drew~\  which  had  drawn.  Vulg. 
qui  haurierant. 

10.  The  words  are  half  playful  and  fall  in 
with  the  character  of  the  scene.     The  form  of 
the  first  part  of  the  sentence  is  proverbial,  and 
there  is  nothing  to  offend  in  the  strong  term, 
have  well  drunk  (comp.  Gen.  xliii.  34,  LXX.), 
"drunk  freely,"  which    has    no    immediate 
application  to  the  guests  present.     The  last 
clause  seems  to  be  one  of  those  unconscious 
prophecies  in  which  words  spoken  in  recogni- 
tion  of  a  present  act  reveal  the  far  deeper 
truth  of  which  it  is  a  sign. 

at  the  beginning  doth  set]  first  setteth  on. 

good  wine]  Rather,  the  good  wine  from  his 
store.  The  definite  article  is  made  pokited  by 
the  end  of  the  verse. 

worse'}  poorer.  Literally,  smaller.  Omit 
then. 

kept]  The  idea  of  the  verb  (T^FII/)  is  that 
of  watchful  care  rather  than  of  safe  custody 
(0vXao-o-<ti/).  Comp.  ch.  xii.  7. 

11.  This  beginning  ...]     Rather,  according 
to   the  true   reading,    This  as  a  beginning  of 
his  signs  . . . 

miracles']  signs  (o-rj/ieta,  Vulg.  signaj.  The 
value  of  the  work  was  rather  in  what  it  indi- 
cated than  in  what  it  was.  Miracles,  in  this 
aspect  which  is  commonest  in  the  New  Testa- 
ment, are  revelations  of  truth  through  the 
symbolism  of  the  outward  acts.  , 

The  translation  signs  is  always  preserved  in 
the  Synoptists  except  Luke  xxiii.  8  (see 
Matt.  xvi.  3)  ;  but  in  St  John  we  frequently 
find  the  rendering  miracles,  even  where  the 
point  of  the  teaching  is  lost  by  this  transla- 
tion, e.g.  John  vi.  26,  not  because  ye' saw 
signs  but...,  where  the  motive  was  not  the 
prospect  of  something  yet  nobler  to  be  re- 
vealed, but  acquiescence  in  the  gross  satisfac- 
tion of  earthly  wants.  Whenever  the  word 
is  used  of  Christ's  works  it  is  always  with 
distinct  reference  to  a  higher  character  which 


V.    12.] 


ST.  JOHN.   II. 


fested  forth  his  glory;  and  his  disci- 
ples believed  on  him. 

12  11  After  this  he  went  down  to 


Capernaum,  he,  and  his  mother,  and 
his  brethren,  and  his  disciples:  and 
they  continued  there  not  many  days. 


39 


they  indicate.  Those  who  call  them  "signs" 
attach  to  Him  divine  attributes  in  faith,  ii.  23, 
iii.  2,  &c.,  or  fear,  xi.  47;  and  each  sign  gave 
occasion  to  a  growth  of  faith  or  unbelief  ac- 
cording to  the  spirit  ot  those  who  witnessed 
it.  The  word  was  adopted  into  the  Aramaic 
dialect  (i^D)  in  the  general  sense  of  "  sign." 

It  may  be  added  that  the  word  power  (8v- 
vanis)  for  miracle  never  occurs  in  St  John, 
while  he  very  commonly  includes  miracles 
under  the  term  works,  xiv.  n,  &c. 

In  this  passage  the  twofold  effect  of  the  sign 
is  described  by  St  John,  first  as  a  manifesta- 
tion of  Christ's  glory,  and  next  as  a  ground 
of  faith  in  those  who  were  already  disciples. 
The  office  of  miracles  towards  those  who  do 
not  believe  is  wholly  left  out  of  sight. 

manifested  forth]  manifested.  The  word 
(ffravtpovv)  is  frequent  in  St  John,  ch.  i.  31, 
vii.  4,  xxi.  i,  &c. 

his  glory']  The  glory  (comp.  i.  14,  note)  is 
truly,  inherently,  Christ's  glory.  A  prophet 
would  manifrst  the  glory  of  God.  The  mani- 
festation of  His  glory  in  this  "sign"  must 
not  be  sought  simply  in  what  we  call  its  "  mi- 
raculous" element,  but  in  this  taken  in  con- 
nexion with  the  circumstances,  as  a  revelation 
of  the  insight,  the  sympathy,  the  sovereignty 
of  the  Son  of  Man,  who  was  the  Word 
Incarnate.  See  Additional  Note. 

his  disciple  i  believed  on  bim~\  Testimony 
(i.  36)  directs  those  who  were  ready  to  wel- 
come Christ  to  Him.  Personal  intercourse 
converts  followers  into  disciples  (ii.  2).  A 
manifestation  of  power,  as  a  sign  of  diviner 
grace,  converts  discipleship  into  personal  faith. 

believed  on  hini]  The  original  phrase  («r»- 
(TTfvcrav  «iy  avrov,  Vulg.  crediderunt  in  cum)  is 
peculiarly  characteristic  of  St  John.  It  is 
found  in  one  place  only  in  the  Synoptic  Gos- 
pels (Matt,  xviii.  6  ||  Mark  ix.  42),  and  but 
rarely  in  St  Paul's  Epistles  (Rom.  x.  14;  Gal. 
ii.  16;  Phil.  i.  29).  The  idea  which  it  con- 
veys is  that  of  the  absolute  transference  of 
trust  from  oneself  to  another. 

As  the  beginning  of  Christ's  signs  this 
miracle  cannot  but  have  a  representative  value. 
We  may  observe 

1.  Its  essential  character.     A  sign  of  sove- 
reign power  wrought  on  inorganic  matter, 
not  on  a  living  body. 

2.  Its  circumstantial  character.  The  change 
of  tfle  simpler  to  the  richer  element.    In  this 
respect  it  may  be  contrasted  with  the  first 
public  miracle  of  Moses,  with  whose  history 
the  record  of  miracles  in  the  Old  Testament 
commences. 

3.  Its  moral  character      The  answer  of 
love  to   faith,  ministering  to  the  fulness  of 


human  joy  in  one  of  its  simplest  and  most 
natural  forms.  Contrast  this  feature  with 
the  action  of  the  Baptist,  Matt.  xi.  18,  19. 

In  each  respect  the  character  of  the  sign 
answers  to  the  general  character  of  Christ  as 
a  new  creation,  a  transfiguration  of  the  cere- 
monial Law  into  a  spiritual  Gospel,  the  en- 
nobling of  the  whole  life.  It  may  be  added 
also  that  the  scene  of  the  "  sign  " — a  marriage 
feast — is  that  under  which  the  accomplish- 
ment of  Christ's  work  is  most  characteris- 
tically prefigured,  ch.  iii.  29  ;  Matt.  xxii.  2  ff.,  . 
xxv.  i  ff. ;  Rev.  xix.  7,  xxi.  2. 

This  miracle  alone  of  those  recorded  by  St 
John  has  no  parallel  in  the  Synoptists ;  and 
we  cannot  but  conclude  from  the  minuteness 
of  the  details  of  the  history  that  the  Mother 
of  the  Lord  made  known  some  of  them  to  the 
Apostle  to  whose  care  she  was  entrusted. 
Moreover  in  this  miracle  only  does  she  occupy 
a  prominent  place. 

12.  This  verse  forms  a  transition.  As  yet 
the  family  life  was  not  broken.  Till  "His 
hour  was  come  "  in  a  new  sense  the  Lord  still 
waited  as  He  had  hitherto  lived. 

Capernauni]  Caphar-nahum,  according  to 
the  most  ancient  authorities  (Ka<£api/aou/n, 
D1D3  nSD.  Josephus  gives  both  K«0api/aoufi 
and  K.f(j>apv<au.i)).  This  town  was  on  the 
shores  of  the  lake,  so  that  Christ  went  down 
thither  from  Nazareth  or  Cana,  which  were 
on  the  table-land  above.  Caphar  (a  hamlet, 
cf.  Luke  ix.  12,  Syr.)  is  found  in  late  names 
of  places  not  unfrequently,  answering  to  the 
Arabic  Kefr.  The  site  of  Capernaum  has 
now  been  identified  beyond  all  reasonable 
doubt  with  Tell-Hum  (Wilson,  'Sea  of  Ga- 
lilee,' in  Warren's  '  Recovery  of  Jerusalem,' 
pp.  342  ff. ;  Tristram,  '  Land  of  Israel,'  pp. 
428  ff.  ed.  3).  Compare  Matt.  iv.  13,  ntite. 

From  the  mention  of  "his  brethren,"  who 
are  not  noticed  vv.  i,  2,  it  appears  likely  that 
the  Lord  had  returned  to  Nazareth  from 
Cana.  The  passing  reference  to  a  sojourn  at 
Capernaum  falls  in  with  what  is  said  in  the 
Synoptists  (Matt.  iv.  13)  of  the  Lord's  subse- 
quent removal  thither  from  Nazareth  at  the 
commencement  of  His  Galilaean  ministry, 
though  this  fact  is  not  expressly  mentioned 
by  St  John.  Comp.  vi.  24  ff. 

his  brethren]  Most  probably  the  sons  of 
Joseph  by  a  former  marriage.  See  an  ex- 
haustive essay  by  Dr  Lightfoot,  '  Galatians,' 
Essay  n. 

not  many  days']  This  is  perhaps  mentioned 
to  shew  that  at  present  Capernaum  was  not 
made  the  permanent  residence  of  the  Lord,  as 
it  became  afterwards. 


ST.  JOHN.    II. 


[v.  13,  14. 


13  fl  And  the  Jews'  passover  was 
at  hand,  and  Jesus  went  up  to  Jeru- 
salem, 


14  And  found  in  the  temple  those 
that  sold  oxen  and  sheep  and  doves, 
and  the  changers  of  money  sitting : 


ii.    THE  WORK  OF  CHRIST 
(ii.  13— iv.  54). 

The  formation  of  a  small  group  of  disciples 
inspired  by  true  faith  (v.  n)  was  followed  by 
the  commencement  of  the  Lord's  public  work. 
This  is  presented  in  three  forms  as  undertaken 
in  three  distinct  scenes,  Judaea,  Samaria, 
Galilee. 

Hitherto  the  Revelation  of  Christ  has  been 
given  mainly  through  the  confession  of  dis- 
ciples (i.  51,  note).  The  Evangelist  now,  as 
he  traces  the  sequence  of  events,  crowns  the 
record  of  the  testimony  rendered  to  Christ  by 
the  record  of  His  first  self-revelation.  He 
shews  how  He  satisfied  anticipations  and 
wants ;  how  He  was  misunderstood  and  wel- 
comed. Unbelief  is  as  yet  passive,  though  it 
is  seen  by  Christ  (ii.  35). 

The  narrative  deals  still  for  the  most  part 
with  representative  individuals,  and  not  with 
the  masses  of  the  people. 

The  general  contents  of  the  section  are  thus 
distributed : 
i.     The  work  in  Judaea  (ii.  13 — iii.  36). 

a.  At  Jerusalem  in  the  temple  (ii.  13 — 

a»). 
i.     The  symbolic  act  (13 — 16). 

Effect  on  the  disciples  (v.  17). 
ii.    The  promised  sign  (18 — ai). 

Effect  on  the  disciples  (-v.  a  a). 

b.  At  Jerusalem  with  Jews   (ii.  23 — iii. 

ai> 

i.     Generally  (23 — aj). 
ii.    Specially  (hi.  i — ai). 

c.  In  Judaea  generally  (iii.  aa — 36). 
a.     The  work  in  Samaria  (iv.  i — 42). 

iv.  i — 3,  transitional. 

a.  Specially  (4 — 38). 

b.  Generally  (39 — 43). 

3.     The  work  in  Galilee  (iv.  43 — 54). 

a.  Generally  (43—45). 

b.  A  special  sign  (46 — 54). 

i.    THE  WORK  IN  JUDJEA 
(ii.  13— iii.  36). 

It  was  fitting  that  the  Lord's  public  work 
should  commence  in  Judaea  and  in  the  Holy 
City.  The  events  recorded  in  this  section 
really  determined  the  character  of  His  after 
ministry.  He  offered  Himself  by  a  significant 
act  intelligible  to  faith  as  the  Messiah:  His 
coming  was  either  not  understood  or  mis- 
understood ;  and,  after  a  more  distinct  reve- 
lation of  His  Person  in  Samaria,  He  began 
his  work  afresh  as  a  prophet  in  Galilee. 
Henceforward  He  appeared  no  more  openly 
as  Messiah  at  Jerusalem  till  His  final  entry. 


Chrisfs  work  at  Jerusalem  in  the  temple 
(ii.  13— aa). 

It  is  impossible  not  to  feel  the  change  which 
at  this  point  comes  over  the  narrative.  There 
is  a  change  of  place,  of  occasion,  of  manner  of 
action.  Jerusalem  and  Cana,  the  passover 
and  the  marriage  feast,  the  stern  Reformer  and 
the  sympathizing  Guest.  So  too  the  spiritual 
lessons  which  the  two  signs  convey  are  also 
complementary.  The  first  represents  the  en- 
nobling of  common  life,  the  second  the  puri- 
fying of  divine  worship.  Or,  to  put  the  truth 
in  another  light,  the  one  is  a  revelation  of  the 
Son  of  man,  and  the  other  a  revelation  of  the 
Christ,  the  Fulfiller  of  the  hope  and  purpose 
of  Israel. 

The  history  falls  into  two  parts,  the  sym- 
bolic act  (13 — 17),  the  promised  sign  (18 — 
aa).  The  contents  of  the  section  are  peculiar 
to  St  John,  who  was  an  eye-witness,  ii.  17. 

13 — 17.  The  record  is  a  commentary  on 
Mai.  iii.  i  ff.  Comp.  Zech.  xiv.  ao  f.  The 
first  step  in  Messiah's  work  was  the  abo- 
lition of  the  corruptions  which  the  selfishness 
of  a  dominant  and  faithless  hierarchy  had  in- 
troduced into  the  divine  service.  Origen  ('in 
Joh.'  t.  x.  §  1 6)  justly  points  out  the  spi- 
ritual application  of  this  first  act  of  Christ's 
ministry  to  His  continual  coming  both  to  the 
Church  and  to  individual  souls. 

13.  the  Jews' passover]  ch.  xi.  55.    Comp. 
vi.  4.     The  exact  rendering,  the  passover 
of  the   Jews,    brings  out  the  sense  more 
clearly.     The  phrase  appears  to  imply  dis- 
tinctly the  existence  of  a  recognised  "  Chris- 
tian Passover "  at  the  time  when  the  Gospel 
was  written.     Compare  v.  6.     Origen  ('in 
Joh.'  t.  x.  §  14)  thinks  that  the  words  mark 
how  that  which  was  "the  Lord's  Passover" 
had  been  degraded  into  a  merely  human  cere- 
monial. 

For  the  general  sense  in  which  the  term  the 
Jews  is  used  in  St  John,  see  Introd.  pp.  ix,  x. 

'went  up]  ch.  v.  i,  vii.  8,  10,  xi.  55,  xii  ao. 
Comp.  Luke  ii.  41  f. 

14.  And  found}    And  He  found.    There 
is  a  pause  at  the  end  of  -v.  13  which  must  be 
marked  by  the  commencement  of  a  new  sen- 
tence.  The  visit  to  the  Holy  City  is  recorded 
first,  and  then  the  visit  to  the  temple.     It  was 
natural  that  the  Lord's  work  should  begin  not 
only  at  Jerusalem  but  also  at  the  centre  of 
divine  worship,  the  sanctuary  of  the  theocracy. 
He  now  comes  in  due  time  to  try  the  people 
in  His  Father's  house,  and  to  judge  abuses 
which   He  must  have  seen  often  on  earlier 
visits.    The  event  is  to  be  placed  before  the 


v.  is— 18.] 


ST.  JOHN.   II. 


15  And   when    he   had    made   a 
scourge  of  small  cords,  he  drove  them 
all  out  of  the  temple,  and  the  sheep, 
and  the  oxen;   and   poured  out  the 
changers'  money,  and  overthrew  the 
tables ; 

1 6  And  said  unto  them  that  sold 


doves,  Take  these  things  hence ; 
make  not  my  Father's  house  an  house 
of  merchandise. 

17  And  his  disciples  remembered 

that    it  was  written,   °The  zeal  ofapsal-69- 
thine  house  hath  eaten  me  up. 

1 8  11  Then    answered    the   Jews 


passover  (jv.  23),  and  probably  on  the  eve  of 
the  feast,  when  leaven  was  cleared  away, 
Exod.  xii.  15 ;  i  Cor.  v.  7. 

in  the  temple]  i.e.  in  the  outer  court,  the 
court  of  the  Gentiles,  where  there  was  a 
regular  market,  belonging  to  the  house  of 
Hanan  (Annas).  See  note  on  Mark  xi.  15. 

The  two  words  translated  "temple"  in 
A.V.  require  to  be  distinguished  carefully, 
(i)  Hieron,  the  whole  sacred  enclosure,  with 
the  courts  and  porticoes,  which  is  never  used 
metaphorically ;  and  (2)  Naos,  the  actual 
sacred  building,  used  below  of  the  body  of 
the  Lord  (v.  21),  and  of  Christians  who  form 
His  spiritual  body  (i  Cor.  iii.  16,  17,  vi.  19 ; 
2  Cor.  vi.  1 6).  The  distinction  is  often- very 
interesting.  Contrast  Matt.  iv.  5,  xii.  6,  xxiv. 
i  ;  Luke  ii.  37,  46  ;  John  x.  23  ;  Acts  iii.  10, 
xxi.  28  (Hieron,  the  temple-courts),  with 
Matt,  xxiii.  17,  35,  xxvK.  j,  note,  51 ;  Luke 
i.  21 ;  John  ii.  20  (Naos,  the  sanctuary). 

those  that  sold']  Not  simply  men  engaged 
in  the  traffic,  but  those  who  were  habitually 
engaged  in  it. 

oxen. ..sheep. ..doves]  Comp.  Matt.  xxi.  12, 
note.  Caspar!,  'Einl.  rn  d.  L.  J.'  s.  102. 

changers  of  money]  The  word  used  here 
(wp/iartorijc)  is  different  from  that  in  v.  15 
((coAAu/Ston/r).  The  present  word  indicates 
properly  the  changer  of  large  into  smaller 
coins;  the  second  word  is  derived  from  the 
fee  paid  for  the  exchange  (»coAAv#or),  which 
appears  in  the  vernacular  Aramaic  (Buxtorf, 
'  Lex.'  s.v.  D137p).  Obviously  no  coins  bear- 
ing the  image  of  the  Emperor  or  any  heathen 
symbol  could  be  paid  into  the  temple  trea- 
sury, and  all  offerings  of  money  would  require 
to  be  made  in  Jewish  coins.  The  yearly  pay- 
ment of  the  half-shekel,  which  could  be  made 
in  the  country  (Matt.  xvii.  24),  was  also  re- 
ceived at  the  temple,  and  the  exchange  re- 
quired for  this  gave  abundant  business  to  the 
exchangers.  Lightfoot  has  collected  an  in- 
teresting series  of  illustrations  on  Matt.  xxi.  1 2. 

15.  a  scourge  of  small  cords']  as  a  symbol 
of  authority  and  not  as  a  weapon  of  offence. 
The  "cords"  (o-^otvia,  properly  of  twisted 
rushes)  would  be  at  hand.  No  corresponding 
detail  is  mentioned  in  the  parallel  narratives. 
Jewish  tradition  ('Sanh.'  98  b,  WUnsche) 
figured  Messiah  as  coming  with  a  scourge 
for  the  chastisement  of  evil-doers.  On  this 
occasion  only,  when  He  came  to  claim  au- 


thority by  act,  did  the  Lord  use  the  form  ot 
force.  For  the  effect  compare  xviii.  6. 

them  alt]  apparently  the  sellers  as  well  as  the 
animals,  though  the  next  clause  must  be  trans- 
lated, both  the  sheep  and  the  oxen  (ra  re  npo- 
fiuTa  KCU'...). 

and  poured... and  said...']  ana  he  poured... 
and  he  said...  Each  stage  in  the  action  is  to 
be  distinguished. 

changers'']     See  v.  14. 

16.  Take  these  things  hence]     Since  these 
could  not  be  driven.     There  is  no  reason  to 
think  that  those  who  sold  the  offerings  of  the 
poor  were  as  such  dealt  with  more  gently  than 
other  traffickers. 

my  Fathers  house"]  Compare  Luke  ii.  49 
("in  that  which  belongs  to  my  Father").  The 
speciality  of  the  title  (my  Father's  house,  not 
our  Father's  house)  must  be  noticed.  When 
Christ  finally  left  the  temple  (Matt.  xxiv.  i)  He 
spoke  of  it  to  the  Jews  as  your  bouse  (Matt. 
xxiii.  38);  the  people  had  claimed  and  made 
their  own  what  truly  belonged  to  God.  It 
must  be  observed  also  that  the  Lord  puts  forth 
His  relation  to  God  as  the  fact  from  whioh 
His  Messiahship  might  be  inferred.  This 
formed  the  trial  of  faith. 

bouse  of  merchandise']  Contrast  Matt.  xxi. 
13  (a  den  of  robbers}.  Here  the  tumult  and 
confusion  of  worldly  business  is  set  over  against 
the  still  devotion  which  should  belong  to  the 
place  of  worship. 

merchandise^  Vulg.  negotiationis.  The  word 
(ffjLTropiov)  means  the  place  of  traffic,  the  mart, 
and  not  the  subject  or  the  art  of  trafficking 
(fpiropia).  Comp.  Ezek.  xxvii.  3  (LXX.). 
Thus  the  "house"  is  here  regarded  as  having 
become  a  market-house,  no  longer  deriving 
its  character  from  Him  to  whom  it  was 
dedicated,  but  from  the  business  carried  on  in 
its  courts. 

17.  And  (omit)  his  disciples']    We  notice 
here  on  the  occasion  of  the  first  public  act 
of  Christ,  as  throughout  St  John,  the  double 
effect  of  the  act  on  those  who  already  believed, 
and  on  those  who  were  resolutely  unbelieving. 
The  disciples  remembered  at  the  time  (contrast 
v.  22)  that  this  trait  was  characteristic  of  the 
true  prophet  of  God,  who  gave  himself  for 
his  people.    The  Jews  found  in  it  an  occasion 
for  fresh  demands  of  proof. 

it  was  (written']  Or  more  exactly,  it  is  (writ- 
ten, i.e.  stands  recorded  in  Scripture 


ST.  JOHN.   II. 


[v.  19. 


and  said  unto  him,  What  sign  shew-  19  Jesus  answered  and  said  unto 
est  thou  unto  us,  seeing  that  thou  them,  'Destroy  this  temple,  and  in 
doest  these  things  ?  three  days  I  will  raise  it  up. 


« 


Hf'vov  eVriV).  Compare  vi.  31,  45,  x.  34,  xii. 
14.  St  John  prefers  this  resolved  form  to  the 
simple  verb  (ytypanrm)  which  prevails  almost 
exclusively  in  the  other  books.  Comp.  iii.  21. 

The  words  occur  in  Ps.  Ixix.  9.  The  re- 
mainder of  the  verse  is  applied  to  the  Lord  by 
St  Paul,  Rom.  xv.  3.  Other  passages  from  it 
are  quoted  as  Messianic,  John  xv.  25  (i>.  4), 
xix.  28  and  parallels  (v.  21);  Rom.  xi.  9,  10 
(v.  22) ;  Acts  i.  20  (v.  25). 

For  a  general  view  of  the  quotations  from 
the  Old  Testament  in  St  John  see  Introd. 

The  zeal  of  thine  house]  the  burning  jea- 
lousy for  the  holiness  of  the  house  of  God, 
and  so  for  the  holiness  of  the  people  who  were 
bound  by  service  to  it,  as  well  as  for  the 
honour  of  God  Himself.  Comp.  Rom.  x.  2  ; 
2  Cor.  xi.  2. 

bath  eaten  me~\  According  to  the  true  text, 
will  eat  (devour)  me.  The  reference  is  not 
to  the  future  Passion  of  the  Lord,  but  to  the 
overpowering  energy  and  fearlessness  of  His 
piesent  action.  It  is  not  natural  to  suppose 
that  the  disciples  had  at  the  time  any  clear 
apprehension  of  what  the  issue  would  be.  They 
only  felt  the  presence  of  a  spirit  which  could 
not  but  work. 

18  ft.  The  act  in  which  the  Lord  offered  a 
revelation  of  Himself  called  out  no  faith  in 
the  representatives  of  the  nation.  Thereupon 
in  answer  to  their  demand  He  takes  the  temple, 
which  He  had  vainly  cleansed,  as  a  sign,  having 
regard  to  the  destruction  which  they  would 
bring  upon  it.  The  end  was  now  visible 
though  far  off.  Comp.  Matt.  ix.  15. 

The  words  are  an  illustration  of  Luke  xvi. 
31.  To  those  who  disregarded  the  spirit  of 
Moses,  the  Resurrection  became  powerless. 

18.  Then  answered  the  Jews']  The  Jews 
therefore  answered  (and  so  in  <v.  20).  See 
i.  22,  note.  The  connexion  is  with  -v.  16 
directly. 

answered]  The  term  is  not  unfrequently 
used  when  the  word  spoken  is  a  reply  to  or 
a  criticism  upon  something  done,  or  obviously 
present  to  the  mind  of  another:  e.g.  v.  17, 
xix.  7  ;  Matt.  xi.  25,  xvii.  4,  xxviii.  5  ;  Mark 
x.  51,  xii.  35  ;  Luke  i.  60,  xiii.  14  ;  Acts  iii. 
12,  v.  8;  Rev.  vii.  13.  And  once  even  in 
reference  to  the  significant  state  of  the  barren 
fig-tree ;  Mark  xi.  14. 

What  sign  shewest  thou...']  By  what  clear 
and  convincing  token  (comp.  i  Cor.  i.  22) 
can  we  be  made  to  see  that  thou  hast  the 
right  to  exercise  high  prophetic  functions, 
teeing  that  (ort,  comp.  ix.  17)  thou  doest  these 
things  which  belong  to  a  great  prophet's 
work?  Comp.  Matt.  xxi.  23. 


The  same  demand  for  fresh  evidence  in  the 
presence  of  that  which  ought  to  be  decisive  is 
found  ch.  vi.  30  ;  Matt.  xii.  38  f.,  xvi.  i  ff. 

doest~]  The  work  was  not  past  only,  but 
evidently  charged  with  present  consequences. 

19.  Destroy  this  temple...']  The  phrase 
here  placed  in  its  true  context  appears  twice 
as  the  basis  of  an  accusation,  (i)  Matt.  xxvi. 
61,  note;  Mark  xiv.  57,  8,  and  (2)  Acts  vi. 
14.  In  both  cases  the  point  of  the  words  is 
altered  by  assigning  to  Christ  the  work  of 
destruction  which  he  leaves  to  the  Jews. 
(/  am  able  to  (/  will)  destroy  as  contrasted 
with  Destroy.} 

In  the  interpretation  of  the  words  two  dis- 
tinct ideas  have  to  be  brought  into  harmony, 
(i)  the  reference  to  the  actual  temple  which 
is  absolutely  required  by  the  context,  and  (2) 
the  interpretation  of  the  .Evangelist  (v.  21). 
At  the  same  time  the  "three  days"  marks 
the  fulfilment  as  historical  and  definite.  The 
point  of  connexion  lies  in  the  conception  of 
the  temple  as  the  seat  of  God's  presence 
among  His  people.  So  far  the  temple  was  a 
figure  of  the  Body  of  Christ.  The  rejection 
and  death  of  Christ,  in  whom  dwelt  the  ful- 
ness of  God,  brought  with  it  necessarily  the 
destruction  of  the  temple,  first  spiritually, 
when  the  veil  was  rent  (Matt,  xxvii.  51),  and 
then  materially  (observe  oar  aprt  Matt.  xxvi. 
64).  On  the  other  hand  the  Resurrection  of 
Christ  was  the  raising  again  of  the  Temple, 
the  complete  restoration  of  the  tabernacle  of 
God's  presence  to  men,  perpetuated  in  the 
Church,  which  is  Christ's  body. 

In  this  connexion  account  must  be  taken  of 
the  comparison  of  the  temple  with  Christ, 
Matt.  xii.  6.  Compare  ch.  i.  14  (fo-Kyvvcrev). 

The  Resurrection  of  Christ  was  indeed  the 
transfiguration  of  worship  while  it  was.  the 
transfiguration  of  life. 

In  the  Synoptic  Gospels  Christ  connects 
the  destruction  of  the  temple  with  the  faith- 
lessness of  the  people :  Matt.  xxiv.  2  ff.,  xxiii. 
38. 

It  may  be  noticed  that  on  a  similar  occa- 
sion the  Lord  referred  to  the  "sign  of  the 
prophet  Jonah,"  as  that  alone  which  should 
be  given  (Matt.  xii.  39,  xvi.  4).  Life  through 
death;  construction  through  dissolution;  the 
rise  of  the  new  from  the  fall  of  the  old  ;  these 
are  the  main  thoughts. 

The  imperative  destroy  is  used  as  in  Matt 
xxiii.  3  2,  _/?///*  up.  Comp.  xiii.  28.  Thus  in 
the  first  clear  antagonism  Christ  sees  its  last 
issue.  The  word  itself  (Avcrure)  is  a  very 
remarkable  one.  It  indicates  a  destruction 
which  comes  from  dissolution,  from  the  break- 
ing of  that  which  binds  the  parts  into  a  whole, 


V.  2O 22.] 


ST.  JOHN.    II. 


20  Then  said  the  Jews,  Forty  and         22  When   therefore  he  was  risen 
six  years  was  this  temple  in  building,     from  the  dead,  his  disciples  remem- 
and  wilt   thou   rear   it  up  in    three     bered   that   he    had   said    this    unto 

them ;  and   they  believed  the  scrip- 

21  But  he  spake  of  the  temple  of    ture,  and  the  word  which  Jesus  had 
his  body. 


43 


or  one  thing  to  another.  Comp.  2  Pet.  iii. 
10  ff. ;  Acts  xxvii.  41;  Eph.  ii.  14;  and  also 
v.  1 8  note ;  i  John  iii.  8. 

/  twill. . .]  The  Resurrection  is  here  assigned 
to  the  action  of  the  Lord,  as  elsewhere  to  the 
Father  (Gal.  i.  i  ;  see  v.  22,  note). 

20.  Forty  and  six  ...  building]  Rather, 
In  forty  and  six...<was  this  temple  built  as  we 
now  see  it.  The  work  is  regarded  as  com- 
plete in  its  present  state,  though  the  reparation 
of  the  whole  structure  was  not  completed  till 
36  years  afterwards.  Herod  the  Great  began 
to  restore  the  temple  in  B.C.  20  (Jos.  'B.  J.' 
i.  21  (16).  i :  comp.  '  Antt.'  xv.  n  (14.  i), 
and  the  design  was  completed  by  Herod 
Agrippa  A.D.  64.  The  tense  of  the  verb 
(toKoSo/ii/^r;)  marks  a  definite  point  reached ; 
that  point  probably  coincided  with  the  date 
of  the  Lord's  visit ;  but  the  form  of  ex- 
pression makes  it  precarious  to  insist  on  the 
phrase  as  itself  defining  this  coincidence. 

rear  it  up]  raise  It  up  :  the  same  word  is 
used  as  before.  That  which  Christ  raises  (x. 
1 8)  is  that  which  was  (raise  /'/  up)  and  not 
another.  The  old  Church  is  transfigured  and 
not  destroyed.  The  continuity  of  revelation 
is  never  broken. 

in  three  days]     Comp.  Hos.  vi.  2. 

21.  But  he  (f'ttrlfor)  ...]  The  pronoun  (i. 
1 8,  note)  is  emphatic  and  marks  a  definite 
contrast,  not  only  between  the  Lord  and  the 
Jews,  but  also  between  the  Lord  and  the 
apostles.  St  John  seems  to  look  back  again 
upon  the  far  distant  scene  as  interpreted  by 
his  later  knowledge,  and  to  realise  how  the 
Master  foresaw  that  which  was  wholly  hidden 
from  the  disciples. 

of  (nfpi)  ...]  i.e.  concerning...  This  was 
the  general  topic  of  which  He  was  speak- 
ing, not  the  direct  object  which  He  indicated, 
as  in  vi.  71  (tAryfi/  rov  'I.),  from  which  usage 
it  must  be  caretully  distinguished.  Compare 
Eph.  v.  32  (Xt'yw  (Is),  where  the  ultimate 
application  is  marked. 

the  temple  of  his  body]  i.e.  the  temple  de- 
fined to  be  His  body,  as  in  the  phrase  "the 
cities  of  Sodom  and  Gomorrah  "  (2  Pet,  ii.  6). 
Compare  Acts  iv.  22  ;  2  Cor.  v.  i  ;  Rom.  iv. 
TI  (v.  1.).  For  the  usage  see  i  Cor.  vi.  19 ; 
Rom.  viii.  u. 

St  John  notices  on  other  occasions  the  real 
meaning  of  words  of  the  Lord  not  under- 
stood at  first :  vii.  39,  xii.  33,  xxi.  19 ;  and 
in  each  case  he  speaks  with  complete  au- 
thority. This  trait  of  progressive  knowledge 


is  inexplicable  except  as  a  memorial  of  per- 
sonal experience. 

22.  was  risen]  Rather,  <was  raised  :  so 
also  xxi.  14.  The  full  phrase  would  be,  "  was 
raised  by  God  from  the  dead,"  as  in  the  cor- 
responding expression,  "whom  God  raised 
from  the  dead"  (Acts  iii.  15,  iv.  10,  v.  30,  x. 
40,  xiii.  30,  37;  Rom.  iv.  24,  viii.  ii,  x.  9; 
i  Cor.  xv.  15,  &c.).  In  all  these  cases  the 
resurrection  is  regarded  as  an  awakening 
effected  by  the  power  of  the  Father.  Much 
less  frequently  it  is  presented  simply  as  a  rising 
again,  consequent  on  the  awakening,  in  refer- 
ence to  the  manifestation  of  the  power  of  the 
Son,  Mark  viii.  31,  ix.  9;  Luke  xxiv.  7. 
Comp.  John  xi.  23,  24  ;  and  -v.  19,  note. 

remembered']  v.  17.  The  repetition  of  the 
word  seems  to  mark  the  facts  of  Christ's  life 
as  a  new  record  of  revelation,  on  which  the 
disciples  pondered  even  before  the  facts  were 
committed  to  writing.  Compare  xii.  16. 

had  said]  Rather,  spake  (omit  unto  them). 
The  original  tense  (?A«yei/)  implies  either  a 
repetition  of  or  a  dwelling  upon  the  words. 
Comp.  v.  18,  vi.  6,  65,  71,  viii.  27,  31,  xii.  33, 
iv.  33,  42,  &c. 

believed]  A  different  construction  is  used 
here  (tiriaTtwav  rf)  ypafyfj)  from  that  in  *v.  1 1 : 
they  trusted  the  Scripture  as  absolutely  true. 
Comp.  iv.  50,  v.  46,  47,  *x,  9- 

the  scripture]  The  phrase  "the  Scripture" 
occurs  elsewhere  ten  times  in  St  John,  vii.  38, 
42,  x.  35,  xiii.  18  (xvii.  12),  xix.  24,  28,  36, 
37  (xx.  9),  and  in  every  case  except  xvii.  12 
and  xx.  9  the  reference  is  to  a  definite  passage 
of  Scripture  given  in  the  context,  according 
to  the  usage  elsewhere,  Mark  xii.  10  [xv.  28]  ; 
Luke  iv.  21 ;  Acts  i.  16,  viii.  35,  &c.  (though 
St  Paul  appears  also  to  personify  Scripture), 
while  the  plural  is  used  for  Scripture  generally, 
v.  39 ;  Luke  xxiv.  32 ;  i  Cor.  xv.  3,  4,  &c.  In 
xvii.  12  the  reference  appears  to  be  to  the 
words  already  quoted,  xiii.  18,  so  that  the 
present  and  the  similar  passage,  xx.  9,  alone 
remain  without  a  determinate  reference.  Ac- 
cording to  the  apostle's  usage,  then,  we  must 
suppose  that  here  also  a  definite  passage  is 
present  to  his  mind,  and  this,  from  a  com- 
parison of  Acts  ii.  27,  31,  xiii.  35,  can  hardly 
be  any  other  than  Ps.  xvi.  10. 

the  word . . .  had  said  (tlirtv)]  the  revelation 
which  St  John  has  just  recorded,  not  as  an 
isolated  utterance  (fa  pa),  but  as  a  compre- 
hensive message  (i-<5  Xoyw). 
The  Synoptists  narrate  a  cleansing  of  the 


44 


ST.  JOHN.    II. 


[v.  23. 


23  ^  Now  when  he  was  in  Jeru-     many  believed    in    his    name,  when 
salem  at  the  passover,  in  the  feast  day,     they  saw  the  miracles  which  he  did. 


temple  as  having  taken  place  on  the  day  of 
the  triumphal  entry  into  Jerusalem  before  the 
last  passover  (Matt.  xxi.  izff.  ;  Mark  xi.  15 
if.;  Luke  xix.  45  if.).  Of  such  an  incident 
there  is  no  trace  in  St  John  (xii.  12  ff.),  and 
conversely  the  Synoptists  have  no  trace  of 
an  earlier  cleansing.  It  has  been  supposed 
that  the  event  has  been  transposed  in  the 
Synoptic  narratives  owing  to  the  fact  that 
they  give  no  account  of  the  Lord's  ministry  at 
Jerusalem  before  the  last  journey;  but  a  com- 
parison of  the  two  narratives  is  against  the 
identification. 

1.  The  exact  connexion   of  the  event  in 
each  case  is  given  in  detail. 

2.  There  is  a  significant  difference  in  the 
words  used  to  justify  the  act,  Mark  xi.  17  ; 
John  ii.  1 6. 

3.  The  character  of  the  two  acts  is  dis- 
tinct.    The  history  of  St  John  presents  an 
independent    assumption    of   authority :    the 
history  of  the  Synoptists  is  a  sequel  to  the 
popular    homage    which  the   Lord  had  ac- 
cepted. 

4.  The  cleansing  in  St  John  appears  as  a 
single  act.    The  cleansing  in  the  Synoptists 
seems  to  be  part  of  a  continued  policy  (Mark 
xi.  1 6). 

5.  In  the  record  of  the  later  incident  there 
is  no  reference  to  the  remarkable  words  (ii. 
19)  which  give  its  colour  to  the  narrative  of 
St  John,  though  the  Synoptists  shew  that  they 
were  not  unacquainted  with  the  words  (Matt, 
xxvi.  6 1 ;  Mark  xiv.  58). 

Nor  on  the  other  hand,  is  there  any  impro- 
bability in  the  repetition  of  such  an  incident. 
In  each  case  the  cleansing  was  effected  in 
immediate  connexion  with  the  revelation  of 
Jesus  as  the  Messiah.  This  revelation  was 
twofold:  first  when  He  claimed  His  royal 
power  at  the  entrance  on  His  work,  and  then 
when  He  claimed  it  again  at  the  dose  of  His 
work.  In  the  interval  between  these  two 
manifestations  He  fulfilled  the  office  of  a  simple 
prophet.  In  the  first  case,  so  to  speak,  the 
issue  was  as  yet  doubtful ;  in  the  second,  it 
was  already  decided ;  and  from  this  difference 
flows  the  difference  in  the  details  of  the  in- 
cidents themselves.  For  example,  there  is  a 
force  in  the  addition  "  a  house  of  prayer  for 
all  nations"  in  the  immediate  prospect  of  the 
Passion  and  of  the  consequent  rejection  of  the 
Jews,  which  finds  no  place  at  the  beginning 
of  the  Lord's  ministry,  when  He  enters  as  a 
Son  into  "  His  Father's  house."  And  again, 
the  neutral  phrase,  "a  house  of  merchandise," 
is  in  the  second  case  represented  by  its  last 
issue  "a  den  of  robbers." 

Assuming  that  the  two  cleansings  are  dis- 
tinct, it  is  easy  to  see  why  St  John  records 
that  which  occurred  at  the  beginning,  because 


it  was  the  first  crisis  in  the  separation  of 
faith  and  unbelief;  while  the  Synoptists 
necessarily,  from  the  construction  of  their 
narratives,  recorded  the  later  one.  This,  on 
the  other  hand,  was  virtually  included  in  the 
first,  and  there  was  no  need  that  St  John 
should  notice  it. 

Christ's  work  at  Jerusalem  with  the  people 
(ii.  23 — iii.  21). 

The  record  of  the  great  Messianic  work 
(ii.  14 — 1 6),  which  was  the  critical  trial  of 
the  representatives  of  the  theocracy,  is  fol- 
lowed by  a  summary  notice  of  the  thoughts 
which  it  excited  among  the  people  generally, 
and  also  in  one  who  was  fitted  to  express  the 
feelings  of  students  and  teachers.  The  people 
imagined  that  they  had  found  the  Messiah  of 
their  own  hopes:  the  teacher  acknowledged 
the  presence  of  a  prophet  who  should  con- 
tinue, and  probably  reform,  what  already 
existed.  In  both  respects  the  meaning  of 
Christ's  work  was  missed:  the  conclusions 
which  were  drawn  from  His  "signs'*  (ii.  23, 
iii.  2)  were  false  or  inadequate. 

The  section  falls  into  two  parts :  Christ's 
dealing  with  the  people  (ii.  23 — 25),  and 
with  "the  teacher  of  Israel"  (iii.  i — 21). 

The  contents  are  peculiar  to  St  John.  It  is 
probable  that  he  writes  from  his  own  imme- 
diate knowledge  throughout  (comp.  iii.  ii). 

23 — 25.  Christ's  dealing  with  the  people 
generally.  In  this  brief  passage  the  false  faith 
of  the  people  is  contrasted  with  the  perfect 
insight  of  Christ.  The  people  were  willing  to 
accept  Him,  but  He  knew  that  it  would  be 
on  their  own  terms.  Comp.  vi.  14  f.  (Gali- 
lee). 

The  explanation  which  St  John  gives  of  the 
reserve  of  Christ  shews  a  characteristic  know- 
ledge of  the  Lord's  mind.  It  reads  like  a 
commentary  gained  from  later  experience  on 
what  was  at  the  time  a  surprise  and  a  mys- 
tery. 

23.  in  Jerusalem]  if  not  in  the  temple,  yet 
still  in  the  Holy  City.  It  may  be  noticed  that 
of  the  two  Greek  forms  of  the  name,  that 
which  is  alone  found  (in  a  symbolic  sense)  in 
the  Apocalypse  (iii.  12,  xxi.  2,  10,  'lepovo-a- 
X?7/i)  is  not  found  in  the  Gospel,  in  which  (as 
in  St  Mark)  the  other  form  ('lepoo-oXv/xa)  is 
used  exclusively  (twelve  times). 

The  triple  definition  of  place  (in  Jerusalem), 
time  (at  the  passover),  circumstance  (during 
the  feast)  is  remarkable.  The  place  was  the 
city  which  God  had  chosen :  the  time  was  the 
anniversary  of  the  birth  of  the  nation :  the 
circumstances  marked  universal  joy. 

in  the  feast  day]  Rather,  at  the  feast, 
i.e.  of  unleavened  bread,  kept  on  the  seven 


v.  24,  25.] 


ST.  JOHN.    II. 


24  But  Jesus  did  not  commit  him- 
self unto  them,  because  he  knew  all 


men. 


25  And  needed  not  that  any  should 
testify  of  man:  for  he  knew  what 
was  in  man. 


days  which  followed  the  actual  passover  (Lev. 
xxiii.  5,  6).  It  has  been  conjectured,  not  un- 
reasonably, that  the  purifying  of  the  temple 
took  place  on  the  eve  of  the  passover,  when 
the  houses  were  cleansed  of  leaven. 

many]     Among  these  there  may  have  been 
some  Galilaeins,  who  had  come  to  the  feast,  • 
as  "  the  Jews"  (v.  20)  are  not  distinctly  men- 
tioned.    Comp.  viii.  30  f.,  iv.  45. 

believed  in  (on)  bis  name"]  Comp.  i.  12 
and  viii.  30,  note.  In  this  place  the  phrase 
seems  to  imply  the  recognition  of  Jesus  as  the 
Messiah,  but  such  a  Messiah  as  Him  for 
whom  they  looked,  without  any  deeper  trust 
(for  the  most  part)  in  His  Person  (v.  14). 
They  believed  not  on  Him  (iii.  18),  but  on  Ha 
name,  as  Christ  (comp.  Matt.  vii.  22.  Orig. 
4  in  Joh.'  t.  x.  §  28).  The  phrase  occurs  again 
in  connexion  with  the  title  "Son  of  God," 
i  John  v.  13,  where  there  is  no  limitation  of 
the  fulness  of  the  meaning.  For  the  use  of 
44  believe  on  "  (JTIOTCV* tv  m)  with  other  than 
a  personal  object,  see  i  John  v.  10. 

when  they  saw]  when  they  beheld  (fitot- 
povvrts)  with  the  secondary  notion  of  a  re- 
gard of  attention,  wonder,  reflection.  The 
word  (6tu>ptiv)  is  so  used  in  vii.  3,  xii.  45, 
xiv.  19,  xvi.  1 6  ff.,  &c.  In  this  place  it  con- 
nects the  imperfect  faith  of  the  people  with 
the  immediate  effect  of  that  which  arrested 
their  attention.  Contrast  iv.  45  (cupcucorrr). 
the  miracles  (his  signs)  which  be  did] 
time  after  time  (a  iiroiti).  Here  the  Evange- 
list dwells  on  the  works  as  still  going  on 
(which  He  was  doing)  :  in  iv.  45  he  regards 
the  same  works  in  their  historical  complete- 
ness (all  that  He  did,  ocra  (iroirja-tv).  The 
conviction  was  wrought  not  at  once,  nor  on  a 
survey  of  all  the  works,  but  now  by  one,  now 
by  another.  The  same  idea  is  given  by  the 
present  participle  (when  they  beheld,  6fa>povv- 
Tts)  in  combination  with  the  aorist  (believed). 
The  incidental  notice  of  these  u signs"  (comp. 
vii.  31,  xi.  47,  xx.  30)  is  an  unquestionable 
proof  that  St  John  does  not  aim  at  giving  an 
exhaustive  record  of  all  he  knew.  Similar 
references  to  cycles  of  unrecorded  works  are 
found  in  the  Synoptists:  Mark  iii.  10,  vi.  56. 
24.  But  Jesus]  The  contrast  is  empha- 
sized in  the  original  by  the  preceding  pronoun, 
But  on  His  part  Jesus  (avror  £e  '!.)• 

commit]      The  same  word  (foloraw)  is 
used   here  as  that  rendered  believe  (v.  23). 


Compare  Luke  xvi.  n.  The  kind  of  repeti- 
tion would  be  in  some  degree,  though  in- 
adequately, expressed  in  English  by  "many 
trusted  on  His  name  ...  but  Jesus  did  not 
trust  Himself  to  them."  There  is  at  the  same 
time  a  contrast  of  tenses.  The  first  verb 
marks  a  definite,  completed,  act :  the  second 
a  habitual  course  of  action.  A  partial  com- 
mentary on  this  reserve  of  Christ  is  found  in 
vi.  14  f.,  where  He  refuses  to  accept  the  ho- 
mage of  the  people  which  is  offered  with  false 
beliefs  and  hopes.  Comp.  Matt.  vii.  21  ff. 

24,  25.  because  he  knew  ...  And  needed 
not ...]  The  original  is  more  exact  and  ex- 
pressive: owing  to  the  fact  that  —  for 
that — He  knew  (Sia  TO  yivtaa-ntiv)  all  men, 
and  because  He  needed  not...  (Vulg.  eo  quod 
...quia...).  The  ultimate  reason  lay  in  His 
knowledge  of  all  men  :  the  immediate  reason 
in  the  fact  that  He  needed  no  testimony  to 
the  character  of  any  man. 

24.  he  knew]     The  pronoun  is  emphatic. 
Christ  knew  44by  Himself,"  44in  virtue  of 
His  Owu  power." 

knew]  It  is  of  great  importance  to  dis- 
tinguish in  the  narrative  of  St  John  the  know- 
ledge (i)  of  discernment  and  recognition  from 
that  (2)  of  intuition  and  conviction.  The 
one  word  (-yuwo-Kfti/),  used  here,  implies 
movement,  progress :  the  other  (e toVi/at)  satis- 
faction, rest.  For  the  contrast  between  the  t 
words  compare  (i)  i.  49,  iii.  10,  vi.  69,  xiii. 
12  (yivuxTKfiv) :  (2)  i.  26,  31,  iii.  2,  n,  ix. 
29  (cidewu).  See  Additional  Note. 

25.  testify  of  man]    bear  witness  con- 
cerning  man    generically    (irtp\  TOV  dv0p<o- 
TTOV).    The  original  (TOV  dvdptirrov)  may  mean 
also  I4the  man  with  whom  from  time  to  time 
he  had  to  deal,"  as  it  appears  to  do  in  the 
second  case.     Compare  vii.  51   (TOV  ai>6pa>- 
n-oiO;  Matt.  xii.  43,  xv.  u. 

he  knew]  as  in  v.  24,  "He  Himself  kne<iv, 
by  His  Own  power  on  each  occasion  ...." 
The  pronoun  is  repeated  a  third  time  (auroj — 
avrov — avros). 

what  was  in  man]  This  knowledge  is 
elsewhere  attributed  to  Jehovah  (Jer.  xvii.  10, 
xx.  12).  It  was  immediate  (of  Himself), 
universal  (all  men),  complete  (what  was  in 
man,  i.e.  the  thoughts  and  feelings  as  yet  un- 
expressed). 


ADDITIONAL  NOTES  on  CHAP.  n.  n,  24. 

11.  This  passage  brings  forward  very  vividly     exaggerated  by  another.     It 

one  feature  of  St  John's  Gospel  which  has     whole  human  life  of  Christ,  under  its  actual 

been  overlooked  by  one  school  of  critics  and     conditions  of  external  want  and  suffering  and 


ST.  JOHN.    II. 


of  internal  conflict  and  sorrow,  as  a  continu- 
ous and  conscious  manifestation  of  divine 
glory.  He  shews  from  first  to  last  how  "  the 
eternal  life  was  manifested  which  was  with 
the  Father"  (i  John  i.  a)  in  the  works,  and 
in  the  words  of  Christ,  in  what  He  did  and  in 
what  He  suffered.  (Compare  Introd.)  Such 
a  view,  it  has  been  argued,  is  inconsistent 
with  the  portraiture  of  the  Saviour  in  the 
other  Gospels,  and  with  the  teaching  of  St 
Paul  upon  the  "  exinanition "  of  Christ 
(Phil.  ii.  5— u). 

This  objection  appears  to  rest  upon  a 
totally  inadequate  conception  of  human  life. 
If  life  is  potentially  the  expression  of  a  divine 
purpose,  it  is  evident  that  all  the  circumstances 
which  it  includes  are  capable  of  ministering  to 
the  divine  end.  A  want  or  a  sorrow  cannot 
be  regarded  in  itself.  It  has  a  relation  to  a 
whole,  and  is  interpretative  at  once  and  pre- 
paratory. A  perfect  human  life,  a  life  lived, 
that  is,  in  absolute  harmony  with  the  divine, 
will  therefore  in  every  point  reveal  to  those 
who  have  the  eyes  to  see,  something  of  God, 
of  His  "  glory."  And  further,  a  human  con- 
sciousness, which  has  complete  insight  into  the 
true  order  of  things,  or  so  far  as  it  has  in- 
sight, will  be  able  to  realise  at  any  moment 
the  actual  significance  of  each  detail  of  ex- 
perience. This  being  so,  it  is  clear  that  all  the 
acts  and  sufferings  of  "  the  Son  of  Man " 
were  essentially  revelations  of  glory,  and  be- 
come so  to  us  so  far  as  we  are  enabled  to 
apprehend  their  meaning.  They  are  at  the 
same  time  to  be  regarded  externally,  but  that 
external  realisation  is  only  a  condition  for 
their  spiritual  understanding.  From  the  na- 
ture of  the  case  each  fact  in  the  life  of  Christ 
was  the  vehicle  for  conveying  some  eternal 
truth.  It  could  not  be  otherwise.  St  John 
lays  open  in  some  representative  instances 
what  this  truth  was,  and  while  he  does  so  he 
shews  how  the  knowledge  of  it  was  present  to 
the  mind  of  Christ.  Humiliation,  shame, 
death  are  thus  not  regarded  outwardly,  as 
they  may  rightly  be  in  suitable  connexions, 
but  as  the  appointed,  and  so  the  best,  means 
for  the  attainment  of  the  highest  end,  and  re- 
cognised as  such.  In  this  light  they  become 
"glories"  (i  Pet.  i.  n). 

These  remarks  hold  true  in  regard  to  each 
event  in  the  Lord's  life;  but  St  John,  from 
his  point  of  sight,  regards  the  whole  work  of 
Christ  as  one,  as  the  complete  fulfilment  of 
the  divine  counsel.  All  is  present  at  each 
moment,  "one  act  at  once,"  while  we  "as 
parts  can  see  but  part,  now  this,  now  that." 
The  Passion  is  the  Victory  ;  and  this  not  only 
in  relation  to  divine  knowledge  but  also  in 
relation  to  perfect  human  knowledge,  which 


from  point  to  point  is  in  accordance  with  the 
divine. 

St  John  therefore,  while  from  time  to  time 
he  dwells  on  Christ's  glory  and  on  Christ's 
assertion  of  His  glory,  is  not  recording,  as  has 
been  said,  that  which  can  be  understood  only 
of  the  Eternal  Word,  but  that  which  pro- 
perly belongs  to  the  Son  of  Man,  who  at 
each  stage,  in  each  fragment  of  His  life,  re- 
cognised the  perfect  fulfilment  through  Him- 
self of  the  purpose  of  the  Father  towards  the 
world.  Compare  i.  51,  viii.  28,  xi.  40  ff., 
xiii.  31,  xvii.  4. 

24.  All  the  Evangelists  agree  in  representing 
the  Lord  as  moving  among  men  with  a  com- 
plete and  certain  knowledge  of  their  characters 
and  needs.  Only  on  very  rare  occasions  does 
He  ask  anything,  as  if  all  were  not  absolutely 
clear  before  His  eyes  (e.g.  Mark  viii.  5  ; 
comp.  Mark  xi.  13  ;  John  xi.  34).  But  St 
John  exhibits  this  attribute  of  complete  hu- 
man knowledge  most  fully,  and  dwells  upon 
it  as  explaining  Christ's  action  at  critical 
times.  He  describes  the  knowledge  both  as 
relative,  acquired  (yivco'o-Keti/),  and  absolute, 
possessed  (ei'So/m).  In  some  cases  the  "  per- 
ception "  (•yi/ovr,  eyi/to,  yivaxrut  i)  is  that 
which  might  be  gained  "naturally"  by  the 
interpretation  of  some  intelligible  sign  (v.  6, 
vi.  15,  xvi.  19,  iv.  i).  At  other  times  it 
appears  to  be  the  result  of  an  insight  which 
came  from  a  perfect  spiritual  sympathy,  found 
in  some  degree  among  men  (i.  42,  47,  ii.  24  f., 
v.  42,  x.  14  f.,  27:  comp.  xxi.  17);  which 
reaches  from  the  knowledge  of  the  heart  even 
to  the  knowledge  of  God  (xvii.  25).  The 
absolute  knowledge  (ei'Swr,  tlSevai)  is  shewn 
in  connexion  with  divine  things  (iii.  ii,  v.  32, 
vii.  29,  viii.  55,  xi.  42,  xii.  50),  and  with  the 
facts  of  the  Lord's  being  (vi.  6,  viii.  14,  xiii. 
i,  3,  xix.  28),  and  also  in  relation  to  that 
which  was  external  (vi.  61,  64,  xiii.  u,  18, 
xviii.  4).  A  careful  study  of  these  passages 
seems  to  shew  beyond  doubt  that  the  know- 
ledge of  Christ,  so  far  as  it  was  the  discern- 
ment of  the  innermost  meaning  of  that  which 
was  from  time  to  time  presented  to  Him,  and 
so  far  as  it  was  an  understanding  of  the 
nature  of  things  as  they  are,  has  its  analogues 
in  human  powers.  His  knowledge  appears  to 
be  truly  the  knowledge  of  the  Son  of  Man, 
and  not  merely  the  knowledge  of  the  divine 
Word,  though  at  each  moment  and  in  each 
connexion  it  was,  in  virtue  of  His  perfect 
humanity,  relatively  complete.  Scripture  is 
wholly  free  from  that  Docetism — that  teaching 
of  an  illusory  Manhood  of  Christ — which, 
both  within  the  Church  and  without  it,  tends 
to  destroy  the  historic  character  of  the  Gospel. 


V.   I.] 


ST.  JOHN.    III. 


47 


CHAPTER  III. 


I  Christ  teacheth  Nicodemus  the  necessity  of 
regeneration.  14  Of  faith  in  his  death. 
1 6  TAf  great  lave  of  God  towards  the 
•world.  1 8  Condemnation  for  unbelief.  23 


The  baptism,  witness,  and  doctrine  of  John 
concerning  Christ. 

'"INHERE  was  a  man  of  the  Phari- 
JL    sees,  named  Nicodemus,  a  ruler 
of  the  Jews : 


Christ' i  dealing  with  the  representative  teacher 
(iii.  i — 21). 

This  first  conversation  is,  together  with  the 
Evangelist's  comment,  the  personal  application 
of  the  general  call  to  repentance,  with  which 
the  other  Gospels  open.  It  is,  like  the  public 
message  of  the  Baptist  or  of  Christ,  a  pro- 
clamation of  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  but  given 
under  new  circumstances. 

Under  another  aspect  the  history  is  com- 
plementary to  the  passage  which  precedes. 
Christ  was  unwilling  to  commit  Himself— 
His  Person — to  those  who  had  false  views ; 
and  in  the  same  spirit  He  laid  open  the  truth 
to  one  who  sought  it.  By  refusal  and  by  com- 
pliance alike  He  shewed  His  knowledge  of  men. 

The  record  consists  of  two  parts.  The 
first  part  (r — 15)  contains  a  summary  of  the 
actual  conversation :  the  second  gives  the 
commentary  of  St  John  (16— ai). 

It  is  interesting  to  notice  that  according  to 
the  Sarum  Use,  following  the  old  Roman  Use, 
the  section  w.  i — ij  is  read  as  the  Gospel 
for  Trinity  Sunday.  This  Gospel  is  retained  in 
our  Prayer  Book,  while  the  modern  Roman 
Use  gives  Matt,  xxviii.  18  ff.  The  fitness  of 
the  selection  is  obvious.  The  narrative  shews 
how  the  Lord  deals  with  the  difficulties  of  the 
thoughtful  man,  reproving  presumption  and 
elevating  faith. 

CHAP.  III.  1—15.  The  general  outline 
of  the  discourse  can  be  marked  with  fair 
distinctness,  and  places  the  relation  in  which 
the  new  order— the  kingdom  of  God.  es- 
tablished through  Christ— stands  to  the  old  in 
a  clear  light 

Nicodemus  comes  as  the  representative  of 
the  well-instructed  and  thoughtful  Jew  who 
looked  for  the  consummation  of  national  hope 
to  follow  in  the  line  along  which  he  had 
himself  gone,  as  being  a  continuation  and  not 
a  new  beginning  (v.  a). 

The  Lord  at  once  checks  this  anticipation. 
The  kingdom  of  God  cannot,  He  says,  be 
seen — outwardly  apprehended — without  a  new 
birth.  The  right  conception  of  it  depends 
upon  the  possession  of  corresponding  and 
therefore  fresh  powers  (v.  3). 

But  the  obvious  answer  is,  Such  a  change 
in  man  is  impossible.  He  is  physically, 
morally,  spiritually,  one:  the  result  of  all 
the  past  (v.  4). 

This  objection  would  be  valid  if  tlie  change 
belonged  to  the  same  order  as  that  to  which 
we  naturally  belong.  But  the  Lord  replies 
that  the  birth  which  He  reveals  is  an  entrance 


to  a  new  order,  and  wrought  by  a  new  power. 
It  has  an  external  element,  because  it  belongs 
to  men  now  in  life:  it  has  an  internal  element, 
because  it  carries  men  into  a  new  world  (v.  5). 

No  change  of  man  in  himself,  so  far  as  the 
life  of  sense  is  concerned,  would  be  adequate 
(v  6). 

But  none  the  less  the  change,  though  wrought 
by  a  mysterious  and  unseen  Power,  coming 
we  know  not  whence,  going  we  know  not 
whither,  in  the  interspace  of  earthly  life,  is 
manifested  by  its  results  (7  f.). 

Such  ideas  were  strange  to  Nicodemus,  and 
to  the  traditional  Judaism  of  the  time  (v.  9). 

Yet  even  already  there  were  some  with  the 
Lord  who  had  known  and  seen  the  reality  of 
the  teaching  and  facts  by  which  these  ideas 
were  established  (10  f.). 

And,  beyond  these  "earthly  things"  of  which 
sensible  experience  was  possible,  the  new 
kingdom  included  in  its  principles  "heavenly 
things,"  still  farther  removed  from  current 
beliefs  (v.  la). 

Such  was  the  doctrine  of  the  Person  of  the 
Lord ;  and  flowing  from  it  the  doctrine  of  the 
Redemption  through  His  Cross  (13  ff.). 

The  circle  of  thought  is  thus  complete. 
Christianity — in  consideration  of  the  completed 
work  of  Christ,  which  is  presupposed — stands 
contrasted  with  Judaism  both  as  an  organiza- 
tion and  as  a  divine  economy.  The  entrance 
to  the  Church  is  through  a  sacrament  not  out- 
ward only  but  spiritual  also.  The  facts  on 
which  it  rests  and  which  it  proclaims  belong 
essentially  to  heaven,  not  to  earth.  Viewed  in 
these  relations  the  discourse  expands  and  ex- 
plains the  truth  stated  generally  in  its  out- 
ward form  in  the  Sermon  on  the  Mount: 
Except  jour  righteousness  shall  exceed  the  righ- 
teousness of  the  Scribes  and  Pharisees,  ye  shall 
in  no  ease  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  heaven 
(Matt.  v.  ao). 

1.  There  ivas  a  man...']  Now  there  was  a 
man....  The  word  man  is  repeated  to  em- 
phasize the  connexion  with  ii.  25.  Nicode- 
mus offered  at  once  an  example  of  the  Lord's 
inward  knowledge  of  men,  and  an  exception 
to  this  general  rule  which  He  observed  in  not 
trusting  Himself  to  them. 

Pharisees]  i.  24  note. 

Nicodemus']  Comp.  vii.  50,  xix.  39.  The 
name  was  not  uncommon  among  the  Jews. 
Nicodemus  ben  Gorion  (Bunai)  who  lived  to 
the  siege  of  Jerusalem,  has  been  identified  (false- 
ly, v.  4  old)  with  this  one.  The  traditions  as 
to  Bunai,  which  are  very  vague  and  untrust- 


ST.  JOHN.   III. 


[v.  2—4. 


2    The   same   came   to  Jesus  by         3    Jesus  answered  and  said  unto 
night,  and  said  unto  him,  Rabbi,  we     him,  Verily,  verily,  I  say  unto  thee, 


know  that  thou  art  a  teacher  come 
from  God :  for  no  man  can  do  these 
miracles  that  thou  doest,  except  God 
be  with  him. 


Except    a  man   be    born   B  again,  he 
cannot  see  the  kingdom  of  God. 

4  Nicodemus  saith  unto  him,  How 
can  a  man  be  born  when  he  is  old? 


worthy,  have  been  collected  by  Lightfoot  on 
this  place,  and  by  Delitzsch,  'Zeitschr.  f. 
Luth.  Theol.'  1854. 

a  ruler]  i.e.  a  member  of  the  Sanhedrin 
(apxav,  Vulg.  princeps):  vii.  50.  Comp.  vii. 
26,  xii.  42;  Luke  xxiii.  13,  35,  xxiy.  20;  Acts 
iv.  8.  The  word  however  is  used  in  Rabbinic 
literature  (fOIK)  generally  for  a  "great  man" 
or  "prince."  See  Buxtorf,  s.  -v. ;  Matt.  ix.  18 ; 
Luke  xii.  58,  xiv.  i,  xviii.  18. 

2.     to  Jesus']     unto  him. 

by  night~\  This  detail  is  noticed  again  in 
xix.  39  (but  not  according  to  the  true  read- 
ing in  vii.  50).  On  each  occasion  where 
Nicodemus  is  mentioned  we  may  see  other 
traces  of  the  timidity  to  which  it  was  due. 
He  defended  Jesus  without  expressing  any 
personal  interest  in  Him :  he  brought  his 
offering  only  after  Joseph  of  Arimathaea  had 
obtained  the  Body  from  Pilate. 

Rabbi]  Such  a  style  of  address  in  the  mouth 
of  Nicodemus  (v.  10)  is  significant  (comp.  i. 
38).  The  title  was  one  of  late  date,  not  hav- 
ing come  into  use  till  the  time  of  Herod  the 
Great,  with  the  Schools  of  Shammai  and 
Hillel.  It  is  formed  like  "Master"  from  a 
root  meaning  great,  and  was  used  in  three 
forms,  Rab,  Rabbi,  Rabban  (Rabbun,  John  xx. 
16).  According  to  the  Jewish  saying,  "Rabbi 
was  higher  than  Rab,  Rabban  than  Rabbi,  but 
greater  than  all  was  he  who  [like  the  pro- 
phets] was  not  called  by  any  such  title." 

five  know]  The  pronoun  is  not  emphatic. 
There  is  however  a  symptom  of  latent  pre- 
sumption in  the  word.  Nicodemus  claims  for 
himself  and  for  others  like  him  the  peculiar 
privilege  of  having  read  certainly  the  nature 
of  the  Lord's  office  in  the  signs  which  He 
wrought.  So  much  at  least  he  and  they  could 
do,  if  the  common  people  were  at  fault. 
Comp.  ix.  24.  It  is  natural  to  connect  such 
a  recognition  of  the  divine  mission  of  Jesus 
with  the  report  of  the  envoys  sent  to  John: 
i.  19.  Contrast  Matt.  xii.  24;  c.  ix.  29. 

from  God]  The  words  stand  first  empha- 
tically: "it  is  from  God,  not  from  man,  thy 
title  to  teach  is  derived."  Jesus  had  not 
studied  in  the  schools,  but  possessed  the  right 
of  a  Rabbi  from  a  higher  source.  Comp.  vii. 
15,  16. 

a  teacher]  not  different  in  kind  from  other 
teachers.  In  this  conception  lay  the  essence 
of  the  error  of  Nicodemus.  The  word  used 
here  (didao-KoXos)  is  commonly  rendered  mas- 
ter, after  the  Vulgate  (magister),  a  rendering 


which  is  apt  to  suggest  false  associations  (i.  38, 
viii.  4,  xi.  28,  xiii.  13  f.,  xx.  16). 

miracles']  signs.  Comp.  ii.  n  note.  The 
address  of  Nicodemus  is  incomplete,  but  he 
evidently  wishes  to  invite  the  Lord  to  give  a 
fuller  view  of  His  teaching,  and  that,  it  may 
reasonably  be  supposed,  with  regard  to  the 
kingdom  of  God  of  which  John  had  spoken. 

except... him]  Comp.  Acts  x.  38 ;  i  S. 
xviii.  14;  c.  ix.  31  f. 

3.  answered]  not  the  words,  but  the 
thoughts.  The  Lord's  answers  to  questions 
will  be  found  generally  to  reveal  the  true 
thought  of  the  questioner,  and  to  be  fitted 
to  guide  him  to  the  truth  which  he  is  seeking. 
Nicodemus  implied  that  he  and  those  like  him 
were  prepared  to  understand  and  welcome  the 
Lord's  teaching.  This  appeared  to  him  to  be 
of  the  same  order  as  that  with  which  he  was 
already  familiar.  He  does  not  address  the 
Lord  as  if  he  were  ready  to  welcome  Him  as 
"the  Christ"  or  "the  prophet."  On  the  other 
hand,  the  Lord's  reply  sets  forth  distinctly  that 
His  work  was  not  simply  to  carry  on  what 
was  already  begun,  but  to  recreate.  The  new 
kingdom  of  which  He  was  the  founder  could 
not  be  comprehended  till  after  a  new  birth. 

Verily,  •verily]  i.  51,  note.  The  words  by 
their  emphasis  generally  presuppose  some  dif- 
ficulty or  misunderstanding  to  be  overcome; 
and  at  the  same  time  they  mark  the  introduc- 
tion of  a  new  thought  carrying  the  divine 
teaching  further  forward,  w.  5,  u.  Comp. 
v.  19,  vi.  47,  53- 

unto  thee'}  The  address  was  general:  the 
reply  is  personal. 

born  again]     See  Additional  Note. 

he  cannot  see  the  kingdom  of  God~]  Without 
this  new  birth — this  introduction  into  a  vital 
connexion  with  a  new  order  of  being,  with  a 
corresponding  endowment  of  faculties  —  no 
.man  can  see — can  outwardly  apprehend — the 
kingdom  of  God.  Our  natural  powers  can- 
not realise  that  which  is  essentially  spiritual. 
A  new  vision  is  required  for  the  objects  of  a 
new  order.  Elsewhere  there  are  refeiences  to 
the  change  required  (Matt,  xviii.  3  ;  i  Cor. 
ii.  14)  in  order  that  we  may  observe  that 
which  though  about  us  is  unregarded  (Luke 
xvii.  20,  21). 

cannot]  The  impossibility  lies  in  the  moral 
characteristics  of  the  man,  and  not  in  any 
external  power.  Comp.  vi.  44,  note. 

The  sense  which  is  commonly  given  to 
"  see  "  in  this  passage,  as  if  it  were  equivalent 


v.5-] 


ST.  JOHN.    III. 


49 


can  he  enter  the  second  time  into  his 
mother's  womb,  and  be  born? 

5  Jesus  answered,  Verily,  verily,  I 


say  unto  thee,  Except  a  man  be  born 
of  water  and  of  the  Spirit,  he  cannot 
enter  into  the  kingdom  of  God. 


to  "enjoy,"  "have  experience  of"  (Luke  ii. 
26,    see   drath  •    Acts   ii.   27,    see   corruption; 

1  Pet.  iii.  10,  see  good  days),  entirely  sacrifices 
the  marked  contrast  between  "seeing"  and 
"  entering  into  "  the  kingdom.     Part  of  the 
same  thought  is  found  in  Luke  xvii.  20. 

the  kingdom  of  Cod]  The  phrase  occurs 
only  here  and  in  v.  5  in  St  John's  Gospel  (yet 
compare  xviii.  36,  37  ;  Rev.  xii.  10),  while  it  is 
frequent  in  the  Synoptists.  St  Matthew  alone 
uses,  in  addition,  the  phrase  "the  kingdom 
of  heaven,"  which  Is  found  as  an  early  variant 
in  v.  5  (in  K,  &c.).  The  phrase  "the  king- 
dom of  God "  is  found  in  the  Acts,  and 
in  each  group  of  St  Paul's  epistles;  but 
it  does  not  occur  in  the  Epistle  to  the 
Hebrews  or  in  the  Catholic  Epistles  (comp. 

2  Pet.  i.  n).    The  words  have  always  a  two- 
fold application,  external  and  internal ;    arid 
the  immediate  application  in  each  case  leads 
on  to  a  more  complete  fulfilment  in  the  same 
direction.     Thus  under  the  old  dispensation 
the  visible  Israel  was  the  kingdom  of  God  as 
typical   of  the   visible   catholic    church,    the 
spiritual  Israel  as  typical  of  the  true  spiritual 
church.     And  now  again  the  visible  church 
is  the  type  of  the  future  universal  reign  of 
Christ,  as  the  spiritual  church  is  of  the  con- 
summation of  Christ's  reign  in  heaven. 

4.  Nirodemus  saith]  It  is  commonly  sup- 
posed that  Nicodemus  either  misunderstood 
the  general  scope  of  the  Lord's  answer,  or 
half-mockingly  set  it  aside.  But  in  fact  he 
employs  the  image  chosen  by  the  Lord  in 
sober  earnest  to  bring  out  the  overwhelming 
difficulties  with  which  the  idea  suggested  by 
it  was  encompassed.  It  is  one  indication  of 
the  point  of  his  argument  that  he  substitutes 
for  the  indefinite  phrase  used  by  the  Lord 
(except  one  (m)  be  born...)  the  definite  title 
(how  can  a  man  (avfyctiros)  be  born...). 

How  can  a  man  be  born  ...]  How  is  it 
possible  for  a  man  whose  whole  nature  at  any 
moment  is  the  sum  of  all  the  past,  to  start 
afresh  ?  How  can  he  undo,  or  do  away  with, 
the  result  which  years  have  brought  and 
which  goes  to  form  himself?  His  "  I "  in- 
cludes the  whole  development  through  which 
he  has  passed ;  and  how  then  can  it  survive  a 
new  birth  ?  Can  the  accumulation  of  long 
ages  be  removed  and  the  true  "  self"  remain  ? 

when  be  is  old]  Nicodemus  evidently  ap- 
plies the  Lord's  words  to  his  own  case.  The 
trait  is  full  of  life. 

can  he  enter  the  (a)  second  time  into  his 
mother's  womb,  and  be  bornf]  Nicodemus 
takes  one  part  of  a  man's  complex  personality 
only.  Is  it  possible  to  conceive  physical  birth 
repeated  ?  And  if  not,  Nicodemus  seems  to 


say  to  Christ,  how  then  can  there  be  any  such 
moral  new  birth  as  you  claim  ?  For  all  life 
from  its  first  beginning  has  contributed  to  the 
moral  character  which  belongs  to  each  person. 
The  result  of  all  life  is  one  and  indivisible. 

This  thought  is  one  which  cannot  but 
occur  to  every  one.  It  goes  to  the  very  root 
of  faith.  The  great  mystery  of  religion  is  not 
the  punishment,  but  the  forgiveness,  of  sin: 
not  the  natural  permanence  of  character,  but 
spiritual  regeneration.  And  it  is  one  aspect 
of  this  mystery  which  Nicodemus  puts  forth 
clearly. 

5.  Jesus  answered]  Christ  meets  the  dif- 
ficulty by  an  enlarged  repetition  of  the  former 
statement.  As  before  He  had  insisted  on  the 

I  fact  of  the  new  birth,  He  now  reveals  the 
nature  of  the  birth.  This  involves  an  out- 
ward and  an  inward  element,  which  are  placed 
side  by  side. 

Except  a  man  be  born  of  water  and  of  the 
Spirit  (or,  and  spirit)]  The  preposition  used 
(«'£)  recalls  the  phrase  "baptize — plunge — in 
water,  in  spirit"  (Matt.  iii.  ii),  so  that  the 
image  suggested  is  that  of  rising,  reborn,  out 
of  the  water  and  out  of  that  spiritual  element, 
so  to  speak,  to  which  the  water  outwardly 
corresponds. 

The  combination  of  the  words  water  and 
spirit  suggests  a  remote  parallel  and  a  marked 
contrast.  They  carry  back  the  thoughts  of 
hearer  and  reader  to  the  narrative  of  creation 
(Gen.  i.  »V  and  to  the  characteristics  of  na- 
tural birth,  to  which  St  John  has  already 
emphatically  referred  (i.  13).  The  water  and 
the  spirit  suggest  the  original  shaping  of  the 
great  Order  out  of  Chaos,  when  the  Spirit  of 
God  brooded  on  the  face  of  the  waters ;  and 
at  the  same  time  this  new  birth  is  distinctly 
separated  from  the  corruptible  element  (blood) 
which  symbolizes  that  which  is  perishable  and 
transitory  in  human  life. 

These  distant  references  serve  in  some  de- 
gree to  point  to  the  true  sense  of  the  passage. 
If  further  we  regard  the  specific  Biblical  ideas  . 
of  water  and  spirit,  when  they  are  separated, 
it  will  be  seen  that  water  symbolizes  purifica- 
tion (comp.  i.  25,  note)  and  spirit  quickening : 
the  one  implies  a  definite  external  rite,  the 
other  indicates  an  energetic  internal  operation. 
The  two  are  co-ordinate,  correlative,  com- 
plementary. Hence  all  interpretations  which 
treat  the  term  water  here  as  simply  figurative 
and  descriptive  of  the  cleansing  power  of  the 
Spirit  are  essentially  defective,  as  they  are  also 
opposed  to  all  ancient  tradition. 

This  being  so,  we  must  take  account  of  the 
application  of  these  ideas  of  cleansing  and 
quickening  to  the  circunxstances  under  which 


ST.  JOHN.    III. 


[v.  6—8. 


6  That  which  is  born  of  the  flesh         7    Marvel   not   that   I    said    unto 
is  flesh;  and  that  which  is   born   of    thee,  Ye  must  be  born  "again, 
the  Spirit  is  spirit.  8    The   wind    bloweth    where 


B  Or,  from 
above* 


the  words  were  first  spoken,  and  of  their  appli- 
cation to  the  fulness  of  the  Christian  economy. 
The  words  had  an  immediate,  if  incomplete, 
sense,  as  they  were  addressed  to  Nicodemus : 
they  have  also  a  final  and  complete  sense  for 
us.  And  yet  more,  the  inceptive  sense  must 
be  in  complete  harmony  with  the  fuller  sense, 
and  help  to  illustrate  it. 

It  can,  then,  scarcely  be  questioned  that  as 
Nicodemus  heard  the  words,  'water  carried 
with  it  a  reference  to  John's  baptism,  which 
was  a  divinely  appointed  rite  (i.  33),  gathering 
up  into  itself  and  investing  with  a  new  im- 
portance all  the  lustral  baptisms  of  the  Jews  : 
the  spirit,  on  the  other  hand,  marked  that 
inward  power  which  John  placed  in  contrast 
with  his  own  baptism.  Thus  the  words, 
taken  in  their  immediate  meaning  as  intel- 
ligible to  Nicodemus,  set  forth,  as  required 
before  entrance  into  the  kingdom  of  God,  the 
acceptance  of  the  preliminary  rite  divinely 
sanctioned,  which  was  the  seal  of  repentance 
and  so  of  forgiveness,  and  following  on  this 
the  communication  of  a  new  life,  resulting 
from  the  direct  action  of  the  Holy  Spirit 
through  Christ.  The  Pharisees  rejected  the 
rite,  and  by  so  doing  cut  themselves  off  from 
the  grace  which  was  attached  to  it.  They 
would  not  become  as  little  children,  and  so 
they  could  not  enter  into  the  kingdom  of 
heaven. 

But  the  sense  of  the  words  cannot  be 
limited  to  this  first  meaning.  Like  the  cor- 
responding words  in  ch.  vi.,  they  look  forward 
to  the  fulness  of  the  Christian  dispensation, 
when  after  the  Resurrection  the  baptism  of 
I  water  was  no  longer  separated  from,  but 
/  united  with,  the  baptism  of  the  spirit  in  the 
"  laver  of  regeneration  "  (Titus  iii.  5.  Comp. 
Eph.  v.  26),  even  as  the  outward  and  the 
inward  are  united  generally  in  a  religion 
which  is  sacramental  and  not  only  typical. 
Christian  baptism,  the  outward  act  of  faith 
welcoming  the  promise  of  God,  is  incorpora- 
tion into  the  Body  of  Christ,  and  so  the  birth 
of  the  Spirit  is  potentially  united  with  the 
birth  of  water.  The  general  inseparability  of 
these  two  is  indicated  by  the  form  of  the 
expression ,  born  of  <water  and  spirit  (e'£  v8.  KOI 
7Ti>.),  as  distinguished  from  the  double  phrase, 
torn  of  water  and  of  spirit. 

According  to  this  view  the  words  have  a 
distinct  historical  meaning,  and  yet  they  have 
also  a  meaning  far  beyond  that  which  was  at 
first  capable  of  being  apprehended.  They  are 
in  the  highest  sense  prophetic,  even  as  the 
following  words,  in  which  the  Lord  speaks  of 
His  Passion ;  and  at  the  same  time  they  con- 
template the  fulness  of  the  organized  life  of 


the  Christian  society  (enter  into  the  kingdom  of 
heaven — not  see  life,  -v.  36). 

enter  into]  become  a  citizen  of  the  king- 
dom, as  distinguished  from  the  mere  intelli- 
gent spectator  (see  v.  3)  of  its  constitution 
and  character.  The  image  suggested  by  the 
words  enter  into  is  that  of  entering  into  the 
promised  land — the  type  of  the  kingdom  of 
heaven — as  in  Ps.  xcv.  n. 

A  new  birth  is  necessary  to  gain  a  true 
conception  of  the  divine  kingdom :  a  new 
birth,  distinctly  specified  as  having  an  out- 
ward fulfilment  as  well  as  an  inward,  is  neces- 
sary for  admission  into  the  kingdom,  which  is 
itself  at  once  outward  and  spiritual.  This 
conclusion  follows  from  a  very  simple  con- 
sideration. No  principle  can  produce  results 
superior  to  itself.  If  man  is  to  enjoy  a  spi- 
ritual life,  that  by  which  he  enters  it — his 
birth — must  be  of  a  corresponding  character. 
The  flesh  (i.  13,  see  note)  can  only  generate 
flesh.  Spiritual  life  cannot  come  forth  from 
it. 

The  fact  which  the  Lord  affirms  is  at  once 
more  marvellous  and  more  natural  than  that 
by  which  Nicodemus  typified  it.  A  mere 
repetition  of  the  natural  birth  would  not  bring 
that  which  man  requires. 

6.  That  which  is  born  ...]  The  original 
tense  (TO  yryewTjpevov)  conveys  an  idea  which 
can  only  be  reproduced  by  a  paraphrase: 
"that  which  hath  been  born,  and  at  present 
comes  before  us  in  this  light."  There  is  an 
important  difference  observed  in  the  narrative 
between  the  fact  of  the  birth  (aorist,  w.  3, 
4,  5,  7)  and  the  state  which  follows  as  the 
abiding  result  of  the  birth  (perfect,  w.  6,  8)." 
In  i  John  v.  18  the  true  interpretation  de- 
pends upon  the  contrast  between  the  one 
historic  Son  of  God  (o  yevvrjdfis,  opposed  to 
the  evil  one)  and  the  sons  of  God,  who  live  in 
virtue  of  their  new  birth  (o  yfyevvrj^evos)- 
Compare  also  Gal.  iv.  23,  29  for  a  fainter 
representation  of  a  corresponding  difference 
of  tenses. 

The  neuter  (that  -which  is  born...')  states 
the  principle  in  its  most  abstract  form.  In 
•y.  8  a  transition  is  made  to  the  man  (every  one 
that  is  born).  There  is  a  similar  contrast  in 
i  John  v.  4  (neuter)  and  i  John  v.  i,  18 
(masc.). 

flesh ...  spirit]  The  words  describe  the 
characteristic  principles  of  two  orders.  They 
are  not  related  to  one  another  as  evil  and 
good ;  but  as  the  two  spheres  of  being  with 
which  man  is  connected.  By  the  "  spirit "  our 
complex  nature  is  united  to  heaven,  by  the 
"  flesh,"  to  earth.  Comp.  vi.  63,  note. 


v.  8.] 


ST.  JOHN.    III. 


listeth,  and  thou  hearest  the  sound    cometh,  and  whither  it  goeth:  so  is 
thereof,  but  canst  not  tell  whence  it     every  one  that  is  born  of  the  Spirit. 


flesh}  This  term  probably  includes  all  that 
belongs  to  the  life  of  sensation,  all  that  by 
which  we  are  open  to  the  physical  influences  of 
pleasure  and  pain,  which  naturally  sway  our 
actions.  Thus,  though  it  does  not  of  itself 
include  the  idea  of  sinfulness  (i.  14 ;  i  John 
iv.  a),  it  describes  human  personality  on  the 
side  which  tends  to  sin,  and  on  which  actu- 
ally we  have  sinned. 

It  must  also  be  noticed  that  that  which  is 
born  of  flesh  and  spirit  is  described  not  as 
"fleshly"  and  "spiritual,"  but  as  "flesh" 
and  "spirit."  In  other  words,  the  child,  so 
to  speak,  is  of  the  same  nature  with  the  pa- 
rent, and  does  not  only  partake  in  his  quali- 
ties. The  child  also  occupies  in  turn  the 
position  of  a  parent,  from  which  a  progeny 
springs  like  to  himself.  Compare  the  corre- 
sponding usage,  i  John  i.  5  (light),  iv.  8  (love). 

of  the  Spirit]  Or,  of  spirit.  While  the 
term  is  essentially  abstract  and  expresses  spirit 
as  spirit,  the  quickening  power  is  the  Spirit. 
The  idea  of  nature  passes  into  that  of  Person. 
The  (water  is  not  repeated,  because  the  out- 
ward rite  draws  its  virtue  from  the  action  of 
the  Spirit. 

Many  early  authorities  (Lat.  vt.,  Syr.  vt.) 
add  the  gloss,  quia  Deuj  spiritus  est  et  de  (ex) 
Deo  nattu  est.  Ambrose  ('De  spir.'  ill.  §  59) 
accuses  the  Arians  of  having  removed  the 
words  quia  Deus  spiritus  est  from  their  MSS. 
The  charge  is  an  admirable  illustration  of  the 
groundlessness  of  such  accusations  of  wilful 
corruption  of  Scripture.  The  words  in  ques- 
tion have  no  Greek  authority  at  all,  and  are 
obviously  a  comment 

7.  Marvel  not. . .]  If  then  this  is  a  necessary 
law — such  is  the  force  of  the  Lord's  words — 
that  the  offspring  must  have  the  essential  na- 
ture of  the  parent,  and  if  the  kingdom  of  God 
is  spiritual  and  its  citizens  therefore  spiritual, 
while  the  nature  of  man,  as  all  experience  it  to 
be,  is  fleshly,  swayed  by  powers  which  belong 
to  earth,  Marvel  not  that  I  said  unto  tbee,  Ye 
must  be  born  again,  even  ye  who  think  that  you 
have    penetrated  to  the  true  conception   of 
Messiah's  work  and  prepared  yourselves  ade- 
quately for  judging  it  and  entering  into  it. 

There  appears  also  to  be  in  the  emphatic 
ye  an  implied  contrast  between  the  Lord,  who 
needed  no  re-birth,  and  all  other  men.  He 
does  not  say,  as  a  human  teacher,  '•We  must 
be  born  again.' 

The  passage  from  the  singular  (7  said  unto 
tbee)  to  the  plural  (je  must)  ought  not  to  be 
overlooked,  comp.  i.  5 1 ;  and  especially  Luke 
xxu.  31,  33. 

8.  The    wind. ..the    Spirit}     In    Hebrew, 
Syriac,  Latin,  the  words  are  identical  (as  pro- 
perly Geist  and  Ghost)  and  Wiclif  and  the 

New  Test. — VOL.  II. 


Rhemish  Version  keep  "spirit"  in  both  cases, 
after  the  Latin.  But  at  present  the  retention 
of  one  word  in  both  places  could  only  create 
confusion,  since  the  separation  between  the 
material  emblem  and  the  power  which  it 
was  used  to  describe  is  complete.  The  use  of 
the  correlative  verb  (rri/fT,  ch.  vi.  18;  Rev.  vii. 
i;  Matt.  vii.  25,  27;  Lukexii.  55;  Acts  xxvii. 
40),  and  of  the  word  sound  (voice),  is  quite 
decisive  for  the  literal  sense  of  the  noun 
(irvt 0/ia) ;  and  still  at  the  same  time  the  whole 
of  the  phraseology  is  inspired  by  the  higher 
meaning.  Perhaps  also  the  unusual  word 
(irvfvua,  i  K.  xviii.  45,  xix.  n  ;  »  K.  iii.  17) 
is  employed  to  suggest  this.  The  comparison 
lies  between  the  obvious  physical  properties 
of  the  wind  and  the  mysterious  action  of  that 
spiritual  influence  to  which  the  name  "spirit," 
"wind,"  was  instinctively  applied.  The  laws 
of  both  are  practically  unknown ;  both  are 
unseen;  the  presence  of  both  is  revealed  in 
their  effects. 

where  it  listeth'}  The  phrase  is  not  to  be 
pressed  physically.  The  wind  obeys  its  own 
proper  laws,  which  depend  on  a  complication 
of  phenomena  which  we  cannot  calculate,  and 
consequently  for  us  it  is  a  natural  image  of 
freedom.  For  a  similar  phrase  applied  to  the 
Spirit,  see  i  Cor.  xii.  11. 

the  sound}  Rather,  the  voice.  The  word 
commonly  implies  an  articulate,  intelligible 
voice,  as  even  in  a  passage  like  i  Cor.  xiv.  7  ff.; 
yet  in  the  Apocalypse  the  word  is  used  more 
widely,  e.g.  ix.  9,  xiv.  a,  &c. 

canst  not  telf]  More simply ,  k  n  o  w  e  s  t  not. 
Comp.  Eccles.  xi.  5. 

so  is  every  one..."]  The  form  of  the  com- 
parison is  irregular.  The  action  of  the  spirit 
on  the  believer  is  like  the  action  of  the  wind  in 
the  material  world.  As  the  tree  (for  example) 
by  waving  branches  and  rustling  leaves  wit- 
nesses to  the  power  which  affects  it ;  so  is  every 
one  that  hath  been  born  of  the  Spirit.  The  be- 
liever shews  by  deed  and  word  that  an  invisi- 
ble influence  has  moved  and  inspired  him, 
He  is  himself  a  continual  sign  of  the  action  of 
the  Spirit,  which  is  freely  determined,  and  in- 
comprehensible by  man  as  to  source  and  end, 
though  seen  in  its  present  results. 

It  is  not  unreasonable  to  suppose  that  this 
image  of  the  wind  was  suggested  by  the 
sound  of  some  sudden  gust  sweeping  through 
the  narrow  street  without.  Thus  the  form 
of  the  Lord's  teaching  corresponds  with 
the  teaching  by  parables  in  the  Synoptists 
(Matt.  xiii.  4,  note). 

born  of  the  Spirit]  v.  6.  An  important 
group  of  ancient  authorities  (K,  Lat.  vt.,  Syr. 
vt.)  read  born  of  water  and  the  spirit.  The 
gloss  is  a  good  example  of  a  natural  corrup- 
tion by  assimilation. 


ST.  JOHN.    III. 


[v.  9—13. 


9  Nicodemus  answered  and  said 
unto  him,  How  can  these  things  be  ? 

10  Jesus  answered  and  said  unto 
him,  Art  thou  a  master  of  Israel,  and 
knowest  not  these  things  ? 

1 1  Verily,  verily,  I  say  unto  thee, 
We  speak  that  we  do  know,  and  tes- 


tify that  we  have  seen;  and  ye  re- 
ceive not  our  witness. 

12  If  I    have   told    you   earthly 
things,  and  ye  believe  not,  how  shall 
ye  believe,  if  I  tell  you  of  heavenly 
things  ? 

13  And  no  man  hath  ascended  up 


9.  How  can  these  things  be?~\     How  can 
these  things  come  to  pass  (yei/ecr&u,  Vulg. 
fieri)  ?     How  can  this  new  birth,  issuing  in  a 
new  life,  be  realised?     The  idea  is  of  change, 
transition,  not  of  essence,  repose.     The  em- 
phasis lies  on  can  (rros  dvvarai,  v,  4). 

10.  Art  thou  a  master  (the  teacher)  of 
Israef]  the  authorized  teacher  of  the  chosen 
people  of  God.     The  definite  article  (o  &i8do- 
KaXoi)  marks  the  official  relation  of  Nicode- 
mus to  the  people  generally. 

knowest  not]  perceivest  (ywaa-Ktts)  not,  by 
the  knowledge  of  progress,  recognition.  Comp. 
ii.  24  note.  Though  Nicodemus  had  previous- 
ly been  ignorant  of  that  which  the  Lord  de- 
clared, he  ought  to  have  recognised  the  teach- 
ing as  true  when  he  heard  it. 

these  things']  the  reality  and  character  of 
the  spiritual  influence  shewn  in  the  actions  of 
man,  which  yet  is  not  of  man,  but  comes  from 
another  region. 

11.  We  speak]    The  plural  contrasted  with 
the  singular  w.  3,  5,  7,  la  (all  are  unem- 
phatic)  is  remarkable.     It  has  oeen  explained 
as  a  simple  rhetorical  plural,  or  as  containing 
an  allusion  to  John  the  Baptist,  to  the  Prophets, 
to  the  Holy  Spirit,  to  the  Father  (viii.  16, 18), 
but  all  these  explanations  appear  to  fail  when 
taken  in  connexion  with  the  you  and  jr.    The 
Lord  and  those  with  Him,  of  whom  some,  in- 
cluding the  Evangelist,  may  have  been  present 
at  the  interview,  appear  to  stand  in  contrast 
to  the  group  represented  by  Nicodemus.  Gomp. 
iv.  22.    There  were  already  gathered  round 
Christ  those  who  had  had  personal  (we  have 
teen)  and  immediate  (we  know)  knowledge  of 
thedivine  wonders  which  He  announced.  Their 
witness  is  indeed  distinguished  from  His  after- 
wards (v.  13),  but  so  far  it  reached  as  to  meet 
the  difficulties,  and  fill  up  the  shortcomings  of 
the  faith  which  Nicodemus  had  attained  to. 
The  plural,  it  will  be  noticed,  is  used  in  con- 
nexion with  "the  things  on  earth,"  but  the 
singular  only  (curoA  of  "the  things  in  heaven." 

we  do  know — absolutely  and  immediately 
(oldaptv) — and  testify  (bear  witness  of)...] 
The  words  answered  to  actual  knowledge, 
the  witness  declared  actual  experience.  The 
object  in  each  stands  first:  "That  which  we 
know,  we  speak ;  and  that  which  we  have  seen, 
we  witness." 

and  ye  receive  not]  The  pronoun  is  unem- 
phatic,  as  the  we  before.  The  stress  lies  on 


our  witness.  "What  we  have  seen  we  wit- 
ness, and  our  witness  ye  receive  not."  Comp. 
•v.  27  n.  For  the  use  of  the  simple  and  in  this 
connexion  of  sad  contrast  see  i.  10,  v.  32,  vii. 
28,  30,  xiv.  24,  xvi.  32. 

12.  If  I  have  told]  If  I  told.  As,  for 
example,  in  what  He  had  just  said  to  Nicode- 
mus of  the  spiritual  birth,  though  this  was  but 
as  a  sample  of  the  teaching  which  He  had 
already  addressed  to  men  (you,  not  thee)  such 
as  Nicodemus.  Comp.  Wisd.  ix.  16. 

earthly  things']  The  word  "earthly"  is 
ambiguous,  and  may  mean  that  which  is  "of 
the  nature  of  earth"  (cf.  v.  31)  or  which  "has 
its  sphere  and  place  on  earth'"1  The  original 
word  expresses  the  second  notion  distinctly 
(fjriytios ,  Vulg.  terrenus) ;  and  it  must  be  so 
interpreted  in  the  other  places  where  it  occurs : 
t  Cor.  xv.  40  (bodies  fitted  for  life  on  earth). 
Comp.  Col.  iii.  2;  a  Cor.  v.  i;  Phil.  ii.  to, 
iii.  19  (whose  thoughts  rest  on  earth);  James 
iii.  15  (wisdom  which  finds  its  consummation 
on  earth,  and  reaches  no  higher).  Thus  the 
strictly  local  meaning  (i  Cor.  xv.  40;  Phil.  ii. 
10)  passes  insensibly  into  a  meaning  predomi- 
nantly moral  (Phil.  iii.  19;  James  iii.  15). 

Here  the  phrase  "earthly  things"  will  mark 
those  facts  and  phenomena  of  the  higher  life  as 
a  class  (TO.  (iriyfia)  which  have  their  seat  and 
manifestation  on  earth :  which  belong  in  their 
realisation  to  our  present  existence:  which  are 
seen  in  their  consequences,  like  the  issues  of 
birth:  which  are  sensible  in  their  effects,  like 
the  action  of  the  wind :  which  are  a  beginning 
and  a  prophecy,  and  not  a  fulfilment. 

bow  shall  ye  believe']  The  words  are  spoken 
with  a  view  to  the  future  already  realised. 
The  question  is  not  abstract  (How  can  ye  ?), 
but  framed  in  regard  of  actual  circumstances. 
of  (omit)  heavenly  things']  those  truths 
which  belong  to  a  higher  order,  which  are  in 
heaven  (TO.  eVoupdi/ia),  and  are  brought  down 
thence  to  earth  as  they  can  become  to  men. 
Such  was  the  full  revelation  of  the  Son,  involving 
the  redemption  of  the  world  and  the  reunion 
of  man  with  God,  which  is  indicated  in 
the  three  following  verses.  The  reality  of 
these  truths  finds  no  outward  confirmation  as 
the  new  birth  in  its  fruits.  The  difference 
thus  indicated  between  the  "  earthly "  and 
the  "heavenly"  elements  of  the  Lord's  teach- 
ing serves  to  shew  the  ground  of  the  contrast 
between  St  John  and  the  earlier  Evangelists. 
The  teaching  of  the  Lord  was  on  one  side, 


*  Numb. 

21.  9. 


v.  14,  is-] 


ST.  JOHN.   III. 


53 


to  heaven,  but  he  that  came  down 
from  heaven,  even  the  Son  of  man 
which  is  in  heaven. 

14  U   "And   as    Moses    lifted   up 
the  serpent  in  the  wilderness,  even 


so   must  the  Son  of  man  be  lifted 
up: 

15  That  whosoever  believeth  in 
him  should  not  perish,  but  have  eter- 
nal life. 


like  the  teaching  of  the  Baptist,  a  preparation 
for  the  Kingdom  of  Heaven  (Mark  i.  15); 
and  on  the  other  a  revelation  of  the  kingdom 
both  in  its  embodiment  and  in  its  life. 

13.  And  no  man...']  The  transition  by 
"and"  is  completely  according  to  the  Hebrew 
idiom,  which  adds  new  thoughts  without  de- 
fining the  exact  relation  in  which  they  stand 
to  what  has  gone  before.  That  must  be  de- 
termined by  the  thoughts  regarded  in  juxtapo- 
sition. Men  might  be  unprepared  to  receive 
the  teaching  of  heavenly  things,  yet  side  by 
side  with  this  fact  were  two  others:  that  Christ 
alone  could  teach  them,  and  that  His  mission 
was  but  for  a  time.  While  also  these  facts 
included  the  two  great  mysteries  of  the  spiri- 
tual life:  the  truths  as  to  the  Person  and  as 
to  the  Work  of  the  Son  of  Man. 

bath  ascended  up  (gone  up)  to  heaven] 
Comp.  Deut.  xxx.  12 ;  Prov.  xxx.  4.  No  man 
hath  risen  into  the  region  of  absolute  and  eternal 
truth,  so  as  to  look  upon  it  face  to  face,  and 
in  the  possession  of  that  knowledge  declare  it 
to  men ;  but  the  Son  of  Man,  He  in  whom 
humanity  is  summed  up,  has  the  knowledge 
which  comes  from  immediate  vision.  And 
His  elevation  is  yet  more  glorious  than  a  mere 
ascent.  He  did  not  mount  up  to  heaven,  as 
if  earth  were  His  home,  but  came  down  thence 
out  of  heaven,  as  truly  dwelling  there;  and 
therefore  He  has  inherently  the  fulness  of 
heavenly  knowledge.  Comp.  Plato's  myth  in 
the  'Phaedrus.' 

but... the  Son  of  man]  The  particle  but 
(ti  /IT;)  does  not  imply  that  Christ  had  ascend- 
ed to  heaven,  as  though  He  were  one  of  a  class 
and  contrasted  with  all  the  others  (except), 
but  simply  that  He  in  fact  enjoyed  that  direct- 
ness of  knowledge  by  nature  which  another 
could  only  attain  to  by  such  an  ascension. 
The  exception  is  to  the  whole  statement  in  the 
preceding  clause,  and  not  to  any  part  of  it. 
Comp.  Luke  iv.  26  f. ;  Matt.  xii.  4 ;  Gal.  i.  7. 

came  down  from  (out  of)  heaven]  That  is, 
at  the  Incarnation.  Comp.  vi.  32,  33  ff.,  42, 
&c.  The  phrase  is  used  of  the  manifestation 
of  God  in  the  Old  Testament;  Ex.  xix.  u  ff.; 
Num.  xi.  17,  25,  xii.  5. 

The  exact  form  of  expression  is  very  remark- 
able. It  preserves  the  continuity  of  the  Lord's 
personality,  and  yet  does  not  confound  His 
natures:  "He  that  came  down  from  heaven, 
even  He  who  being  Incarnate  is  the  Son  of 
man,  without  ceasing  to  be  what  He  was  be- 
fore." Comp.  i.  14,  vi.  38. 

<wbich  is  in  heaven]     These  words  are  o- 


mitted  by  many  very  ancient  authorities,  and 
appear  to  be  an  early  gloss  bringing  out  the 
right  contrast  between  the  ascent  of  a  man  to 
heaven  and  the  abiding  of  the  Son  of  Man  in 
heaven.  See  Additional  Note  at  the  end  of 
the  Chapter. 

14.  as  Moses...]  The  character  of  the  re- 
velation through  the  Son  of  Man  has  been  set 
forth  in  the  former  verse,  and  in  this  the  issue 
of  that  revelation  in  the  Passion  is  further  indi- 
cated. This  mystery  is  shadowed  forth  under 
the  image  of  an  Old  Testament  symbol  (Num. 
xxi.  7  ff.),  just  as  the  Resurrection  had  been 
half  veiled,  half  declared,  under  the  figure  of  a 
restored  temple  (ii.  19).  In  the  last  miracle 
of  Moses,  on  the  borders  of  the  promised  land, 
the  serpent  had  been  "lifted  up,"  and  made  a 
conspicuous  object  to  all  the  stricken  people; 
and  so  too  was  Christ  to  be  "lifted  up,"  and 
with  the  same  life-giving  issue.  How  this 
"lifting  up"  should  be  accomplished  is  not 
yet  made  clear.  See  Additional  Note.  The 
point  of  connexion  between  v.  13  and  v.  14 
lies  in  the  repetition  of  the  title  "the  Son  of 
Man."  The  Incarnation,  under  the  actual  cir- 
cumstances of  humanity,  carried  with  it  the 
necessity  of  the  Passion. 

so  must  the  Son  of  man  be  lifted  up]  The 
same  phrase  (lifted  up,  fymdfjvai,  Vulg.  exal- 
tari)  occurs  viii.  28,  xii.  32,  note,  34,  in  re- 
ference to  the  Passion ;  and  elsewhere  (Acts  ii. 
33 »  v-  31?  [Phil.  ii.  9])  in  reference  to  the 
Ascension  consequent  upon  it.  Thus  the 
words  imply  an  exaltation  in  appearance  far 
different  from  that  of  the  triumphant  king, 
and  yet  in  its  true  issue  leading  to  a  divine 
glory.  This  passage  through  the  elevation  on 
the  cross  to  the  elevation  on  the  right  hand 
of  God  was  a  necessity  (so  must,  8«)  arising 
out  of  the  laws  of  the  divine  nature.  Comp. 
xx.  9  note,  v.  30  note. 

It  is  important  to  notice  that  similar  figura- 
tive references  to  the  issue  of  the  Lord's  work 
in  His  Death  are  found  in  the  Synoptic  re- 
cord: Matt.  ix.  14  ff.,  x.  38;  Mark  viii.  34; 
Luke  xiv.  27. 

15.  believeth  in  him]  Or,  according  to 
another  reading,  every  one  that  believeth. 
may  have  in  Him  eternal  life,  according  to 
the  familiar  formula  of  St  Paul,  in  Christ.  To 
"believe"  is  used  absolutely  v.  12,  i.  50,  iv. 
42,  53,  vi.  36,  xi.  15,  xx.  29;  and  the  excep. 
tional  order  of  the  words  («/  avr£  e^)  fi"^3 
a  justification  in  v.  39,  xvi.  33. 

should  (rather,  may)  not  perish,  but  have 
eternal  life]  The  words  not  perish  but  in  this 

E  2 


54 


ST.  JOHN.    III. 


[v.  1 6. 


*  i  John  4. 


j(,  q  *For  God  so  loved  the  world, 
that  he  gave  his  only  begotten  Son, 


that  whosoever  believeth  in  him  should 
not  perish,  but  have  everlasting  life. 


verse  are  to  be  omitted  on  decisive  authority. 
See  Additional  Note. 

eternal  life']  As  the  wounded  who  looked 
on  the  brazen  serpent  were  restored  to  tem- 
poral health,  so  in  this  case  eternal  life  follows 
from  the  faith  of  the  believer  on  the  crucified 
and  exalted  Lord. 

The  exact  phrase,  have  eternal  life,  as  dis- 
tinguished from  live  for  ever,  is  characteristic 
of  St  John.  It  occurs  vv.  16,  36,  v.  24,  vi. 
40,  47,  54;  i  John  iii.  15,  v.  la  f.  (x.  10,  xx. 
31,  hath  life).  Comp.  Matt.  xix.  16.  The 
use  of  the  auxiliary  verb  marks  the  distinct 
realisation  of  the  life  as  a  personal  blessing 
(have  life),  as  being  more  than  the  act  of 
living.  Comp.  xvi.  aa,  have  sorrow. 

The  record  of  the  conversation  comes  to  an 
end  without  any  formal  close.  There  is  no- 
thing surprising  in  this.  The  history  is  not 
that  of  an  outward  incident,  but  of  a  spiritual 
situation.  This  is  fully  analysed ;  and  the  issue 
is  found  in  the  later  notices  of  Nicodemus,  so 
far  as  it  has  an  immediate  personal  value. 

Several  observations  are  suggested  by  the 
narrative,  which  will  be  illustrated  by  later 
passages  of  the  Gospel. 

i.  The  account  of  the  conversation  is  evi- 
dently compressed.  The  Evangelist  does  little 
more  than  indicate  the  great  moments  of  the 
discussion.  The  full  meaning  and  connexion 
of  the  parts  can  only  be  gained  by  supplying 
what  he  merely  indicates. 

a.  In  spite  of  the  compression  there  is  a 
distinct  progress  and  completeness  in  the  re- 
cord. The  order  of  thought  is  real  and  na- 
tural. 

3.  The  thoughts  are   not    obvious,   but 
when  they  are  understood  they  deal  with  cri- 
tical difficulties;  and  with  difficulties  which 
belong  to  the  first  stage  of  the  preaching  of 
the  Gospel. 

4.  The  form  and  substance  of  the  discus- 
sion keep  completely  within  the  line  of  Jewish 
ideas.     All  that  is  said  belongs  to  a  time  be- 
fore the  full  declaration  of  the  nature  of  Christ's 
work,  while  the  language  is  fitted  to  move  a 
hearer  to  deeper  questionings,  and  is  in  per- 
fect harmony  with  later  and  plainer  revela- 
tions. 

5.  The  occurrence  of  the  phrase  "King- 
dom of  God"  here  only  in  St  John's  Gospel 
belongs  to  the  exact  circumstances  of   the 
incident. 

6.  If  the  narrative  were  a  free  composition 
of  a  late  date,  it  is  inconceivable  that  the  ob- 
scure allusions  should  not  have  been  made 
clearer;  and  if  it  were  composed  for  a  pur- 
pose, it  is  inconceivable  that  the  local  colouring 
of  opinion  and  method  should  have  been  what 
it  is. 

7.  The  recorded  external  circumstances, 


the  meeting  with  Christ  at  the  time  of  His 
first  public  appearance,  of  one  in  whom  pride 
of  descent  and  pride  of  knowledge  were 
united,  explains  the  subject  and  manner  of  the 
discourse.  And  the  essential  principles  in- 
volved in  it  explain  why  this  Evangelist  was 
guided  to  report  it.  The  narrative  belongs  to 
one  definite  point  in  the  history  of  religious 
development,  and  also  to  all  time 

16 — 21.  This  section  is  a  commentary  on 
the  nature  of  the  mission  of  the  Son,  which 
has  been  indicated  in  Christ's  words  (vv.  13, 
14),  and  unfolds  its  design  (16,  17),  its  his- 
toric completion  (18,  19),  the  cause  of  its 
apparent  failure  (ao,  ai).  It  adds  no  new 
thoughts,  but  brings  out  the  force  of  the  reve- 
lation already  given  in  outline  (i — 15)  by  the 
light  of  Christian  experience.  It  is  therefore 
likely  from  its  secondary  character,  apart  from 
all  other  considerations,  that  it  contains  the 
reflections  of  the  Evangelist,  and  is  not  a 
continuation  of  the  words  of  the  Lord.  This 
conclusion  appears  to  be  firmly  established 
from  details  of  expression. 

i.  The  tenses  in  v.  19  (loved,  were)  evi- 
dently mark  a  crisis  accomplished,  and  belong 
to  the  position  which  St  John  occupied  but 
not  to  that  in  which  the  Lord  stood,  when 
the  revelation  of  His  Person  and  Work  had 
not  been  openly  presented  to  the  world. 

a.  The  phrase  only  begotten  Son  (vv.  1 6, 
1 8)  is  used  of  Christ  elsewhere  only  in  i.  14, 
1 8 ;  i  John  iv.  9 ;  and  in  each  case  by  the 
Evangelist. 

3.  The  phrase  believe  in  the  name  of  (v. 
1 8)  is  not  found  in  the  recorded  words  of 
Christ,  while  it  occurs  in  St  John's  narrative, 
i.  ia,  ii.  33  ;  i  John  v.  13. 

4.  To  do  truth  occurs  elsewhere  in  the  New 
Testament  only  in  i  John  i.  6. 

The  addition  of  such  a  comment  finds  a 
parallel  in  i.  16 — 18. 

There  is  also  an  obvious  fitness  in  the 
apostolic  exposition  of  the  Lord's  words  at 
this  crisis,  as  in  that  of  the  Baptist's  words 
which  follows  (vv.  31 — 36).  The  question- 
ings of  Nicodemus  and  the  testimony  of  John 
give,  so  to  speak,  the  last  utterances  of  Juda- 
ism, the  last  thoughts  of  the  student,  and  the 
last  message  of  the  prophet.  They  shew  the 
difference  and  the  connexion  of  the  Old  and 
New  Dispensations.  This  difference  and  this 
connexion  appeared  under  a  changed  aspect 
after  Jerusalem  had  fallen,  and  it  was  of  im- 
portance for  the  Evangelist  to  shew  that  from 
the  first  the  crisis  was  foreseen. 

The  succession  of  thoughts  appears  to  be 
the  following : — 

i.    The  divine  purpose  in  the  Incarnation 
(16,  17). 


'chap.  12. 
47- 


v.  i7-l  ST.  JOHN.    III. 

17  'For  God  sent  not  his  Son  into    that  the  world  through  him  might  be 
the  world  to  condemn  the  world ;  but    saved. 


55 


This  is  set  forth  negatively  and  positively 

in  relation  to 

(a)  Man  himself  (personal),  that  he  may 
not  perish,  but 
have  everlasting  life. 
(,3)  The  Son  (general) 

not  to  judge  the  world,  but  that 
the  world  through  Him  may  be 

saved. 

a.   The  actual  result  (18,  19). 
A  judgment. 

(a)  The  application  of  the  judgment. 
Those  whom  it  reaches  not, 
Those  whom  it  has  reached, 
(/3)  The  nature  of  the  judgment. 
Light  offered, 
Darkness  chosen. 

3.  The  cause  of  the  result  in  man  (20,  21). 
A  twofold  moral  condition, 
(a)  Those  who  do  ill 

shrink  from  the  light 
in  fear  of  testing. 
(0)  Those  who  do  the  Truth 
come  to  the  light 
that  their   deeds    may   be  made 
manifest. 

16  ff.  The  pregnant  declaration  of  the  cha- 
racter and  issue  of  the  Lord's  work  given  by 
Him  to  Nicodemus,  as  the  representative  of 
the  old  wisdom,  leads  the  Evangelist  to  unfold 
its  meaning  more  fully  in  relation  to  the  actual 
circumstances  in  which  he  was  himself  placed. 
The  issue  of  the  proclamation  of  the  Gospel 
had  not  in  appearance  corresponded  with  its 
promise  and  its  power.  But  this  issue  did 
not  modify  its  essential  character. 

16,  17.  The  divine  purpose  in  the  Incar- 
nation was  a  purpose  of  universal  love,  even 
though  it  was  imperfectly  realised  by  man : 
a  purpose  of  life  to  the  believer,  of  salvation 
to  the  world. 

16.  For  God...']  Short  explanatory  remarks 
are  frequently  added  in  the  same  way  (yap), 
ii.  25,  iv.  44,  vi.  6,  64,  vii.  39,  xiii.  n,  xx.  9. 

loved  the  world]  loved  all  humanity  con- 
sidered as  apart  from  Himself.  See  i.  29,  note. 
The  love  of  God  shewn  in  the  surrender  and 
gift  of  His  Son  for  men,  is  thus  set  forth  as 
the  spring  of  Redemption.  The  Father  gave 
the  Son  even  as  the  Son  gave  Himself. 

so.. .that]  The  supreme  act  serves  as  a 
measure  of  the  love.  Comp.  i  John  iv.  u. 

gave  bis  only  begotten  Son}  The  word  gave, 
not  sent,  as  in  v.  17,  brings  out  the  idea  of 
sacrifice  and  of  love  shewn  by  a  most  precious 
offering.  The  title  "  only  begotten  "  is  added 
to  enhance  this  conception,  and  the  exact  form 
in  which  the  title  is  introduced  (rov  vlov  TOV 
fi),  which  is  different  from  that  in  v. 


1 8  (TOV  povoyevovs  vlov)  further  emphasizes  it; 
"  His  Son,  His  only  Son."  Comp.  i  John  iv. 
9  ;  and  Matt  iii.  17,  &c.  (o  vibs  6  ayairrn-os). 
There  is  an  obvious  reference  to  Gen.  xxii.  a. 
should  (may)  not  perish  (airoKrfrai)  once 
for  all,  but  have  (*xTl)  w'th  an  abiding  present 
enjoyment  eternal  (as  in  v.  15)  life}  In  this 
verse  and  in  the  next  the  negative  and  positive 
aspects  of  the  truth  as  regards  individuals  and 
the  race  (every  one,  the  world)  are  definitely 
opposed;  and  there  is  striking  parallelism  in 
the  related  clauses:  perish,  judge;  have  eternal 
life,  be  saved.  The  addition  of  the  clause, 
may  not  perish,  but,  in  this  verse,  as  dis- 
tinguished from  v.  15,  is  explained  naturally 
by  the  actual  state  of  things  which  St  John 
.saw  in  the  church  and  the  world  about  him. 

the  world. .  .whosoever  believeth}  The  love 
of  God  is  without  limit  on  His  part  (v.  17, 
note),  but  to  appropriate  the  blessing  of  love, 
man  must  fulfil  the  necessary  condition  of 
faith. 

17.  For  God  sent  not  his  (the)  Son...~\  A 
transition  is  here  made  from  the  notion  of  sacri- 
fice, love,  gift  (v.  1 6),  to  that  of  work  and 
authority.  (Yet  see  i  John  iv.  9,  dirto-raXntv, 
not  drr«oT€tX*v.)  There  are  two  words  equally 
translated  "send,"  which  have  different  shades 
of  meaning.  The  one  used  here  (an-oore'AXo)), 
which  contains  the  root  of  "  apostle,"  suggests 
the  thought  of  a  definite  mission  and  a  repre- 
sentative character  in  the  envoy;  the  other 
(TTt/iTrca)  marks  the  simple  relation  between 
the  sender  and  the  sent.  See  xx.  21,  note. 
It  will  be  observed  also  that  the  title  Son 
(the  Son,  not  his  Son),  which  is  that  of 
dignity,  takes  the  place  of  only  begotten  Son, 
which  is  the  title  of  affection. 

condemn}  Rather,  judge  (icpivr),  and  so  in 
verses  18,  19),  as  in  the  exact  parallel,  xii.  47. 
It  is  worthy  of  notice  that  St  John  does  not 
use  the  compound  verb  {naranpivut),  com- 
monly translated  condemn,  nor  its  derivatives, 
though  they  occur  in  the  history  of  the  woman 
taken  in  adultery  (viii.  10,  n). 

In  the  later  Jewish  Messianic  anticipations 
the  judgment  of  the  nations  by  Messiah  is  the 
most  constant  and  the  most  prominent  feature. 

that  the  world... might  (may)  be  saved} 
The  divine  purpose  is,  like  the  divine  love, 
without  any  limitation.  The  true  title  of  the 
Son  is  "  the  Saviour  of  the  world"  (ch.  iv.  42  ; 
i  John  iv.  14.  Comp.  ch.  i.  29  ;  i  John  ii.  a). 
The  sad  realities  of  present  experience  cannot 
change  the  truth  thus  made  known,  however 
little  we  may  be  able  to  understand  in  what 
way  it  will  be  accomplished.  The  thought  is 
made  more  impressive  by  the  threefold  repeti- 
tion of  "the  world."  Comp.  i.  10,  xv.  19. 
The  general  result  is  given  here  (be  saved)  in 


ST.  JOHN.    III. 


[v.  1 8 — 20. 


1 8  II  He  that  believeth  on  him  is         19  And  this  is  the  condemnation, 

not  condemned :  but  he  that  believeth  rfthat  light  is  come  into  the  world,  *chap.t. 

not  is  condemned  already,  because  he  and  men  loved  darkness  rather  than  4' 

hath  not  believed  in  the  name  of  the  light,  because  their  deeds  were  evil, 
only  begotten  Son  of  God.  20  For  every  one  that  doeth  evil 


i  John  iv.  9  the  individual  appropriation  of 
the  blessing  (may  live). 

18,  19.  But  though  judgment  was  not  the 
object  of  Christ's  mission,  judgment  is  in  fact 
the  necessary  result  of  it.  This  judgment  is 
self-executed,  and  follows  inevitably  from  the 
revealed  presence  of  Christ.  (Comp.  Luke  ii. 
34,  35-) 

18.  is    not    condemned    (judged)  ;     but 
(omit)...;j  condemned  (hath  been  judged) 
already]    The  change  of  tense  is  most  signifi- 
cant.   In  the  case  of  the  believer  there  is  no^ 
judgment.     His  whole  life  is  in  Christ.     In* 
the  case  of  the  unbeliever,  the  judgment  is 
completed ;  he  is  separated  from  Christ,  be- 
cause he  hath  not  believed  on  the  revelation 
made  in  the  person  of  Him  who  alone  can 
save.    The  epithet  only  begotten,  applied  here 
again  to  the  Son,  brings  out  in  relation  to  God 
(as  has  been  seen)  the  idea  of  the  Father's  love 
(•v.  1 6);  in  relation  to  man  the  singleness  of 
our  hope. 

hath  not  believed  in  the  name  of. , .]  hath  not 
acknowledged  Christ  as  being  the  only  Son  of 
God,  such  as  He  is  revealed  to  be.  Comp. 
ii.  23,  note,  i.  12,  note.  The  belief  in  Christ 
under  this  one  cardinal  aspect  leads  to  the  full 
faith  in  His  Person.  Comp.  i  John  v.  10,  13. 
The  tense  (hath  not  believed)  is  emphatic  and 
corresponds  with  hath  been  judged:  he  is  not 
in  the  state  of  one  who  believed  when  it  was 
open  to  him  to  do  so. 

19.  And  this...']     The  reality — the  neces- 
sity— of  the  judgment  of  the  unbelieving  is  in- 
volved in  the  recognition  of  the  character  of 
Christ's  coming.     Judgment  is  not  an  arbi- 
trary sentence,  but  the  working  out  of  an  abso- 
lute law. 

The  exact  form  of  expression  (avrr)  icrrlv... 
on)  is  characteristic  of  St  John.  Comp. 
i  John  i.  5,  v.  n,  14. 

condemnation]  judgment.  But  more  ex- 
actly the  process  (jcpt'o-i?),  and  not  the  result 
(«cpi/ia) :  the  judging  rather  than  the  judgment. 
The  manifestation  of  Christ  was  in  fact  both 
a  process  of  judgment  and  also  a  sentence  of 
judgment  upon  man.  Comp.  ix.  39,  note. 
For  the  idea  of  "judgment,"  see  Introd. 

that... is  come. . .and. . .]  The  two  facts  are 
placed  simply  side  by  side  (comp.  i.  10,  ii, 
&c.),  each  in  its  independent  completeness. 

light  is  come...']  the  light,  not  simply  light. 
Comp.  i.  4.  And  so  again,  men  loved  the 
darkness  rather  than  the  light.  The  alter- 
natives were  offered  to  men  in  their  most  abso- 


lute form;  the  contrast  of  "the  light"  and 
"the  darkness"  was  complete;  and  so  men 
made  their  choice. 

and  men..."]  This  was  the  immediate  and 
general  issue  on  which  the  apostle  looked. 
Men  as  a  class  (oi  avdpwiroi,  ch.  xvii.  6) 
passed  sentence  on  themselves  in  action. 
Comp.  xii.  48. 

loved... were]  The  past  tenses  are  used  in 
the  retrospect  of  the  actual  reception  of  the 
revelation  of  Christ  made  to  men.  Men  loved 
(riyajrqo-av)  the  darkness  at  the  time  when  the 
choice  was  offered,  because  their  works  were 
habitually  (rjv)  evil. 

the  darkness}  Comp.  i.  5.  There  are  two 
words  thus  translated.  The  one,  which  occurs 
here  (O-KOTOS),  and  i  John  i.  6,  only  in  St 
John's  writings,  expresses  darkness  absolutely 
as  opposed  to  light ;  the  other  (O-KOTIO)  which 
is  found  i.  5,  viii.  12,  xii.  35,  46 ;  i  John  i.  5, 
ii.  8,  9,  n,  darkness  realised  as  a  state. 

rather  than..."]  i.e.  choosing  it  in  preference 
to.  The  decision  was  final.  Comp.  xii.  43. 

because  (for)  their  deeds  (works)  were 
evif]  The  order  of  the  original  is  very  re- 
markable. Its  force  might  be  suggested  in 
English  by  the  inversion,  "for  evil  were  their 
works."  It  is  best  to  keep  the  usual  rendering 
of  the  original  (tpya)  "  works  "  not  "  deeds  " 
here  and  in  the  following  verses  (vv.  20,  21). 

20,  21.  The  tragic  issue  of  Christ's  com- 
ing, the  judgment  which  followed  it,  was  due 
to  the  action  of  a  moral  law.  All  that  has 
affinity  with  the  light  comes  to  it,  all  that  is 
alien  from  it  shrinks  from  it.  Men's  works 
were  evil,  and  therefore  they  sought  to  avoid 
conviction  under  the  darkness. 

20.  doeth  evil  (ill)]  The  word  rendered 
evil  here  (<paCXor)  is  different  from  the  com- 
mon word  (Trovjjpdff)  used  in  v.  19.  It  oc- 
curs v.  29 ;  Rom.  ix.  ii ;  a  Cor.  v.  10  (in each 
case  contrasted  with  good) ;  Tit.  ii.  8 ;  James 
iii.  16;  and  corresponds  to  the  English  bad, 
as  expressing  that  which  is  poor,  mean,  worth- 
less, of  its  kind,  and  so  unfit  for  careful  scru- 
tiny. 

doeth]  The  words  translated  doeth  here 
and  in  v.  21  are  different.  That  used  here 
(irpcuro-a>v)  expresses  the  scope  and  general 
character  of  a  man's  activity:  that  used  in  v.  21 
(TTOUOV)  the  actual  result  outwardly  shewn. 
There  is  a  similar  contrast  in  Rom.  i.  32,  ii 
3,  vii.  15,  19,  20.  Bad  actions  have  a  moral 
weight,  but  no  real  and  permanent  being  like 
the  Truth. 


V.   21,   22.] 


ST.  JOHN.    III. 


hateth  the  light,  neither  cometh   to    to  the  light,  that  his  deeds  may  DC 
the   light,  lest   his  deeds   should  be     made  manifest,  that  they  are  wrought 


21  But  he  that  doeth  truth  cometh         22  ^  After  these  things  came  Je- 


57 


hateth  the  light. . .]  He  both  hates  the  light 
in  itself  and  shrinks  from  it  in  consideration  of 
its  effects. 

lest  his  deeds  should...']  Rather,  In  order 
that  his  works  may  not...  The  particle  is 
the  same  as  in  the  following  verse,  and  marks 
the  direct  object  of  the  evil-doer. 

be  reproved]  Properly  "sifted,  tried,  tested," 
and  then,  if  need  be,  "convicted,"  "shewn 
faulty  and  reproved,"  as  by  one  having  autho- 
rity and  aptitude  to  judge.  Comp.  xvi.  8, 
note;  Rev.  iii.  19,  and  especially  Eph.  v.  13. 

21.  But  he  that...']  In  addition  to  the 
contrast  of  the  verbs  already  noticed  (v.  ao), 
there  is  a  further  contrast  in  the  forms  of  the 
two  expressions  "doing  ill"  and  "doing  the 
truth."  In  the  one  case  action  is  represented 
by  the  many  separate  bad  works  ($aCXa  irpao-- 
o-wv),  in  the  other  by  the  realisation  of  the  one 
Truth  (TTOLUV  TTjf  a\ri6tiav),  which  includes 
in  a  supreme  unity  all  right  deeds. 

doeth  truth]  doeth  the  truth.  The 
phrase  is  a  remarkable  one.  Right  action  is 
true  thought  realised.  Every  fragment  of 
right  done  is  so  much  truth  made  visible.  The 
same  words  occur  i  John  i.  6.  Comp.  Neh. 
ix.  33;  Gen.  xxiv.  49,  xlvii.  19.  The  phrase 
is  not  unfrequent  in  Rabbinic  writings.  St 
Paul  gives  emphasis  to  the  same  thought  by 
contrasting  "the  truth"  with  "unrighteous- 
ness:" a  Thess.  ii.  la;  i  Cor.  xiii.  6;  Rom. 
i.  1 8,  ii.  8.  Comp.  Eph.  iv.  a4,  v.  9. 

cometb  to...~]  It  is  not  said  even  of  him 
that ' '  he  loveth  the  light."  This  perhaps  could 
not  be  said  absolutely  of  man.  Action  is  for 
him  the  test  of  feeling.  It  must  be  noticed 
that  the  words  recognise  in  man  a  striving 
towards  the  light.  Comp.  vii.  37  (thirst), 
xi.  5  a,  xviii.  37. 

be  made  manifest,  that...']  Whatever  may 
be  the  imperfection  of  the  deeds  of  the  Chris- 
tian in  themselves,  he  knows  that  they  were 
wrought  in  virtue  of  his  fellowship  with  God. 
He  is  not  therefore  proudly  anxious  that  they 
may  be  tested,  and  that  so  the  doer  may  have 
praise  since  they  abide  the  test;  but  looks 
simply  to  this  that  their  spring  may  be  shewn. 

Hence  it  follows  that  A.  V.  is  right  in  the 
rendering  that.  The  other  rendering  because 
introduces  a  thought  foreign  to  the  argument. 
For  the  construction,  see  i  John  ii.  19. 

be  made  manifest']  for  they  have  a  character 
which  bears  the  light.  Comp.  Eph.  v.  13. 

are  -wrought  (have  been  wrought)  in 
God]  in  union  with  Him,  and  therefore  by 
His  power.  The  original  order  lays  the  em- 
phasis on  God:  "that  it  is  in  God,  and  not  by 


the  man's  own  strength,  they  have  been 
wrought."  The  perfect  participle  (eWti»  «p- 
ya<rp.tvd)  has  its  full  force.  The  works  of 
the  believer  are  wrought  in  God,  and  as  they 
have  been  once  wrought  they  still  abide.  St 
John  elsewhere  adopts  the  same  resolved  form. 
Comp.  ii.  17  note  (ytypap.fjifv 


Christ's  teaching  in  Judxa  generally  (vv. 
aa  —  36). 

This  section  forms  the  natural  sequel  to  the 
visit  of  Christ  to  Jerusalem.  He  had  offered 
Himself  there  with  a  significant  sign  as  Mes- 
siah. The  sign  was  generally  not  interpreted 
or  misinterpreted;  and  leaving  the  Holy  City, 
He  began  His  work  (so  to  speak)  again  as  a 
prophet,  following  in  part  the  method  of  the 
Baptist.  Thus  slowly  by  act  and  word  He 
prepared  a  body  of  disciples  to  recognise  Him, 
and  to  believe  in  Him,  and  to  accept  the  true 
conception  of  Messiah's  nature  and  work. 

The  section  falls  into  three  parts.  There  is 
a  summary  notice  of  Christ's  work  (aa  —  24). 
This  is  followed  by  John's  testimony  (25  — 
30)  ;  which  is  drawn  out  at  greater  length  by 
the  Evangelist  (31  —  36). 

The  contents  of  the  section  are  peculiar  to 
St  John,  who  writes  as  a  companion  of  the 
Lord. 

22  —  24.  For  a  time  Christ  and  the  Bap- 
tist worked  side  by  side,  preaching  "repent- 
ance" (Mark  i.  15),  and  baptizing.  The 
Messiah  took  up  the  position  of  a  prophet  in 
Judaea,  as  afterwards  in  Galilee.  (See  v.  a4-) 

22.  After  these  things']  The  phrase  does 
not  indicate  immediate  connexion.  Comp. 
v.  i,  note.  The  first  preaching  of  Christ  was 
in  the  temple.  When  He  found  no  welcome 
there  He  spoke  in  the  Holy  City:  then  in 
Judaea:  afterwards  in  Galilee,  which  thence- 
forth became  the  centre  of  His  teaching. 

Jesus  and  his  disciples']     Comp.  ii.  a,  ia. 

The  phrase  occurs  also  in  Matt.  ix.  10 
(Markii.  15),  19;  Mark  viii.  87.  In  each  case 
there  is  a  special  force  in  the  vivid  representa- 
tion of  the  great  Teacher  and  of  the  accom- 
panying disciples  as  two  distinct  elements  in 
the  picture. 

the  land  of  Jud*a\  as  distinguished  from 
Jerusalem  itself.  The  exact  phrase  occurs 
here  only  in  the  New  Testament.  Compare 
Mark  i.  5  ;  Acts  xxvi.  20,  where  "the  country 
of  Judza"  is  similarly  contrasted  with  the 
capital. 

tarried]  The  stay  was  probably  prolonged 
for  some  time.  See  Additional  Note  on  v.  i. 

and  baptized]    This  baptism,  actually  ad- 


ST.  JOHN.    III. 


[v.  23 — 26 


sus  and  his  disciples  into  the  land  of 
Judaea;    and   there   he   tarried  with 
«chap. 4. a.  them,  'and  baptized. 

23  1T  And  John  also  was  baptizing 
in  ./Enon  near  to  Salim,  because  there 
was  much  water  there :  and  they  came, 
and  were  baptized. 


24  For  John  was  not  yet  cast  into 
prison. 

25  1T  Then  there  arose  a  question 
between  some  of  John's  disciples  and 
the  Jews  about  purifying. 

26  And  they  came  unto  John,  and 
said  unto  him,  Rabbi,  he  that  was 


ministered  by  the  disciples,  iv.  2,  would  belong 
to  the  preparation  for  the  kingdom,  like  John's 
baptism.  It  was  not  and  indeed  could  not 
be  an  anticipation  of  the  Christian  Sacrament 
which  it  foreshadowed.  Comp.  Matt.  iv.  17 ; 
Mark  i.  14,  15.  At  this  point  then  the  work 
of  Christ  and  of  His  Forerunner  met.  Christ 
had  not  been  acknowledged  as  king  in  the  chief 
seat  of  the  theocracy:  therefore  He  began  His 
work  afresh  on  a  new  field  and  in  a  new 
character. 

23.  And  John  also,..']     The  Baptist  con- 
tinued to  fulfil  his  appointed  work  though 
he  had  acknowledged  Christ. 

in  jEnon  near  to  Salim']  The  word  JEiion  is 
probably  an  adjectival  form  from  the  familiar 
am  (eye,  spring),  meaning  simply  "abounding 
in  springs"  (fountains).  The  situation  of  Salim 
is  disputed.  In  the  time  of  Eusebius  Salim 
was  identified  with  a  place  on  the  confines  of 
Galilee  and  Samaria  on  the  west  of  Jordan, 
six  or  eight  miles  south  of  Scythopolis  (Reth- 
shan).  A  place  bearing  the  name  of  ^Aynun 
has  been  found  not  far  from  a  valley  abound- 
ing in  springs  to  the  north  of  the  Salim  which 
lies  not  far  to  the  east  of  Nablous  ('  Palestine 
Exploration  Report,'  1874,  pp.  141  f.,  comp. 
1876,  p.  99).  Comp.  Introd. 

much  water]  The  form  of  the  phrase 
(rroXXa  vSara)  probably  indicates  many  foun- 
tains or  streams  or  pools  of  water.  Mark  ix. 
22;  Matt.  xvii.  15.  Elsewhere  the  plural  is 
used  of  the  gathered  or  troubled  waters ;  Matt, 
viii.  32,  xiv.  28,  29;  Rev.  i.  15,  &c. 

they  came]  There  is  no  antecedent:  "Men 
continued  to  come  to  him  (the  Baptist)  and 
...."  Comp.  xv.  6,  xx.  2;  Mark  x.  13;  Acts 
iii.  2. 

24.  For  John..."]    More  exactly,  For  John 
had  not  yet    been   cast...    This  note  of 
time  must  be  taken  in  connexion  with  Matt. 
iv.  12,  13,  17;  Mark  i.  14.    The  public  mi- 
nistry of  the  Lord  in  Galilee  did  not  begin  till 
after  this  time,  after  John  was  cast  into  prison 
as  the  Synoptists  record.    The  events  in  Ga- 
lilee, which  the  evangelist  has  already  related 
(ii.  i — 12),  were  preparatory  to  the  manifes- 
tation at  Jerusalem  which  was  the  real  com- 
mencement of  Christ's  Messianic  work.    St 
John  records  the  course  and  issue  of  this  mani- 
festation :  the  other  Evangelists  start  with  the 
record  of  the  Galilaean  ministry  which  dates 
from  the  imprisonment  of  the  Baptist.    Comp. 
Mark  i.  14,  note. 


25 — 30.  The  outward  similarity  of  the 
work  of  Christ  and  of  the  Baptist  gave  an 
occasion  (25,  26)  for  the  last  testimony  of  the 
Baptist  to  Christ.  In  the  eyes  of  some  Christ 
appeared  as  his  rival.  To  these  the  Baptist 
himself  shewed  what  his  own  work  was,  and 
then  he  left  his  hearers  to  recognise  Christ. 

25.  Then  there  arose]     The  particle  (ovv) 
is  one  not  of  time  but  of  consequence :  There 
arose  therefore...  as  a  consequence  of  this 
double  work  of  baptizing, 

a  question  between  some  of... ~\  Rather,  "a 
questioning  (a  discussion,  disputation)  on 
the  part  of  («,  Vulg.  ex)  John's  disciples 
with..."  For  the  word  "questioning"  (pf- 
TIJO-IS)  see  Acts  xv.  2  ;  i  Tim.  vi.  4 ;  a  Tim. 
ii.  23  ;  Tit.  iii.  9. 

the  Jews']  According  to  the  most  probable 
reading,  a  Jew,  which  gives  a  definiteness 
to  the  incident  otherwise  wanting. 

about  purifying]  that  is,  as  we  may  suppose, 
about  the  religious  value  of  baptism,  such  as 
John's.  We  cannot  but  believe  that  Christ, 
when  He  administered  a  baptism  through  His 
disciples,  explained  to  those  who  offered  them- 
selves the  new  birth  which  John's  baptism  and 
this  preparatory  baptism  typified.  At  the 
same  time  He  may  have  indicated,  as  to  Nico- 
demus,  the  future  establishment  of  Christian 
Baptism,  the  sacrament  of  the  new  birth.  In 
this  way  nothing  would  be  more  natural  than 
that  some  Jew,  a  direct  disciple,  should  be 
led  to  disparage  the  work  of  John,  contrasting 
it  with  that  of  which  Christ  spoke ;  and  that 
thereupon  John's  disciples,  jealous  for  their 
master's  honour,  should  come  to  him  com- 
plaining of  the  position  which  Christ  had 
taken. 

26.  Rabbi...']    The  title  of  reverence  is 
emphatic.   The  speakers  first  contrast  the  new 
Teacher  with  their  own,  and  then  describe  his 
present  action.     Rabbi,  he  that  was  -with  thee, 
in  thy  company  as  one  of  thy  disciples,  beyond 
Jordan,  in  the  most  conspicuous  and  success- 
ful scene  of  thy  ministry,  to  whom  thou  (o-v) 
hast  borne  witness,  as  the  authoritative  judge, 
behold  he  is  baptizing. . . 

to  whoni]  i.e.  in  whose  favour,  to  support 
whose  claims.  Comp.  v.  33,  xviii.  3753  John 
12 ;  Luke  iv.  22 ;  Acts  x.  43  (xiii.  22),  xiv. 
3,  xv.  8 ;  Rom.  x.  2 ;  Gal.  iv.  15  ;  Col.  iv. 
13.  Elsewhere  from  the  context  against,  Matt, 
xxiii.  31.  Cf.  James  v.  3. 

thou  barest  witness]    The  original  expresses 


v.  27—29.] 


ST.  JOHN.    III. 


59 


/chap.  i.  7,  wjth  thee  beyond  Jordan,  Ao  whom 
thou  barest  witness,  behold,  the  same 
baptizeth,  and  all  men  come  to  him. 
2j   John   answered  and  said, 


28  Ye  yourselves  bear  me  witness, 

that  I  said,  AI  am  not  the  Christ,  but  *chaP-  '• 

2O 

that  I  am  sent  before  him. 

29  He  that  hath  the  bride  is  the 


K)r,  take  man  can  '  receive  nothing,  except  it     bridegroom :    but  the   friend   of  the 


unto  him 
Ulf. 


be  given  him  from  heaven. 


bridegroom,  which  standeth  and  hear- 


not  only  the  fact,  "barest  witness,"  but  by 
the  perfect,  "thou  hast  borne  witness," 
marks  the  testimony  as  being  yet  effective: 
ch.  i.  34. 

bchold~\  The  form  here  used  (?§«)  is  charac- 
teristic of  St  John.  Comp.  xix.  5,  14. 

baptizeth']  This  appeared  to  be  an  invasion 
of  John's  work. 

all  men]  The  natural  exaggeration  (v.  13) 
of  angry  zeal.  Contrast  v.  31. 

27 — 30.  The  words  of  the  Baptist  meet 
the  jealous  zeal, of  his  disciples.  He  (i)  lays 
down  the  principle  of  revelation  (v.  27)  ;  and 
then  (i)  applies  it  to  his  own  work,  both  as 
to  (a)  The  past  witness  (v,  28),  and  as  to  (0) 
The  present  fulfilment  (v.  29) ;  and  then  (3) 
draws  the  main  conclusion  (v.  30). 

27.  Every  contrast  of  teacher  with  teacher 
is  harmonized  by  the  truth  that  each  has  only 
that  which  God  has  given  him. 

answered}  The  answer  lies  in  the  simple 
explanation  of  the  essential  relation  between 
the  Forerunner  and  the  Christ,  drawn  from 
the  universal  truth.  When  this  is  once  ap- 
prehended all  possibility  of  rivalry  is  gone. 
The  message  which  was  brought  to  John  by 
his  disciples  as  a  complaint,  in  his  eyes  crowns 
his  proper  joy. 

A  man... heaven}  The  principle  is  general, 
and  must  not  be  interpreted  either  of  Christ, 
or  of  the  Baptist,  alone.  It  has  an  application 
to  both.  The  Baptist  says  in  fact :  "  I  can- 
not claim  any  new  authority  which  has  not 
been  directly  assigned  to  me ;  He,  of  whom 
you  speak,  cannot  effectually  exercise  His 
power  unless  it  be  of  divine  origin." 

A  man...'}  The  word  has  force  (comp.  v. 
4).  It  is  the  law  of  human  existence  as  de- 
pendent upon  God,  to  which  even  Messiah  is 
subject. 

receive}  The  original  word  (\ap&ca>(iv) 
includes  the  conceptions  of  "receiving"  and 
"taking."  Comp.  v.  32,  note.  The  thought 
here  is  that  there  is  but  one  source  of  spiritual 
power,  and  that  opened  by  God's  love,  and 
not  by  man's  own  will. 

be  given}  More  exactly,  have  been  given. 
The  divine  gift,  already  complete  in  itself, 
makes  the  human  appropriation  possible. 

from  (eV,  out  of)  heaven}  The  phrase  is 
not  the  same  as  "from  God:"  out  of  the 
treasury,  so  to  speak,  of  all  true  and  abiding 
blessings.  Comp.  xix.  n. 

28,  29.  The  principle  stated  in  v.  17  is 
applied  directly  by  the  Baptist  to  himself,  ac- 


cording to  his  earlier  definition  of  his  work, 
and,  under  a  figure,  to  Christ. 

28.  Ye  yourselves}     You  need  no  teacher 
to  meet  your  difficulty.    The  zeal  which  you 
display  is  shewn  to  be  mistaken  if  you  only 
recall  what  I  said.     When  I  announced  my 
mission  I  declared  it  to  be  provisional.     No 
word  of  mine  can  have  given  occasion  to  the 
error  whereby  you  claim  for  me  the  highest 
place. 

The  exact  emphatic  phrase  (avroi  v^tls) 
occurs  i  Thess.  iv.  9  (Mark  vi.  31  is  different). 
Comp.  Acts  xxiv.  15. 

before  him}  The  Baptist .  now  distinctly 
identifies  Him  of  whom  he  had  spoken  before 
in  general  terms  (i.  26,  30)  as  "the  Christ." 
The  manifestation  to  Israel  had  taken  place. 
The  difference  of  language  is  very  significant. 

29.  The  Baptist  spoke  plainly  of  himself, 
but  he  speaks  of  Christ's  office  and  position 
in  mysterious  language,  answering  exactly  to 
the  situation.     That  position  must  be  recog- 
nised in  order  that  He  may  be  known,  as  the 
Baptist  knew  Him. 

the  bride... the  bridegroom}  The  image  is 
commonly  used  in  the  prophetical  books  of 
the  Old  Testament  from  first  to  last  to  describe 
the  relation  between  Jehovah  and  His  people, 
Hos.  ii.  19;  Ezek.  xvi. ;  Mai.  ii.  n.  In  the 
New  Testament  it  is  applied  to  Christ  and  the 
church  as  here,  Rev.  xix.  7,  xxi.  2,  9,  xxii. 
17  (comp.  Eph.  v.  32  ff.);  and  also  to  the 
connexion  of  Christ  with  any  particular  body 
of  Christians,  2  Cor.  xi.  2. 

Similar  imagery  is  used  in  the  Synoptic 
Gospels ;  Matt.  xxii.  i  ff.  (the  marriage  feast), 
xxv.  i  ff.  (the  ten  virgins).  Comp.  Matt. 
ix.  15. 

the  friend  of  the  bridegroom}  To  whom  it 
fell  to  demand  the  hand  of  the  bride,  and  to 
prepare  everything  for  the  due  reception  of 
the  bride  and  bridegroom.  Comp.  Buxtorf, 
*  Lex.  Rabb.,'  or  Levy,  '  Chald.  Wbrterb.' 
s.  v.  W3B>1B>.  The  Baptist  had  fulfilled  his 
office  in  preparing  and  bringing  the  represen- 
tatives of  the  spiritual  Israel — the  new  divine 
Bride— to  Christ— the  Bridegroom. 

standeth}  in  the  attitude  of  expectation 
and  ready  service,  and  heareth  him  not  only 
as  cognisant  of  his  presence,  but  as  waiting 
to  fulfil  his  commands.  Comp.  xii.  29  (Mark 
ix.  I,  TWV  f<rrt]ieara>v). 

rejoiceth  greatly}  Literally,  with  joy  rejoiceth. 
In  this  rejoicing  there  is  no  alloy.  Comp. 
Luke  xxii.  15  (so  A.  V.)  ;  Acts  iv.  17,  v.  28, 


6o 


ST.  JOHN.    III. 


[v.  3°, 


eth  him,  rejoiceth  greatly  because  of 
the  bridegroom's  voice:  this  my  joy 
therefore  is  fulfilled. 

30  He  must  increase,  but  I  must 
decrease. 


31  He  that  cometh  from  above  is 
above  all :  he  that  is  of  the  earth  is 
earthly,  and  speaketh  of  the  earth : 
he  that  cometh  from  heaven  is  above 
all. 


xxiii.  14;  James  v.  17.  The  idiom  is  common 
in  the  LXX.  as  the  representative  of  the 
Hebrew  construction  with  the  inf.  abs.,  but 
it  is  found  also  in  classical  writers.  It  is  sig- 
nificant that  it  is  found  here  only  in  St  John's 
writings. 

because  of  the  bridegroom' 's  voice]  when  he 
has  entered  his  new  home,  bringing  his  bride 
with  him,  and  there  first  spoken  with  her  at  the 
marriage  feast.  The  full,  clear  voice  of  the 
bridegroom's  love  is  contrasted  with  all  the 
words  of  those  who  have  prepared  for  His 
coming. 

this  my  joy]  The  form  of  the  original  is 
emphatic:  this  joy,  the  joy  of  seeing  a  work 
happily  consummated,  which  is  mine.  Comp. 
xv.  9,  note. 

is  fulfilled]  Literally,  hath  been  fulfilled 
already,  when,  as  you  announce,  the  Christ  is 
gathering  round  Him  the  disciples  who  are  the 
beginnings  of  His  church.  Comp.  i.  34. 

30.  He  must...']  That  lies  in  the  divine 
law  of  things.  Comp.  w.  7,  14,  ix.  4,  x.  16, 
xx.  9,  note;  Rev.  i.  i,  iv.  i,  xx.  3,  &c. 

decrease]  in  imprisonment,  suspense,  martyr- 
dom. These  last  words  of  St  John  are  the 
fulness  of  Christian  sacrifice,  and  fitly  close 
his  work,  and  with  it  the  old  dispensation. 
At  the  same  time,  they  have  an  ever-germi- 
nant  fulfilment.  The  progress  from  the  Law 
to  the  Gospel,  from  the  fulness  of  self  to  the 
fulness  of  Christ,  is  the  law  of  Christian  life. 
For  the  later  mission  from  the  Baptist  to 
Christ  in  relation  to  this  testimony,  see  Matt, 
xi.  3,  note. 

31 — 36.  This  section  contains  reflections 
of  the  Evangelist  on  the  general  relation  of 
the  Son  to  the  Forerunner,  and  to  the  teachers 
of  the  earlier  dispensation  generally.  The 
Baptist  had  spoken  figuratively  in  the  language 
of  the  Old  Testament  of  what  Christ  was, 
and  so  directed  his  disciples  to  acknowledge 
Him.  The  Evangelist  looking  over  the  long 
interval  of  years  reaffirms  in  clearer  words  the 
witness  of  the  Herald,  and  shews  how  it  has 
been  fulfilled. 

The  passage  is  distinguished  from  the  answer 
of  the  Baptist  by 

(i)  A  marked  contrast  of  style.  The  verses 
*7 — 3°  are  m  form  clear  and  sharp,  with 
echoes  of  the  abrupt  prophetic  speech.  These 
(31 — 36)  have  a  subtle  undertone  of  thought, 
which  binds  them  together  closely,  and  carries 
them  forward  to  the  climax  in  v.  36. 

(a)    Parts  of  it  contain  clear  references  to 


words  of  the  Lord,  e.g.  vv.  31,  32,  refer  to 
•w.  ii  ff.,  v.  35  to  x.  28,  29. 

(3)  The  use  of  the  title  "  Son  "  absolutely 
(vv.  35,  36)  appears  to  be  alien  from  the 
position  of  the  Baptist. 

(4)  The  historical  position  marked  in  v.  32 
(no  man)   is  strikingly  different    from    that 
marked  in  v.  29. 

(5)  The  aorists  in  v.  33  describe  the  later 
experience  of  Christian  life.     Comp.  i.  16. 

On  the  other  hand,  the  use  of  the  present 
tense,  v.  32  (testifieth,  receivetti),  vv.  51.  34 
(speaketh},  is  not  inconsistent  with  the  position 
of  the  Evangelist. 

The  section  falls  into  the  following  divi- 
sions : 

1.  The  contrast  of  the  earthly  and  the 

heavenly  teacher  (vv.  31,  32). 

2.  The  experience  and  the  endowment  of 
the  church  (33 — 35). 

(a)  The  experience  of  faith  (v.  33). 
(/3)    Christ    the    perfect    and    abiding 

Teacher  (v.  34). 
(y)  The  Son  the  supreme  King  (v.  35). 

3.  The  issues  (36). 
(a)  Of  Faith— Life. 

(£)  Of  Disobedience — wrath. 

31,  32.  The  earthly  teacher,  and  such 
were  all  who  came  before  Christ,  is  contrasted 
with  the  One  Teacher  from  heaven,  (i)  in 
origin  (of  the  earth,  from  above,  of  heaven), 
(2)  in  being  (of  the  earth,  above  all),  (3)  in 
teaching  (of  the  earth,  what  he  hath  seen  and 
heard  in  the  kingdom  of  truth).  Comp.  Matt. 
xi.  ii. 

31.  He  that  cometh  from  above]  not  He  that 
came.  The  work  of  Christ  is  regarded  not  as 
past  nor  as  future,  but  as  ever-present  (vi.  33). 

from  above]  from  a  higher  region.  The 
same  w©rd  occurs  in  the  original  (avadfv)  as 
that  used  in  v.  3  (again,  anew)  ;  see  note.  It 
seems  to  be  chosen  from  its  connexion  with 
the  above  (eVafco)  which  follows. 

above  alf]  that  is,  sovereign  over  all  things 
(v.  35),  and  not  over  all  men  only  (as  Vulg., 
supra  omnes),  though  this  is  the  prominent 
idea  here,  where  the  Son  is  compared  with 
former  teachers. 

of  the  earth. ..earthly  (of  the  earth).  ..of  the 
earth]  The  same  phrase  («  rrjs  yrjs)  is  thrice 
repeated.  The  rendering  "earthly"  in  the 
second  case  obscures  the  thought  and  intro- 
duces confusion  with  the  "earthly,"  i.e.  rea- 
lised on  the  earth,  and  not  springing  out  of 
the  earth,  in  v.  12  ((iriyfios,  see  note).  The 


3  2.  33-] 


ST.  JOHN.    III. 


61 


32  And  what  he  hath  seen  and 
heard,  that  he  testifieth ;  and  no  man 
receiveth  his  testimony. 


33  He  that  hath  received  his  testi- 
mony 'hath  set  to  his  seal  that  God  ''Rom-3-4. 
is  true. 


"  earth,"  as  distinguished  from  the  "  world," 
expresses  the  idea  of  the  particular  limitations 
of  our  being,  without  any  accessory  moral 
contrast  with  God.  Its  opposite  is  heaven. 
Contrast  i  John  iv.  5  («  TOW  Kovpov).  The 
term  does  not  occur  elsewhere  in  St  John's 
writings  in  this  sense.  Comp.  i  Cor.  xv.  47. 

he  that  is  of  the  earth'}  He  who  draws  his 
origin  from  the  earth,  a  child  of  earth,  a  man 
of  men  (comp.  Matt  xi.  n),  it  of  the  earth, 
draws  likewise  the  form  and  manner  of  his  life 
from  the  earth,  and  speaketb  of  the  earth.  His 
birth,  his  existence,  his  teaching,  are  all  of  the 
same  kind.  The  phrase  to  be  of  (dvai  «V), 
expressing  a  moral  connexion,  is  character- 
istic of  St  John.  It  includes  the  ideas  of 
derivation  and  dependence,  and  therefore  of  a 
moral  correspondence  between  the  offspring 
(issue)  and  the  source.  Thus  according  to  the 
essential  affinity  of  their  character  men  are 
said  to  be  of  the  truth,  xviii.  37  ;  i  John  ii.  ai, 
iii.  19 ;  or  of  the  world,  xv.  19,  xvii.  14,  16, 
xviii.  36 ;  i  John  ii.  16,  iv.  5  ;  and  again  with 
a  personal  relation  of  God,  vii.  17,  viii.  47  ; 
i  John  iii.  10,  iv.  1—7,  v.  19;  3  John  ii, 
and  of  the  Father,  I  John  ii.  16;  or,  on  the 
other  side,  of  the  devil,  i  John  iii.  8  (comp. 
John  viii.  44),  and  of  the  evil  one,  i  John  iii. 
12.  So  Christ  describes  Himself  as  being/row 
above  ((K  TUV  avw),  and  "  the  Jews  "  as  being 
from  below  («  T«I>  »caro»),  viii.  13.  The  phrase 
is  comparatively  rare  in  the  other  writings  of 
the  New  Testament,  but  when  it  occurs  it  is 
deserving  of  notice,  Matt.  i.  20,  xxi.  25  f.,  and 
parallels  ;  Luke  ii.  4  ;  Acts  v.  38  f. ;  Rom.  ix. 
5  ;  i  Cor.  i.  30,  xi.  la  (a  Cor.  v.  18) ;  a  Cor. 
iv.  7;  Gal.  iii.  10,  ao;  Col.  iv.  ii. 

The  phrase  to  be  begotten  (born)  of  (ytytv- 
vrjadai  «)  has  a  kindred  meaning.  To  be  of 
expresses  the  essential,  permanent,  relation  ;  to 
be  begotten  of  refers  to  the  initial  moment  of 
the  relation,  i.  13,  iii.  5,  6,  8,  viii.  41  i  i  John 
ii.  29,  iii.  9,  iv.  7,  v.  i,  4,  18.  It  is  not  said  of 
any  that  "they  are  born  of  the  evil  one." 
Compare  iv.  a  a,  note. 

speaketb  of  the  earth]  The  earth  is  the 
source  from  which  he  draws  his  words.  Even 
divine  things  come  to  him  through  earth.  He 
has  not  looked  on  truth  absolute  in  the 
heavenly  sphere.  But  this  "speaking  of  the 
earth"  is  not  of  necessity  a  "speaking  of  the 
world"  (i  John  iv.  5).  On  the  contrary  be  that 
lometh  from  heaven  is  not  only  supreme  over 
all  creation,  and  therefore  unlimited  by  the 
earth,  but  v.  32,  witnessed — testifieth  with 
solemn  authority,  in  this  connexion  perhaps  in 
contrast  with  speaketb — <wbat  be  bath  seen  and 
heard  in  heaven. 

that  cometh]  as  on  a  conspicuous  mission. 


In  this  case  the  thought  is  not  of  the  source  of 
being  (he  that  is  of  the  earth),  but  of  the 
source  of  authority. 

from  heaven]  This  phrase,  as  contrasted 
with  from  above,  gives  the  exact  correlative 
to  from  the  earth. 

31,  32.     It   is  not  improbable   that   the 
words  is  above  all  and  and  should  be  omitted, 
so  that  the  words  should  run  on:   he  that 
cometh  from  heaven  testifieth  <wbat  he  bath  seen 
and  beard.    See  Additional  Note. 

32.  bath  seen  and  beard]     The  change  of 
tense  appears  to  mark  a  contrast  between  that 
which  belonged  to  the  existence  (hath  seen, 
ioipaKtv),  and  to  the  mission  (heard,  ffnowtv, 
not  bath  heard)  of  the  Son.     Comp.  viii.  26, 
40,  xv.  15  (vi.  45),  and  viii.  38  with  varr.  lectt. 

testifieth]  witnesseth.  Even  after  the 
historical  manifestation  of  Christ  on  earth  has 
ended,  He  still  speaks  through  His  church. 
The  present  here  is  co-ordinate  with  the  plural 
in  v.  ii.  In  that  passage  the  Lord  connects 
the  testimony  of  the  disciples  with  His  own ; 
and  so  here  St  John  regards  the  testimony  of 
the  disciples  as  being  truly  the  testimony  of 
Christ. 

and  no  man...~]  The  issue,  as  elsewhere 
(v.  ii,  vii.  30,  viii.  ao),  is  simply  added  to  the 
description  of  the  revelation.  For  the  time  the 
testimony  of  Christ  through  His  church  found 
no  acceptance.  The  close  of  the  apostolic  age 
was  a  period  of  singular  darkness  and  hope- 
lessness Comp.  i  John  v.  19  (a  Tim.  i.  15). 
It  was  possible  then  for  St  John  to  say  no  man 
receivetb  (literally,  is  receiving)  his  testimony 
(witness).  This  sad  judgment  stands  in 
sharp  contrast  with  v.  39,  and  v.  a 6. 

receivetb  bis  testimony  (witness,  and  so  in 
v.  33)]  Two  words  are  translated  receive, 
one  used  here  (\aj3clv)  marking  that  something 
is  taken,  the  other  (8t£a<rdai,  ch.  iv.  45  only 
in  St  John),  adding  the  notion  of  welcoming 
or  receiving  from  another  (Luke  xvi.  6,  7). 
The  former  word  includes  also  the  idea  of 
retaining  that  which  is  taken,  while  the  latter 
presents  only  the  act  of  reception.  Hence  St 
John  uses  the  former  of  "receiving  the  Word" 
(i.  12;  comp.  v.  43,  xiii.  20).  The  phrase 
"receive  the  witness"  is  peculiar  to  St  John: 
vv.  n,  33,  v.  34,  i  John  v.  9.  (Comp.  xii.  48, 
xvii.  8.)  The  witness  is  not  welcomed  only  but 
kept.  It  becomes  an  endowment,  a  possession. 

33 35.     But  even  so,  though  the  current 

of  faith  was  checked,  the  church  was  in  exist- 
ence. There  were  disciples  who  had  re- 
ceived the  testimony  at  an  earlier  time,  and 
found  that  in  so  doing  they  had  been  solemnly 


62 


ST.  JOHN.   III. 


[v.  34—36. 


34  For  he  whom  God  hath  sent 
speaketh  the  words  of  God :  for  God 
giveth  not  the  Spirit  by  measure  unto 
him. 


35  *The  Father  loveth  the  Son,  *7Matt  »• 
and  hath    given   all    things   into  his 

hand.  'Hab.2. 4. 

36  'He  that  believeth  on  the  Son  J0John5' 


united  with  God;  and  this  experience  of  faith 
is  still  assured  by  the  fact  of  Christ's  absolute 
knowledge  and  absolute  power. 

33.  He  that  hath  received  (that  received, <5 
Aa£wi/)]    The  reference  appears  to  be  directly 
historic,  going  back  to  the  time  when  the 
disciples  were  first  gathered  round  the  Lord. 

hath  set  to  his  seal]  hath  confirmed  in  the 
most  solemn  manner  the  statement  which  fol- 
lows, that  God  is  true.  The  term  seal  is  used 
here  only  in  this  sense.  Elsewhere  the  word 
is  used  of  marking  as  reserved  for  a  special 
destination:  vi.  27;  Rev.  vii.  3.  Comp.  Eph. 
i.  13,  iv.  30.  There  is  a  noble  Jewish  saying, 
quoted  by  Lightfoot  ('Hor.  Hebr.'  John 
vi.  27),  that  "the  seal  of  God  is  Truth."  See 
xviii.  37,  note. 

that  God  is  true]  This  affirmation  ad- 
mits of  two  senses,  (i)  It  may  mean  that  in 
accepting  the  teaching  of  Christ  the  believer 
accepts  the  teaching  of  God,  for  the  words 
of  Christ  are  in  truth  the  words  of  God. 
The  believer  therefore  by  receiving  these 
really  attests  what  is  a  direct  message  of  God ; 
and  in  so  doing  he  feels  that  he  enters  into  a 
certain  fellowship  with  Him,  than  which  man 
can  have  no  higher  glory.  The  rejection  of 
the  testimony  of  Christ  is,  according  to  this 
interpretation,  spoken  of  as  "  making  God 
a  liar"  (i  John  i.  10,  v.  10).  (2)  The  statement 
may  also  be  taken  in  a  wider  sense.  The 
believer  finds  in  Christ  the  complete  fulfilment 
of  every  promise  of  God.  By  his  experience 
of  what  Christ  is  and  what  Christ  says  to 
him  he  gladly  confesses  that  "God  is  true," 
that  He  has  left  nothing  unsatisfied  of  the 
hope  which  He  has  given  to  man.  Comp. 
viii.  26. 

The  first  explanation  appears  at  first  sight 
to  fall  in  best  with  v.  34,  but  the  second  in 
fact  embraces  the  first  in  a  larger  thought. 

34.  The  proof  of  God's  truth  is  found  in 
the  absolute  fulness  of  Christ's  spiritual  en- 
dowment. 

he  whom  God  hath  sent]  the  one  heavenly 
messenger  as  contrasted  with  all  the  earthly. 

the  (words. .J]  Not  "words"  only  (vi.  68), 
but  the  complete,  manifold  expression  (TO 
pjnara)  of  the  divine  message. 

for  God  giveth  not. ..by  measure  unto  him] 
for  he  giveth  not. ..by  measure.  The 
words  God  and  unto  him  have  no  place  in  the 
original  text.  If  these  are  omitted  it  is  doubt- 
ful whether  the  subject  of  the  sentence  is 
"God,"  or  "Messiah."  The  object  in  any  case 
must  be  general 


If,  as  in  the  common  interpretation,  God  be 
taken  as  the  subject,  the  sense  appears  to  be  : 
"  Christ  speaks  the  words  of  God,  for  God 
giveth  not  the  Spirit  by  measure,  only  in  a  defi- 
nite degree,  to  all,  but  He  gives  it  completely." 

If,  on  the  other  hand,  Messiah  is  the  subject 
(as  Cyril  takes  it),  the  sense  will  be:  "Christ 
speaks  the  words  of  God,  for  His  words  are 
attested  by  His  works,  in  that  He  giveth  the 
Spirit  to  His  disciples  as  dispensing  in  its  ful- 
ness that  which  is  His  own." 

This  second  interpretation,  which  appears  to 
have  been  neglected  in  late  times  owing  to  the 
false  text,  has  much  to  recommend  it  (xv.  26). 

35.  The  ground  of  what  has  been  said  lies 
in  the  actual  relation  of  God  to  Messiah,  as 
the  Father  to  the  Son. 

hath  given]     Contrast  giveth  (v.  34). 
all  things']    v.  31.    The  term  is  not  to  be 
limited  in  any  way. 

36.  The  absolute  supremacy  of  the  Chris- 
tian revelation  as  compared  with  all  that  went 
before  is  seen  in  its  final  issues  of  life,  and 
incapacity  for  life. 

that  believeth'}  with  a  faith  which  is  con 
tinuous,  not  momentary  (o  THOTCVUI'). 

hath  everlasting  (eternal)  life'}  To  believe 
and  confess  that  Jesus  is  the  Son  of  God  (i  John 
iv.  15)  is  the  pledge  of  new  and  abiding  life 
By  that  belief  our  whole  relation  to  the  world, 
to  man  and  to  God,  is  changed;  and  changed 
already:  This  is  life  eternal...  (xvii.  3,  note). 

believeth  not]  disobeyeth  (6  aneiBaiv). 
Disbelief  is  regarded  in  its  activity.  The 
same  word  occurs  i  Peter  iv.  17;  Rom.  ii.  8, 
x>-  3°>  3J>  &c-  Nothing  is  said  of  those  who 
have  no  opportunity  of  coming  to  the  true 
knowledge  of  Christ.  Comp.  Mark  xvi.  16 


shall  not  see  life'}  shall  be  unable  to  form 
any  true  conception  of  life,  much  less  enjoy  it. 
Comp.  v.  3.  The  future  is  contrasted  with 
the  present  (hath.  ..shall  not...):  the  simple 
idea  of  life  with  the  full  conception  eternal 
life.  Comp.  v.  24,  39  f. 

the  fwrath  of  God']  The  phrase  is  com- 
monly used  of  a  distinct  manifestation  of  the 
righteous  judgment  of  God  (Rom.  i.  18,  iii. 
5,  ix.  42,  xii.  19),  and  especially  of  "the 
coming  wrath  "  (77  /ueAXouo-a  opyri,  Matt.  iii. 
7  ;  Luke  iii.  7  ;  q  opyrj  »;  epx0/""7?'  *  Thess. 
i.  10  ;  comp.  Luke  xxi.  23,  dpyi)  r<5  Aa<5 
Tovrtf]  i  Thess.  ii.  16;  Rom.  ii.  5  (v.  9); 
Eph.  v.  6;  Col.  iii.  6). 

In  this  sense  it  is  not  unfrequent  in  the 
Apocalypse  (xi.  18,  xiv.  10,  xvi.  19,  xix.  15), 


v.  36.] 


ST.  JOHN.    III. 


hath  everlasting  life :  and  he  that  be-    but   the   wrath  of  God  abideth  on 
lieveth  not  the  Son  shall  not  see  life ;     him. 


where  "the  wrath  of  God"  is  set  side  by 
side  with  "the  wrath  of  the  Lamb"  (vi. 
1 6  f.). 

The  phrase  is  very  common  in  the  Old 
Testament.  (Comp.  Hebr.  iii.  n.) 

Here  "the  wrath  of  God"  describes  the 
general  relation  in  which  man  as  a  sinner 
stands  towards  the  justice  of  God.  Comp. 


Eph.  ii.  3.  St  John  goes  back  from  the  reve- 
lation of  God  as  Father  to  the  original  idea  of 
God  as  God. 

abidetb  on  bini^  The  natural  law  is  inex- 
orable. Only  faith  in  the  revelation  through 
Christ  can  remove  the  consequences  of  sin 
which  must  otherwise  bring  God's  wrath  upon 
the  sinner.  Comp.  i  John  iii.  14. 


ADDITIONAL  NOTES  on  CHAP.  in. 


3.  The  word  translated  again  (av<*6tv) 
properly  means  "from  the  top,"  "from  the 
beginning,"  "from  above."  Thus  it  is  used 
literally  of  the  rending  of  the  vail  of  the 
temple  "from  the  top"  (Matt,  xxvii.  51; 
Mark  xv.  38  ;  compare  John  xix.  23),  and 
temporally  of  knowledge  possessed  from  an 
early  date  (Acts  xxvi.  5),  or  traced  from  the 
source  (Luke  i.  3),  and  locally,  with  a  spiri- 
tual application,  of  the  wisdom  which  conieth 
"from  above"  (James  iii.  15,  17;  comp. 
James  i.  17).  The  word  occurs  in  a  sense 
similar  to  this  last  in  John  iii.  31,  xix.  n.  In 
Gal.  iv.  9  it  is  combined  with  the  simple  term 
for  "again"  (iraXiv  a»»«0«<),  as  implying  the 
complete  repetition  of  an  entire  process,  start- 
ing, as  it  were,  afresh,  so  as  to  obliterate 
every  trace  of  an  intermediate  change. 

Two  interpretations  of  the  word,  derived 
from  distinct  applications  of  the  fundamental 
idea,  have  found  favour  in  the  present  place 
from  early  times:  (i)  "from  the  beginning," 
"over  again,"  "anew,"  and  (a)  "from 
above,"  "from  heaven."  The  Syriac  (Pe- 
shito),  Memphitic,  jtthiopic,  and  Latin  ver- 
sions give  the  rendering  "anew"  (Vulgate, 
"  renatus  (natus)  denuo  ") ;  the  Greek  writers 
(from  Origen)  generally  adopt  the  sense, 
"  from  heaven ;  "  the  Harclean  Syriac,  Arme- 
nian, and  Gothic  versions  translate  "  from 
above."  The  English  versions  have  vacillated 
strangely.  Tyndale  and  Coverdale,  agreeing 
with  Vulgate,  Luther  ("von  neuen "),  and 
Erasmus,  Ed.  I.,  gave  "  anew ; "  but  Cover- 
dale,  in  the  Great  Bible,  with  the  Zurich 
version  ("von  oben  herab"),  and  Erasmus, 
in  his  later  editions  ("e  supemis"),  gave 
"from  above."  The  Bishops'  Bible  of  1568 
reads  "  born  again,"  but  this  is  changed  back 
again  in  1571  to  "born  from  above." 

It  has  been  urged  in  favour  of  the  second 
rendering  that  St  John  constantly  speaks  of 
"being  born  of  God"  (yei/i/.  <V  rou  &ov), 
i.  13 ;  i  John  iii.  9,  iv.  7,  v.  i,  4,  18,  while 
he  does  not  speak  (as  St  Paul)  of  a  "new 
creation."  But  it  may  be  questioned  whether 
the  phrase  used  here  (yew.  ava>6tv)  could  be 
used  to  convey  this  idea  of  being  "  born  of 
God,"  and  it  would  be  most  strange  under 


any  circumstances  that  the  usual  mode  of 
expressing  it  should  be  abandoned.  It  is 
further  of  great  importance  to  notice  that  in 
the  traditional  form  of  the  saying  (e.g.  Just. 
M.  'Ap.'  I.  61)  a  word  is  used  (dvaytwa- 
o-dai)  as  equivalent  to  the  ambiguous  phrase 
of  St  John  (ytvtnjdijvai  avctdfv),  which  un- 
questionably can  only  mean  "  to  be  reborn  " 
(comp.  i  Pet.  i.  3,  23).  And,  once  again,  the 
idea  of  "a  birth  from  God"  (i.  13)  does  not 
suit  the  context.  The  reality  of  the  new  birth 
has  to  be  laid  down  first,  and  then  its  charac- 
ter (v.  5).  The  emphasis  lies  on  "to  be 
born."  This  too  was  evidently  the  sense  in 
which  Nicodemus  understood  the  sentence 
(a  second  time).  If  he  had  found  a  reference 
to  the  divine  action  in  the  Lord's  words  he 
could  not  have  left  it  unnoticed.  There  seems 
then  to  be  no  reason  to  doubt  that  the  sense 
given  by  the  Vulgate  and  A.  V.  is  right, 
though  the  notion  is  not  that  of  mere  repetition 
(again),  but  of  an  analogous  process  (anew). 

14.  The  narrative  of  the  setting  up  of  the 
brazen  serpent  (Num.  xxi.  46*.)  presents  at  first 
sight  several  difficulties.  The  use  of  an  image  in 
spite  of  the  general  prohibition,  and  that  image 
the  image  of  a  serpent,  is  mysterious.  Justin 
Martyr  presses  his  Jewish  opponent  with  this 
apparent  violation  of  the  divine  law,  and  asks 
for  an  explanation.  "  We  cannot  give  one," 
is  the  answer :  "  I  have  often  asked  my  teachers 
about  this,  and  no  one  could  account  for  it " 
('Dial.' §94,  p.  3«B). 

The  earliest  reference  to  the  incident  is  in 
the  Book  of  Wisdom.  "[The  murmuring 
people]  were  troubled  for  a  little  while,  for 
warning,  having  a  symbol  (cn^/SoXoi/  not  ooi/i- 
£ovXov)  of  salvation,  to  remind  them  of  Thy 
commandments;  for  he  that  turned  to  it  was 
saved,  not  by  reason  of  that  which  he  beheld  (Sia 
TO  Qtvpovpevov),  but  by  reason  of  the  Saviour 
of  all"  (  Wisd.  xvi.  6  f.).  This  explanation  of 
the  efficacy  of  the  symbol  is  commonly  given 
by  Jewish  writers.  So  the  Targum  of  Jona- 
than :  "it  shall  come  to  pass  that  if  [one  bitten] 
look  upon  it,  he  shall  live,  if  his  heart  be  di- 
rected to  the  Name  of  the  Word  (Memra)  of 
the  Lord." 


64 


ST.  JOHN.    III. 


Philo  interprets  the  serpent  as  the  antithesis 
of  the  serpent  of  the  Temptation,  an  idea  which 
is  found  also  in  Rabbinic  writings.  "The  ser- 
pentof  Eve,"  hesays,  "was  pleasure:  theserpent 
of  Moses  was  temperance  (o-ox^pocrvi'j;)  or  en- 
durance (Kaprepia).  It  is  only  by  this  spirit 
of  self-denial  that  the  allurements  of  vice  are 
overcome"  ('de  Leg.  alleg.'  II.  T.  i.  pp.  80  ff.; 
'de  Agric.'T.  i.  p.  3ijf-)- 

This  interpretation  found  some  currency 
among  the  Christian  Fathers.  Ambrose,  evi- 
dently following  some  earlier  authority,  speaks 
of  "my  serpent,  the  good  serpent  (comp. 
Matt.  x.  1 6),  who  sheds  not  poison  but  its 
antidotes  from  his  mouth... The  serpent  which 
after  the  winter  is  past  puts  off  his  fleshly 
dress  (exuit  se  carports  amictu),  that  he  may 
appear  in  fair  beauty"  (In  Ps.  cxliii.  'Serm.' 

vi.  §  15). 

The  belief  that  the  serpent  was  the  emblem 
of  healing  and  life  (Knobel  on  Num.  xxi.) 
according  to  the  heathen  conception,  which 
was  developed  among  the  Ophite  sects  (comp. 
Tertull.  'de  Praescr.  Haer.'  47),  carries  out 
this  conception  to  a  more  extravagant  form. 

There  can  however  be  little  doubt  that  the 
serpent  in  Scripture  is  the  symbol  of  the  per- 
sonal power  of  evil  (Rev.  xii.  9  ff. ;  a  Cor.  xi. 
3;  Gen.  iii.  iff.);  and  that  the  central  thought 
in  the  Mosaic  narrative  is  that  of  the  evil  by 
which  the  people  suffered  being  shewn  openly 
as  overcome  (comp.  Col.  ii.  15).  He  who 
looking  upon  the  symbol  recognised  in  it  the 
sign  of  God's  conquering  power,  found  in 
himself  the  effects  of  faith.  The  evil  was  re- 
presented as  overcome  in  a  typical  form  (a 
brazen  serpent")  and  not  in  an  individual  form 
(a  natural  serpent),  and  therefore  the  applica- 
tion of  the  image  was  universal. 

If  now  we  consider  the  immediate  applica- 
tion of  the  symbol,  it  is  at  once  clear  that  by 
transferring  the  image  of  the  elevation  of  the 
serpent  to  Himself  Christ  foreshewed  that  He 
was  to  be  presented  in  some  way  conspicuous- 
ly to  men,  and  that  being  so  presented  He  was 
to  be  the  source  of  life  to  those  who  looked  to 
Him  with  faith.  So  much  Nicodemus  would 
be  able  to  gather.  Can  we  now  after  the 
event  follow  out  the  parallel  yet  further? 

The  elevation  of  the  serpent  on  the  pole,  and 
the  serpent  itself,  have  been  supposed  to  be 
directly  significant  of  the  circumstances  of  the 
death  of  Christ  upon  the  cross.  As  to  the  first 
point,  it  seems  to  be  reasonable  to  say  that  the 
mode  in  which  the  brazen  serpent  was  shewn 
to  the  eye  of  faith  aptly  prefigured  the  mode  in 
which  Christ  was  presented  to  men  with  re- 
demptive power  (comp.  xii.  32).  The  second 
point  presents  greater  difficulty,  but  it  is  fre- 
quently pressed  by  early  writers.  Thus  the 
author  of  the  Epistle  of  Barnabas  supposes 
Moses  to  address  the  people  in  these  words: 
"Whenever  any  one  of  you  is  bitten,  let  him 
come  to  the  serpent  which  is  placed  upon  the 
tree  («rl  rov  £i)Xou),  and  let  him  hope  in  faith, 


that  he  [the  symbolic  serpent]  being  dead  can 
make  alive,  and  immediately  he  shall  be  saved  " 
(Barn.  'Ep.'  xii.).  In  this  aspect  the  harm- 
lessness  of  the  typical  serpent  was  naturally 
dwelt  upon.  So  Origen  writes:  "A  brazen 
serpent  was  a  type  of  the  Saviour,"  for  He  was 
not  a  serpent  truly;  but  "represented  (tmita- 
batur)  a  serpent..."  ('Horn.  xi.  in  Ezech.' 
§  3).  Others  follow  out  this  idea  more  in  de- 
tail. For  example,  Gregory  of  Nyssa,  explain- 
ing the  history  at  some  length,  says:  "The 
law  shews  us  that  which  is  seen  upon  the  tree 
(TO  eVl  £v\ov  fyaivoptvov),  and  this  is  the  like- 
ness of  a  serpent  and  not  a  serpent,  as  also  the 
divine  Paul  saith,  'in  likeness  of  flesh  of  sin' 
(Rom.  viii.  3).  The  true  serpent  is  sin;  and 
he  that  deserts  to  sin  puts  on  the  nature  of 
the  serpent.  Man  therefore  is  freed  from  sin 
by  Him  who  assumed  (yirf\66vros)  the  form 
(eiSoj)  of  sin,  and  was  made  after  our  fashion 
(yfvopevov  naff  »fcas),  who  were  changed  to 
the  form  of  the  serpent"  ('De  vit.  Mos.'  i. 
pp.  414  f.  Migne.  Comp.  Chrys.  and  Theoph. 
ad  loc.). 

Epiphanius,  adopting  the.  same  view,  that 
the  serpent  represented  Christ,  explains  the 
connexion  quite  differently.  "The  Jews,"  he 
writes,  "treating  Christ  as  a  serpent,  were 
wounded  by  the  wiles  of  the  serpent,  that  is 
the  devil,  and  then  healing  came  to  those  who 
were  bitten,  as  by  the  lifting  up  of  the  serpent" 
('Hzr.'  xxxvil.  §  7,  pp.  273  f.)- 

Tertullian,  on  the  other  hand,  saw  in  the 
serpent  the  image  of  the  devil  slain,  though  he 
implies  that  the  figure  was  variously  interpret- 
ed in  his  time  ('de  Idol.'  v.  Comp.  'adv.  Jud.' 
x.). 

Justin  Martyr  dwells  only  upon  the  figure 
of  the  cross  (arj^tlov  LXX.),  on  which  the 
serpent  was  raised,  and  not  on  the  serpent 
itself,  as  the  emblem  of  the  Lord's  saving  Pas- 
sion ('Apol.'  I.  60,  'Dial.'  94). 

In  the  face  of  these  and  other  differences 
of  interpretation  in  detail,  it  seems  to  be  far 
best  to  compare  the  two  acts  together  as 
wholes,  the  elevation  of  the  serpent,  and  the 
elevation  of  Christ  on  the  cross,  without  at- 
tempting to  follow  out  the  comparison  of  the 
parts  separately.  The  lifting  up  of  the  ser- 
pent, as  Augustine  says,  is  the  death  of 
Christ,  the  cause  being  signified  by  the  effect 
(Aug.  'De  pecc.  mer.  et  remiss.'  I.  32).  In 
Christ  sin  was  slain,  and  he  who  had  the  power 
of  sin  (Rom.  vi.  6 ;  Col.  ii.  14).  Christ  lifted 
up  upon  the  cross  "draws  all  men  unto 
Him  for  eternal  salvation"  Ign.  (interpol.  'ad 
Smyrn.'  a).  Looking  to  Him  the  believer 
finds  life.  (Comp.  Bas.  'de  Sp.  s.'  xiv.) 

In  the  type  and  the  antitype  the  same  great 
ideas  are  conspicuous.  There  is  in  both  the  ) 
open  manifestation  of  a  source  of  healing  to 
those  smitten,  effectual  by  faith,  and  that 
under  the  form  of  a  triumph  over  the  cause  of 
suffering  when  it  has  been  allowed  to  do  its 
worst. 


ST.  JOHN.    III. 


65 


The  Jewish  writers  are  singularly  silent  as 
to  the  incident  of  the  Brazen  Serpent.  "  The 
thing  was  done  by  God's  command,  and  it  is 
not  for  us  to  inquire  into  the  why  and  where- 
fore of  the  serpent  form  "  (Aben  Ezra,  quoted 
by  Taylor, '  The  Gospel  in  the  Law,'  pp.  1 1 9  ff.). 
They  discuss  however  the  manner  in  which 
the  symbol  was  efficacious,  and  commonly 
agree  in  supposing  that  it  was  by  directing 
men  to  lift  up  their  eyes  to  their  Father  in 
heaven,  and  to  see  in  Him  the  conqueror  of 
their  enemy.  The  chief  passages  bearing  upon 
the  question  are  collected  by  the  younger  Bux- 
torf  in  his  treatise  'De  serpente  aeneo'  ('Ex- 
ercitationes,'  pp.  458  ff.  Basileae,  1659).  The 
general  interpretation  of  the  history  has  been 
frequently  discussed  at  length.  Two  essays 
may  be  mentioned:  Menken,  'Ueber  die 
eherne  Schlange,' 1811  ('Schnften'  vi.  351  ff. 
1858),  and  Erskine,  'The  Brazen  Serpent,  or 
Life  coming  through  Death,'  1831. 

NOTE  ON  READINGS  IN  CHAP.  in. 

There  are  three  readings  of  considerable 
interest  in  ch.  iii.  which  require  to  be  noticed 
in  some  detail,  as  they  involve  important 
principles  of  textual  criticism.  They  are  the 
omission  of  the  words 

(i)  v.  15,  may  not  per'ub  but  (un  diroXnrat 
d-XX'). 

(i)  v.  13,  which  it  in  heaven  (d  S>v  tv  TW 
ovpavtf). 

(3)  w.  31,  31,  is  above  all  things,  and 
(trravw  jravraiv  tort,  *ai). 

(i)  Of  these  v.  15  is  the  simplest  case,  and 
may  be  taken  first. 

The  words  in  question  are  omitted  by 
(a)  MSS. :  NBLTbi,33  and  a  few  mss. 
(/3)  torsions:  (Old  Lot.,  some),  Old  Sjr., 
Jerus.  Syr.,  Memph.,  (Aith.),  (Arm.). 
(y)  Fathers:  Cyr.  Al.,  Cypr.,  Lcfr. 
They  are  found  in 

(a)  MSS. :    A  69  and  nearly  all  other 

MSS.  and  mss.  (CD  are  defective). 
03)  Persians:   (Old   Lat.,  some),   Vulg., 

Syr.  P.  and  Hcl.,  (Arm.),  (£th.). 
(y)  Chr.,  Theodt.,  Victorin. 
The  same  words  occur  in  v.  16,  where  they 
are  omitted  by  no  early  authority  except  OldSyr. 
The  consideration  of  this  evidence  shews  that 
i.   The  only  ancient  (ante-Nicene)  evidence 
for  the  words  is  that  of  some  old  Latin  texts 
(represented  among  the  Greek  MSS.  by  69). 

a.  The  words  were  adopted  by  the  Anti- 
ochene  school  in  the  fourth  century,  and 
thence  passed  into  the  current  Greek  text. 

3.  The  origin  of  the  insertion  is  obvious ; 
while  there  was  no  cause  for  omission. 

The  words  therefore  must  be  omitted  with- 
out doubt. 

In  connexion  with  this  omission,  it  must 
be  observed  that  the  primary  authorities  are 
gix-atly  divided  as  to  the  preposition  and 
pronoun  which  precede.  We  find  etj  avrov 


K  and  mass  of  MSS.,  (Tulg.),  &c.,  «V  avVw  L, 
eV  avrov  A,  tv  aura  BT,  some  Latin  copies. 
In  v.  1 6  L  reads  tV*  aJrw. 

The  common  phrase  TTIOT.  els  avrov  evi- 
dently could  not  have  given  rise  to  these 
variations,  and  it  can  only  be  regarded  as  an 
early  correction.  Of  the  other  readings  ('v 
ayr<5  is  at  once  the  best  attested,  and  by  its 
difficulty  explains  the  tendency  to  change. 

(2)  The  problem  in  v.  13  is  more  difficult. 
The  words  are  omitted  by 
(a)  MSS. :  NBLT"33. 
09)  torsions:  (Memph.),  (^Eth.). 
(y)  Fathers:  Eus.,  Cyr.  Al.  (constantly: 
12  times.     See  Pusey,  Cyril  VH.  i, 
Pref.  p.  xx.),  Orig.  int. 
They  are  found  in 

(a)  MSS.:  (A)  and  apparently  in  all 
other  MSS.  and  mss.  (CD  are  de- 
fective). 

In  A  the  words  u>v  tv  TO>  owa>  have  been 
written  over  an  erasure,  and  it  is  supposed 
that  the  original  reading  was  o  tv  rat  oui/w. 
The  o  by  the  first  hand  is  unaltered. 

09)  torsions:   Old  Lat.,  Old  Syr.,  Vulg., 
Syr.  Pesh.  and  Hcl.,  Arm.,  (Memph.), 
(jEth.). 
(y)  Fathers:  Hippol.,  Dion.  Alex.,  Did., 

(Orig.  int.),  Novat.,  Hil.,  Lcfr. 
Here  it  will  be  seen  that  the  ancient  MSS. 
are  on  the  side  of  omission,  and  the  ancient 
versions  on  the  side  of  retention.  But  it  is 
obvious  that  an  interpretative  gloss  in  a 
version  is  easier  of  explanation  than  an  omis- 
sion in  a  copy  of  the  original  text.  Such 
glosses  are  found  not  unfrequently  in  the 
old  Latin  and  old  Syriac  copies  (e.g.  iii. 
6,  8),  though  they  are  commonly  corrected 
in  the  revised  Latin  and  Syriac  texts  of  the 
4th  (jth)  cent.  (Vulg.,  Pesh.).  In  this  case 
however  the  words  are  contained  in  the  Syrian 
Greek  text  (A),  and  so,  even  if  they  were  a 
gloss,  they  would  be  left  undisturbed  (comp. 
i».  aj).  And  the  omission  of  the  words  by 
N,  which  is  the  Greek  correlative  of  the  old 
Lat.  and  old  Syr.,  greatly  detracts  from  their 
weight  here.  In  regard  to  the  Patristic  evi- 
dence, the  constant  usage  of  Cyril  balances 
the  quotations  of  Dionysius  and  Didymus. 
On  the  whole,  therefore,  there  seems  to  be  no 
reason  for  deserting  the  Greek  authorities, 
which  have  been  found  unquestionably  right 
in  (i) ;  the  words  being  thus  regarded  as  a  very 
early  (and  cent.)  insertion.  There  was  no 
motive  for  omission ;  and  the  thought  which 
they  convey  is  given  in  i.  18. 

(3)  The  third  case,  -w.  31,  32,  is  of  a 
different  kind.  Of  the  words  in  question  /cat  is 
omitted  by  overwhelming  authority,  and  may 
be  set  aside  at  once. 

The  words  inava>  irdvrav  tort  are  omitted  by 
(a)  MSS. :  K1D  i  and  a  few  mss. 
(/3)  torsions:  (Old  Lat.),  OldSyr.,  Arm. 
(y)  Fathers:  Orig.,  Eus.,  (Tert.),  Hil. 


66 


ST.  JOHN.    IV. 


— 5- 


They  are  found  in 

(a)  MSS.:  N'AELTb  and  all  others  (C 
is  defective). 

O)  Versions:    (Old  Lat.,  some),  Vulg., 

Memph.,  Syr.  P.  and  Hcl.,  ^Eth. 
(y)  Fathers:    (Orig.),    Chrys.,  (Tert), 
(Orig.  int.). 

The  authorities  for  omission  represent  the 
most  ancient  element  (Old  Lat.,  Old  Syr., 
with  K  and  D)  of  the  authorities  for  the 
insertion  of  the  disputed  words  in  (a).  It 
appears,  however,  from  an  examination  of 
all  the  cases  of  omission  by  this  group  (e.g. 


iv.  9),  that  its  weight  is  far  greater  for  omis- 
sion than  for  the  addition  or  the  substitution 
of  words.  In  this  case  the  motive  (i)  for 
the  repetition  of  e-navat  Trdvriov  (<rriv,  and 
then  (a)  for  the  addition  of  nai,  is  sufficiently 
clear.  The  words  therefore  cannot  but  be 
regarded  with  great  suspicion ;  and  the  sense 
certainly  does  not  lose  by  their  absence.  On 
the  contrary,  the  opposition  of  o  a>v  CK  TTJS 
yfjs  fK  rrjs  yrjs  XaXet  to  o  eVc  TOV  ovpavov  fp\o- 

[MfVOS    O     fOJpClKfV    KOl    T)KOV<rfV    TOVTO    flOpTVpfl 

becomes  far  more  impressive  if  the  words  in 
question  are  omitted. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

I  Christ  talketh  with  a  woman  of  Samaria, 
and  revealeth  himself  unto  her.  27  His 
disciples  marvel.  31  He  dedareth  to  them 
his  zeal  to  God's  glory.  39  Many  Sama- 
ritans believe  on  him.  43  He  departeth  into 
Galilee,  and  healeth  the  ruler's  son  that  lay 
sick  at  Capernaum. 

HEN  therefore  the  Lord  knew 
how  the  Pharisees  had  heard 


w 


that  Jesus  made  and  baptized  more 
disciples  than  John, 

2  (Though  Jesus  himself  baptized 
not,  but  his  disciples,) 

3  He   left   Judaea,    and   departed 
again  into  Galilee. 

4  And  he  must  needs  go  through 
Samaria. 

5  Then  cometh  he  to  a  city  of  Sa- 


i.    THE  WORK  IN  SAMARIA  (iv.  i — 44). 

This  section  consists  of  three  parts.  The 
opening  verses  (i — 3)  form  the  historical 
transition  from  the  notice  of  the  teaching  in 
Judaea  (iii.  22  ff.).  This  is  followed  by  the 
detailed  account  of  the  Lord's  conversation 
with  the  Samaritan  woman  (4 — 38),  and  by  a 
summary  of  His  intercourse  with  the  people 
(39—42). 

The  whole  section  is  peculiar  to  St  John, 
and  bears  evident  traces  of  being  the  record  of 
an  eye-witness.  Other  notices  of  the  Lord's 
dealing  with  Samaritans  are  found  Luke  ix. 
j  a  ff.,  xvii.  16.  Gomp.  Luke  x.  33. 

CHAP.  IV.  1—3.  The  Lord  changes  the 
scene  of  His  ministry  that  He  may  avoid  a 
premature  collision  with  the  Pharisaic  party. 
Gomp.  vii.  i,  x.  39  f. 

These  verses  serve  as  a  transition  passage. 
The  Lord  left  Judaea,  as  He  had  left  Jerusa- 
lem, and  went  again  to  Galilee,  there  to  carry 
on  His  prophet's  work. 

1.  When  therefore  the  Lord  knew..."]  The 
word  therefore  carries  back  the  reader  to  the 
narrative,  iii.  aa  ff.  The  action  which  roused 
controversy  was  necessarily  notorious.  Nothing 
implies  that  the  knowledge  of  the  Lord  was 
supernatural  (see  ii.  24,  note).  It  could  not 
but  be  that  as  Christ's  work  spread,  He  should 
become  acquainted  with  the  thoughts  which 
it  revealed  outside  the  circle  of  His  disciples. 

the  Lord]  The  absolute  title  occurs  in  the 
narrative  of  St  John,  vi.  23,  xi.  ^,  xx.  20. 
Comp.  xx.  a,  13,  18,  35,  xxi.  7.  It  is  found 
also  not  unfrequently  in  the  narrative  of  St 
Luke,  x.  i,  xvii.  5  f.,  xxii.  61,  &c. 


the  Pharisees'}  It  they  heard  of  the  success 
of  Christ's  teaching,  and  the  word  perhaps 
implies  that  they  continued  to  observe  the  new 
Prophet  who  had  appeared  at  Jerusalem, 
there  could  be  no  doubt  how  they  would 
regard  Him.  It  is  worthy  of  notice  that  St 
John  never  notices  (by  name)  the  Sadducees 
or  the  Herodians.  The  Pharisees  were  the 
true  representatives  of  the  unbelieving  nation. 

The  direct  form  of  the  sentence  reproduces 
the  message  which  was  brought  to  them: 
Jesus  [whose  name  they  knew]  IB  making 
and  baptizing  more  disciples  than  John. 

than  John]  had  done,  as  by  this  time  he 
was  probably  thrown  into  prison.  Though 
John  had  more  points  of  contact  with  the 
Pharisees  than  Christ,  coming  as  he  did  in  the 
<wqy  of  righteousness,  even  he  had  excited 
their  apprehensions.  Gf.  Matt.  xxi.  32. 

2.  Though  (And  yet,  KaiToiyi)  Jesus..."] 
The  words  are  a  correction  of  the  report 
which  has  been  just  quoted.  Comp.  iii.  a  6. 
Christ  did  not  personally  baptize  (comp.  iii. 
aa)  because  this  Judaic  baptism  was  simply 
a  symbolic  act,  the  work  of  the  servant  and 
not  of  the  Lord.  The  sacrament  of  baptism 
presupposes  the  Death  and  Resurrection  ot 
Christ.  This  is  very  well  set  forth  by  Ter- 
tullian,  'de  Bapt.'  11. 


3.  He  left]  The  original  word 
is  a  very  remarkable  one  (/caraXeiVw  might 
have  been  expected,  Matt.  iv.  13,  Heb.  xi.  a  7)  ; 
and  there  is  no  exact  parallel  in  the  New 
Test,  to  this  usage  (yet  compare  ch.  xvi.  28). 
The  general  idea  which  it  conveys  seems  to  be 
that  of  leaving  anything  to  itself,  to  its  own 


v.  6,  7.] 


ST.  JOHN.    IV. 


maria,  which  is  called  Sychar,  near  to  Jesus  therefore,  being  wearied  with 

"sTlul.3'  the  parcel  of  ground  a  that  Jacob  gave  his  journey,   sat  thus  on   the  well: 

.  josh,    to  his  son  Joseph.  and  it  was  about  the  sixth  hour. 

6    Now   Jacob's  well  was   there.         7  There  cometh  a  woman  of  Sa- 


wishes,  ways,  fate ;  of  withdrawing  whatever 
controlling  power  was  exercised  before.  Christ 
had  claimed  Jerusalem  as  the  seat  of  His  royal 
power,  and  Judaea  as  His  kingdom.  That 
claim  He  now  in  one  sense  gave  up. 

again}  The  reference  is  to  i.  43.  There 
was  a  danger  of  confusing  these  two  visits  to 
Galilee  in  the  S)moptic  accounts.  St  John 
therefore  sharply  distinguishes  them. 

into  Galilee}  Where  His  preaching  would 
excite  less  hostility  on  the  part  of  the  religious 
heads  of  the  people,  while  they  would  also 
have  less  power  there. 

The  Conversation  with  the  Woman  of  Samaria 
(4-38). 

The  record  of  the  conversation  consists  of 
two  main  parts,  (i)  the  account  of  the  con- 
versation itself  (4 — 26),  and  (2)  the  account 
of  its  issues  (27—38),  both  immediately  (27— 
30),  and  in  its  spiritual  lessons  (31 — 38). 

The  whole  passage  forms  a  striking  contrast 
and  complement  to  iii.  i — 21.  The  woman, 
the  Samaritan,  the  sinner,  is  placed  over  against 
the  Rabbi,  the  ruler  of  the  Jews,  the  Pharisee. 
The  nature  of  worship  takes  the  place  of  the 
necessity  of  the  new  birth ;  yet  so  that  either 
truth  leads  up  to  the  other.  The  new  birth  is 
the  condition  for  entrance  into  the  Kingdom : 
true  worship  flows  from  Christ's  gift. 

There  is  at  the  same  time  a  remarkable 
similarity  of  method  in  Christ's  teaching  in 
the  two  cases.  Immediate  circumstances,  the 
wind  and  the  water,  furnished  present  parables, 
through  which  deeper  thoughts  were  suggested, 
fitted  to  call  out  the  powers  and  feelings  of  a 
sympathetic  listener. 

The  mode  in  which  the  Lord  dealt  with 
the  woman  finds  a  parallel  in  the  Synoptic 
Gospels,  Luke  vii.  37  ff.  Comp.  Matt.  xxvi. 
6  ff.  The  other  scattered  notices  of  the  Lord's 
intercourse  with  women  form  a  fruitful  sub- 
ject for  study,  ch.  xi.,  xx.  14  ff. ;  Matt.  ix.  20 
and  parallels,  xv.  22  ff.  and  parallels,  xxvii.  55 
and  parallels,  xxviii.  9  f. ;  Luke  viii.  2  f.,  x. 
38  ff.,  xi.  27  f.,  xiii.  ii  ff. 

4 — 26.  The  order  of  thought  in  the  con- 
versation is  perfectly  natural.  A  simple  re- 
quest raises  the  question  of  the  difference  of 
Jew  and  Samaritan  (4 — 9).  The  thought  of 
this  difference  gives  occasion  to  the  suggestion 
of  a  unity  springing  from  a  gift  of  love  greater 
than  that  of  "a  cup  of  cold  water"  (v.  10). 
How  can  such  a  gift  be  conceived  of  ?  how 
can  a  poor  wayfarer  provide  it  (v.  n  f.)  ? 
The  answer  lies  in  the  description  of  its  work- 
ing (vv.  13  f.).  Then  follows  the  personal 
petition  (v.  15),  followed  by  the  personal 

New  Test.— VOL.  II. 


conviction  (w.  16  ff.),  and  confession  (v.  19). 
This  leads  to  the  expression  of  a  central 
religious  difficulty  (-v.  20),  which  Christ 
resolves  (21—24).  Hereupon  the  word  of  ' 
faith  (v.  25)  is  crowned  by  the  self-revelation 
of  Christ  (i;.  26).  /) 

4.  must  needs']   i.e.  this  was  the  natural 
route  from  Jerusalem  to  Galilee.     Josephus 
('Antiq.'  xx.  5.  i)  speaks  of  it  as  that  usually 
adopted  by  Galilaean   pilgrims;    and  in  one 
place  uses  the  same  phrase  as  St  John :  "Those 
who  wish  to  go  away  quickly  [from  Galilee 
to  Jerusalem]  must  needs  (?Se()  go  through 
Samaria,  for  in  this  way  it  is  possible  to  reach 
Jerusalem  from  Galilee  in  three  days"  ('  Vita,' 
§  52).    Sometimes  travellers  went  on  the  other 
side  of  Jordan.     Comp.  Luke  ix.  52  f.     This 
"passing  through"  gave  occasion  fora  pro- 
phetic revelation  of  the  future  extension  of  the 
Gospel  (comp.  Acts  i.  8),  and  stands  in  no 
opposition  to  the  special  charge  to  the  Apostles, 
Matt.  x.  5. 

5.  Then  cometh  he... ,]  So  (oi^)  lie  cometh... 
a   city...<which  is  called  Sychar...']   a  city 

called  Sychar,  as  xi.  54;  Matt.  ii.  23.  The 
term  "  city  "  is  used  widely,  as  in  the  passages 
quoted,  and  does  not  imply  any  considerable 
size,  but  rather  one  of  the  "  little  walled  vil- 
lages with  which  every  eminence  is  crowned." 

Sjrchar"]  This  name  has  been  commonly 
regarded  as  an  intentional  corruption  of  Sichem 
(Acts  vii.  1 6,  Shechem,  Neapo/is,  Nablous)  as 
signifying  either  "drunken-town"  (Isai. 
xxviii,  i,  ~>3£')  or  "lying-town"  (Hab.  ii.  18, 
^\?$)-  But  the  earlier  writers  (e.g.  Euseb. 
4  Onom.'  s.  v.)  distinguish  Shechem  and  Sy- 
char; and  the  latter  is  said  to  lie  "in  front  of 
Neapolis."  Moreover  a  place  Sychar  ("O1D  \>V 
,~Q1D  ,  KID  ID)  is  mentioned  several  times  in 
the  Talmud ;  and  it  is  scarcely  possible  that 
so  famous  a  place  as  Shechem  would  be 
referred  to  as  Sychar  is  referred  to  here. 
There  is  at  present  a  village,  ''Askar,  which 
corresponds  admirably  with  the  required  site. 
The  name  appears  in  a  transitional  form  in  a 
Samaritan  Chronicle  of  the  i2th  cent,  as 
Iskar  (Conder,  in  '  Palestine  Exploration  Re- 
port,' 1877,  P-  15°)-  Compare  Delitzsch 
'Ztschr.  f.  Luth.  Theol.'  1856,  pp.  240  ff, 
who  has  collected  the  Talmudic  passages. 

the  parcel  of  ground  (^captov,  Vulg.  pratdium, 
comp.  Matt.  xxvi.  36)... Joseph'}  Comp.  Gen. 
xxxiii.  19,  xlviii.  22  (xxxiv.  25) ;  Josh.  xxiv. 
32.  The  blessing  of  Jacob  treated  the  purchase 
which  he  had  made,  and  the  warlike  act  of 
his  sons  in  the  district,  as  a  pledge  of  the 
future  conquests  of  the  sons  of  Joseph,  to 


68 


ST.  JOHN.    IV. 


[v.  8,  9. 


maria   to   draw   water:    Jesus   saith 
unto  her,  Give  me  to  drink. 

8    (For   his   disciples   were   gone 
away  unto  the  city  to  buy  meat.) 


9  Then  saith  the  woman  of  Sa- 
maria unto  him,  How  is  it  that  thou, 
being  a  Jew,  askest  drink  of  me, 
which  am  a  woman  of  Samaria  ?  for 


whom  he  gives  the  region  as  a  portion 
The  LXX.  play  upon  the  word  and  introduce 
Shechem  (StKtjuu)  as  the  substantial  (not  literal) 
rendering.  In  recognition  of  the  promise  the 
bones  of  Joseph  were  deposited  at  Shechem 
on  the  occupation  of  Palestine  (Josh.  xxiv.  32  ; 
Acts  vii.  15,  1 6). 

6.  Jacob's  well]  Jacob's  spring.  The  word 
"  spring  "  (71-17717,  rV)  Vulg.  fans')  is  used  here 
(twice)  and  in  v.  14.     Comp.  James  iii.  n 
(j3pv«)  ;  Rev.  vii.  17,  xxi.  6,  and  well  ($p«ap, 
"1N2,  puteus)  in  w.  n,  12.     Comp.  Rev.  ix. 
i,  2.     Both  names  are  still  given  to  the  well, 
Am  Takub  and  Bir-el-Yakub.    The  labour  of 
constructing  the  well  in  the  neighbourhood  of 
abundant  natural  springs,  shews  that  it  was 
the  work  of  a  "stranger  in  the  land."    Comp. 
Gen.  xxvi.   19.     Lieut.  Anderson,  who  de- 
scended to  the  bottom  in  May,  1866,  found 
it  then  seventy-five  feet  deep  and  quite  dry. 
"It  is,"   he  says,    "lined  throughout  with 
rough  masonry,  as  it  is  dug  in  alluvial  soil " 
(Warren's     '  Recovery    of    Jerusalem,'    pp. 
464  f.).      The  well  is  now  being  carefully 
examined  and  restored  under  the  direction  of 
the  Palestine  Exploration  Society  ('Report,' 
1877,  p.  72). 

/      (wearied']     It  is  important  to  notice  in  St 

John  the  clearest  traces  of  the  Lord's  perfect 

1  manhood.     He  alone  preserves  the  word  "  I 

thirst"  in  the  account  of  the  Passion,  xix.  28. 

thus]  The  word  may  mean  (i)  either  "  thus 
wearied  as  He  was,"  or  (2)  simply,  just  as  He 
was,  without  preparation  or  further  thought. 
In  the  former  sense  it  would  have  been  natural 
that  the  adverb  should  precede  the  verb 
(OVTCDS  eW?e£eTo)  as  in  Acts  vii.  8,  xx.  u, 
xxvii.  17. 

on  the  well]  by  the  spring  (eVi,  ch.  v.  2). 

and  it  was... the  sixth  hour]  The  clause 
stands  by  itself:  It  was...  The  time  indi- 
cated is  probably  six  in  the  evening.  The 
night  would  not  close  so  rapidly  as  to  make 
the  subsequent  description  (v.  35)  impossible. 
Compare  Additional  Note  on  ch.  xix. 

7.  a  woman  of  Samaria]     A  woman,  and 
as  such  lightly  regarded  by  the  popular  doc- 
tors (comp.  i).  27):  a  Samaritan,  and  as  such 

/despised  by  the  Jews.    Thas^rejudices  of  sex 

__  /.and  nation  were  broken  downBy  this  first 

j  teaching  of  the  Lord  beyond  the  limit  of  the 

I  chosen  people.    Yet  more,  the  woman  was 

not  only  an  alien,  but  also  poor;  for  to  draw 

water  was  no  longer,  as  in  patriarchal  times 

(Gen.  xxiv.  15,  xxix.  9  ff.;  Exod.  ii.  16  f.; 

comp.  Tristram,  'Land  of  Israel,'  pp.  25  f.), 

the  work  of  women  of  station. 


The  later  legends  give  the  woman  the  sig- 
nificant name  Photina. 

Give  me  to  dr'mk~\  The  request  must  be 
taken  in  its  literal  and  obvious  meaning  (>v.  6) ; 
but  at  the  same  time  to  ask  was  in  this  case 
to  give.  The  Teacher  first  met  His  hearer  on 
the  common  ground  of  simple  humanity,  and 
conceded  to  her  the  privilege  of  conferring  a 
favour. 

8.  For  his   disciples']      If  they   had   been 
present  they  could  have  supplied  the  want. 
"Something  to  draw  with"  (v.  n),  a  "bucket" 
of  skin,  often  found  by  the  well  sides,  would 
form  naturally  part  of  the  equipment  of  the 
little  travelling  party.     This  seems  to  be  a 
better  explanation  of  the  reason  than  to  sup- 
pose that  the  absence  of  the  disciples  gave  the 
opportunity  for  the  conversation. 

•were  gone  away]  Perhaps  St  John  remain- 
ed with  Christ.  The  narrative  is  more  like 
that  of  an  eye-witness  than  a  secondary  ac- 
count derived  from  the  woman,  or  even  from 
the  Lord  Himself.  Yet  it  may  be  urged  that 
•v.  33  naturally  suggests  that  the  Lord  had 
been  left  alone. 

meat]  i.e.  food,  as  commonly  (Matt.  iii.  4, 
vi.  25,  £c.),  but  here  only  in  the  New  Testa- 
ment in  the  plural.  Eggs,  fruit,  and  the  like 
might  be  purchased  from  Samaritans,  as  they 
could  not  contract  defilement.  Compare 
Lightfoot  on  -v.  4.  The  later  rules  however 
were  stricter.  "To  eat  the  bread  of  a  Sama- 
ritan" it  was  said  "was  as  eating  the  flesh 
of  swine." 

9.  Then  saith  the  'woman  of  Samaria... ~\ 
The  Samaritan  woman  therefore  saith 
...    The  form  in  this  verse  (»;'  y.  77  2a/xapems) 
is  different  from  that  in  -v.  7  (y.  eVc  rfjs  2.). 
The  stress  is  laid  on  character  as  implied  in 
national  descent  and  not  on  mere  local  con- 
nexion. 

The  strangeness  of  the  request  startles  the 
woman;  "What  further,"  she  seems  to  ask, 
"lies  behind  this  request?"  The  original  is 
perfectly  symmetrical  (thou  which  art  a  Jew 
...of  me  which  am  a  Samaritan  woman...*). 
There  is  force  also  in  the  distinct  addition  of 
the  word  woman  (yvvo.iK.6s).  That  the  request 
was  made  not  only  of  a  Samaritan  but  of  a 
woman  completed  the  wonder  of  the  questioner. 

thou,  being  a  Jew}  Some  peculiarity  of 
dress  or  dialect  or  accent  would  shew  this 
(comp.  Mark  xiv.  70). 

for  the  Jews  have  no  dealings  with  the  Samari- 
tans'] for  Jews. ..with  Samaritans.  These 
words,  which  are  omitted  by  an  important 
group  of  ancient  authorities,  are,  if  genuine, 


V.    10,  II.] 


ST.  JOHN.    IV. 


69 


the  Jews  have  no  dealings  with  the 
Samaritans. 

10  Jesus  answered  and  said  unto 
her,  If  thou  knewest  the  gift  of  God, 
and  who  it  is  that  saith  to  thee,  Give 
me  to  drink;  thou  wouldest  have 


asked  of  him,  and    he  would   have 
given  thee  living  water. 

ii  The  woman  saith  unto  him, 
Sir,  thou  hast  nothing  to  draw  with, 
and  the  well  is  deep:  from  whence 
then  hast  thou  that  living  water? 


an  explanatory  note  of  the  Evangelist.  In 
this  relation  the  present  form  (have  no  deal- 
ings) is  remarkable.  The  origin  of  the  hos- 
tility of  the  two  peoples,  which  lasts  to  the 
present  day,  may  be  traced  to  the  Assyrian 
colonisation  of  the  land  of  Israel  (2  K.  xvii. 
24).  From  this  followed  the  antagonism  of  the 
Samaritans  to  the  Jews  at  the  Return  (Ezra 
iv.,  Neh.  vi.,  which  led  to  the  erection  of  a 
rival  temple  on  Mount  Gerizim.  Comp. 
Ecclus.  L  25,  26.  'Diet,  of  Bible,'  HI. 
p.  1117. 

have... dealings']  The  original  word  (ayy- 
Xptavrai,  Vulg.  coutuntur)  suggests  the  relations 
of  familiar  intercourse  and  not  of  business. 
Offices  of  kindness  were  not  expected  between 
Jews  and  Samaritans.  The  spirit  of  religious 
bitterness  still  lingers  on  the  spot.  "On  ask- 
ing drink  from  a  woman  [near  Nablous]  who 
was  filling  her  pitcher,  we  were  angrily  and 
churlishly  refused: — 'The  Christian  dogs  might 
get  it  for  themselves'"  (Tristram,  'Land  of 
Israel,'  p.  134,  ed.  3). 

10.  If  tbou  knewest  (hadst  known) 
the  gift  of  God...']  The  words  are,  as  com- 
monly in  St  John  s  Gospel,  an  answer  to  the 
essential  idea  of  the  foregoing  question.  The 
woman  had  sought  an  explanation  of  the  mar- 
vel that  a  Jew  should  ask  a  favour  of  a  Sama- 
ritan woman.  This  however,  as  she  dimly 
guessed,  was  only  a  part  of  the  new  mystery. 
The  frank  appeal  to  a  human  charity  deeper 
than  religious  antagonism  did  indeed  indicate 
a  possibility  of  union  greater  than  hope.  Had 
she  known  what  God  had  now  done  for  men, 
and  who  that  Jewish  Teacher  was  whom  she 
saw,  she  would  herself  have  boldly  asked  of 
Him  a  favour  far  greater  than  He  had  asked  of 
her,  and  would  have  received  it  at  once:  she 
would  have  become  the  petitioner,  and  not 
have  wondered  at  the  petition:  her  present 
difficulty  would  have  been  solved  by  her  ap- 
prehension of  the  new  revelation  which  had 
been  made  not  to  Jew  or  Samaritan  but  to 
man.  Had  she  known  the  gift  of  God,  the 
gift  of  His  Son  (iii.  16)  in  which  was  included 
all  that  man  could  want,  she  would  have  felt 
that  needs  of  which  she  was  partly  conscious 
(v.  25)  could  at  length  be  satisfied.  Had  she 
known  who  it  was  that  said  to  her,  Give  me 
to  drink,  she  would  have  laid  open  her  prayer 
to  Him  without  reserve  or  doubt,  assured  of 
His  sympathy  and  help. 

the  gift]  The  word  here  used  (8«pea) 
occurs  only  in  this  place  in  the  Gospels. 


It  carries  with  it  something  of  the  idea  of 
bounty,  honour,  privilege ;  and  is  used  of  the 
gift  of  the  Spirit  (Acts  ii.  38,  viii.  20,  x.  45, 
xi.  17),  and  of  the  gift  of  redemption  in 
Christ  (Rom.  v.  15  ;  a  Cor.  ix.  15),  mani- 
fested in  various  ways  (Eph.  iii.  7,  iv.  7; 
Hebr.  vi.  4).  This  usage  shews  that  there 
is  here  a  general  reference  to  the  blessings 
given  to  men  in  the  revelation  of  the  Son,  and 
not  a  simple  description  of  what  was  given  to 
the  woman  in  the  fact  of  her  interview  with 
Christ.  "The  gift  of  God"  is  all  that  is 
freely  offered  in  the  Son. 

tbou  wouldest  have  asked]  The  pronoun  is 
emphatic  (crii  av  rjr.). 

living  water] '  that  is  perennial,  springing 
from  an  unfailing  source  (Gen.  xxvi.  19),  ever 
flowing  fresh  (Lev.  xiv.  5).  The  request 
which  Christ  had  made  furnished  the  idea  of  a 
parable;  the  bodily  want  whereby  He  suffered 
suggested  an  image  of  the  spiritual  blessing 
which  He  was  ready  to  bestow. 

The  Jews  were  already  familiar  with  the 
application  of  the  phrase  (living  water)  to  the. 
quickening  energies  which  proceed  from  God 
(Zech.  xiv.  8;  Jer.  ii.  13,  xvii.  13.  Comp. 
v.  14,  note),  though  it  may  be  doubtful  how 
far  the  prophetic  language  would  be  known 
to  Samaritans,  Here  the  words  indicate  that 
which  on  the  divine  side  answers  to  the 
spiritual  thirst,  the  aspirations  of  men  for 
fellowship  with  God.  This  under  various 
aspects  may  be  regarded  as  the  Revelation  of 
the  Truth,  or  the  gift  of  the  Holy  Spirit, 
individually  or  socially,  or  whatever,  accord- 
ing to  varying  circumstances,  leads  to  that  > 
eternal  life  (v.  14)  which  consists  in  the  Y 
knowledge  of  God  and  His  Son  Jesus  Christ 
V(*vii.  3).  /] 

11,  12.  The  woman's  answer  is  in  spirit 
exactly  like  the  first.  Her  thoughts  reach 
forward  to  some  truth  which  she  feels  to  be  as 
yet  far  from  her.  How  can  she  conceive  of 
the  gift?  The  well  of  Jacob  is,  in  one  sense, 
a  well  of  "living  water,"  yet  it  cannot  be 
that  which  supplies  the  Speaker  with  His  gift, 
for  "the  well  is  deep,"  and  He  has  "nothing 
to  draw  with."  He  offers  in  word  that  for 
which  He  asks.  How  again  can  she  conceive 
of  Him  who  speaks  to  her?  He  is  wearied 
and  thirsty,  and  yet  professes  to  command  re- 
sources which  were  sealed  to  the  patriarchs. 

11.  the  well  is  deep]  The  well  is  at  pre- 
sent partially  choked  up  with  rubbish.  See 
v.  6,  note.  In  Maundrell's  time  (March, 

F2 


;o 


ST.  JOHN.   IV. 


[v.  12—15. 


12  Art  thou  greater  than  our  father 
Jacob,  which  gave  us  the  well,  and 
drank  thereof  himself,  and  his  chil- 
dren, and  his  cattle? 

13  Jesus  answered  and  said  unto 
her,  Whosoever  drinketh  of  this  wa- 
ter shall  thirst  again : 


14  But  whosoever  drinketh  of  the 
water  that  I  shall  give  him  shall  never 
thirst;    but   the   water   that  I    shall 
give  him   shall  be  in  him  a  well  of 
water   springing  up  into  everlasting 
life. 

15  The  woman  saith  unto  him, 


1697),  it  was  105  feet  deep  and  had  fifteen 
feet  of  water  in  it.  Dr  Tristram  found  in 
it  only  "wet  mud"  in  December  ('Land  of 
Israel,'  p.  143,  ed.  3),  but  towards  the  end  of 
February  it  was  "full  of  water"  (id.  p.  401). 
that  living  water]  Simply  tlxe  living 
water,  whereof  thou  speakest. 

12.  Art  thou~\     The  pronoun  is  emphatic: 
"Art  thou,  a  poor,  wearied  traveller,  of  more 
commanding  power  than  the  patriarch  who 
gained  by  labour  what  he  gave  us?" 

our  father  Jacob']  The  Samaritans  claimed 
descent  from  Joseph  as  representing  the  ancient 
tribes  of  Ephraim  and  Manasseh.  (Joseph. 
'Ant.'  XI.  8.  6.) 

gave  us]  left,  that  is,  to  his  descendants 
as  a  precious  heritage.  The  tradition  is  inde- 
pendent of  the  Old  Testament. 

children]  sons,  the  special  representatives 
of  his  house. 

cattle]  The  original  word  (0pe'/z/iara,  Vulg. 
pecora)  may  mean  slaves,  but  the  sense  given 
in  A.  V.  is  more  natural.  The  well  was 
sufficient  for  large  wants.  The  word  occurs 
here  only  in  the  New  Testament,  and  is  not 
found  in  LXX. 

13,  14.     The  words  of  Christ  carry  on  the 
parable  of  the  tenth  verse,  and  in  doing  so. 
still  answer  the  thought  and  not  the  words  of 
the  woman.     They  imply  that  she  had  felt 
rightly  that  it  was  some  other  water  than  that 
for  which  Christ  asked  which  He  was  waiting 
to  give:  that  one  greater  than  Jacob  was  there. 
The  water  which  the  patriarch  had  drunk  and 
given  satisfied  a  want  for  the  moment:  the 
living  water  satisfied  a  want  for  ever,  and  in 
such  a  way  that  a  fresh  and  spontaneous  source 
supplied  each  recurrent  need  of  refreshment. 

The  mode  in  which  the  new  thought  is 
developed  corresponds  exactly  with  vi.  49  f. 

13.  Whosoever]      More    exactly,    Every 
one  that...    The  form  of  expression  is  con- 
trasted with   the  hypothetical   whosoever  in 
v.  14.     "With  this  change  of  form  follows 
also  a  change  of  tense  (6  irivu>v= habitual;  3? 
ai>  7ri»/  =  once  for  all). 

of  this  water]  pointing  to  the  well. 

14.  that  I  shall  give]     The  pronoun  in 
the  first  case  is  emphatic  and  carries  the  an- 
swer to  the  contrast  which  the  woman  had 
drawn  between  Jacob  and  Christ.    The  gift, 
consequent  in  its  realisation  upon  the  fulfil- 


ment of  Christ's  work,  is  still  future 

Sword)). 

shall  never. . .]  The  phrase  (ov  /w;. .  .(Is  rov 
at<5i/a)  is  a  very  remarkable  one,  and  recurs 
viii.  51,  53,  x.  28,  xi.  »6,  xiii.  8.  Elsewhere 
it  is  found  in  the  New  Testament  in  i  Cor. 
viii.  13,  where  the  translation  "I  will  eat  no 
flesh  while  the  world  standeth"  expresses  the 
literal  force  of  the  words. 

thirst]  in  the  sense  of  feeling  the  pain  ot 
an  unsatisfied  want,  Rev.  vii.  16.  But  the 
divine  life  and  the  divine  wisdom  bring  no 
satiety,  Ecclus.  xxiv.  21. 

shall  be...  a  well  of  water  ...everlasting 
life]  shall  become. ..a  spring  of  water... 
eternal  life.  1 1  shall  not  serve  for  the  moment 
only,  but  shall  also  preserve  power  to  satisfy 
'all  future  wants  if  it  be  appropriated  by  the 
receiver.  The  communication  of  the  divine 
energy,  as  a  gift  of  life,  necessarily  manifests 
itself  in  life.  The  blessing  welcomed  proves  a 
spring  of  blessing,  which  rises  towards  and 
issues  in  eternal  life-  for  this  is  as  the  infinite 
ocean  in  which  all  divine  gifts  find  their  end' 
and  consummation.  The  life  comes  from  the' 
Source  of  life  and  ascends  to  Him  again. 

The  image  is  developed  in  three  stages. 
Christ's  gift  is  as  a  spring  of  water,  of  water 
leaping  up  in  rich  abundance,  and  that  not 
perishing  or  lost  but  going  forth  to  the  noblest 
fulfilment. 

springing  up  into]  The  original  word  (dX- 
Xo/i€i/ov  eiy)  describes  the  "  leaping"  of  a  thing 
of  life,  and  not  the  mere  "gushing  up"  of  a 
fountain. 

There  is  a  Jewish  saying  that  "when  the 
Prophets  speak  of  water  they  mean  the  Law" 
(Wlinsche,  ad  Ioc.~).  The  Incarnate  Word 
was  what  the  Scribes  wished  to  make  the 
Scriptures.  Compare  also  '  Aboth,'  I.  4  ;  iz. 

15.  The  relation  of  the  persons  is  now  chang-  ' 
ed.  A  greater  want  supersedes  the  less.  The 
woman  is  no  longer  able  to  follow  the  thoughts 
which  lie  before  her  in  their  mysterious  depth ; 
but  at  least  she  can  ask  for  the  gift  which  has 
already  been  assured  to  her  (v.  10).  She 
seeks  a  favour  in  turn  before  she  has  granted 
that  which  was  sought  of  her.  Sir,  give  me 
this  water,  that  I  thirst  not,  neither  come 
hither  to  draw.  The  gift  appeared  to  her  to 
have  two  virtues,  corresponding  to  the  two- 
fold description  just  given  of  it.  It  would 
satisfy  her  own  personal  wants :  and  it  would 
also,  as  being  a  source  of  blessing  no  less  than 


v.  1 6 — 20.] 


ST.  JOHN.   IV. 


Sir,  give  me  this  water,  that  I  thirst 
not,  neither  come  hither  to  draw. 

1 6  Jesus  saith  unto  her,  Go,  call 
thy  husband,  and  come  hither. 

1 7  The  woman  answered  and  said, 
I  have  no  husband.     Jesus  said  unto 
her,  Thou  hast  well  said,  I  have  no 
husband : 

1 8  For  thou  hast  had  five  hus- 


bands ;  and  he  whom  thou  now  hast 
is  not  thy  husband:  in  that  saidst 
thou  truly. 

19  The  woman  saith  unto  him, 
Sir,  I  perceive  that  thou  art  a  prophet. 

20  Our  fathers  worshipped  in  this 
mountain ;  and  ye  say,  that  in  *  Jeru-  *  D««-  '*• 
salem  is  the  place  where  men  ought s* 

to  worship. 


a  blessing,  enable  her  to  satisfy  the  wants  of 
those  to  whom  she  had  to  minister. 

come  hither]  The  original  word  according 
to  the  best  authorities  (8i/pxo>/*at)  gives  the 
idea  of  "come  all  the  way  hither"  across  the 
intervening  plain. 

16.  Jesus   (He)  saith...     The  apparently 
abrupt  transition  seems  to  be  suggested  by  the 
last  words  of  v.  15.     In  those  the  speaker 
passed  beyond  herself.     She  confessed  by  im- 
plication that  even  the  greatest  gift  was  not 
complete  unless  it   was  shared  by  those  to 
whom  she  was   bound.      If   they    thirsted, 
though  she  might  not  thirst,   her  toilsome 
labour  must  be  fulfilled  still.     According  to 
this    interpretation    Christ    again    reads    her 
thought ;  and  bids  her  summon  him  to  whom 
it  was  her  duty  to  minister.    The  gift  was  for 
him  also;  and  the  command  was  at  the  same 
time  a  test  of  the  woman's  awakening  faith. 

17.  /  have  no  husband]     The  words  are 
half  sad,  half  apologetic,  as  of  one  who  shrinks 
from  the  trial  conscious  of  weakness,  and  who 
seeks  further  assurance  of  power  before  ren- 
dering complete  obedience.    The  command 
might  disprove  the  knowledge  and  claims  of 
the  mysterious  Teacher.     The  exact  form  of 
the  Lord's  answer  suggests  that  a  pause  for  a 
brief  space  followed.    Jesus  said  (salth)  to 
her,  Thou  saidst  ivell,  I  have  no  husband... in 
that  thou  hast  said  truly.    The  plea  had  been 
left,   as  it  were,  to  be   solemnly    pondered 
(Thou  saldst,  not  Thou  hast  said),  and  the 
transposition  of  the  words  in  the  repetition  of 
it,  by  which  the  emphasis  is  thrown  in  the 
original  on  husband  which  lay  before  on  I  have 
not,  at  once  reveals  how  the  thoughts  of  the 
woman  were  laid  bare. 

well  said}  It  is  possible  that  there  is  some- 
thing of  a  sad  irony  in  the  words,  as  there  is 
in  Matt  vii.  9 ;  a  Cor.  xi.  4. 

18.  Jive  husbands]    Though  the  facilities 
for  divorce  are  said  to  have  been  fewer  among 
the  Samaritans  than  among  the  Jews,  there  is 
no  reason  to  suppose  that  the  woman's  former 
marriages    were    illegally     dissolved.      That 
which  was  true  in  her  statement  pointed  the 
rebuke.     Her  present  position,   though  dis- 
honourable, was  not  expressly  forbidden  by  the 
Mosaic  Law. 


The  singular  details  which  are  given  of  the 
woman's  life  have  led  many  commentators  to 
regard  her  as  offering  in  her  personal  history  a 
figure  of  the  religious  history  of  her  people, 
which  had  been  united  to  and  separated  from 
"five  gods"  (Jos.  'Antt.'  ix.  14.  3;  ^  K. 
xvii.  29  ff.),  and  was  at  last  irregularly  serving 
the  true  God. 

in  that  saidst  thou  truly]  this  thou  hast 
said  truly.    The  form  is  different 
from  that  used  in  v.  17 


19.  I  perceive]    The  word  (0fa>p<5)  marks 
contemplation,  continued  progressive  vision, 
not  immediate  perception.     See  ii.  23.     We 
cannot  tell  in   what  way  the  Lord's  words 
were  more  significant  to  the  woman  than  to  us 
(see  i.  48,  49),  but  they  evidently  bore  with 
them  to  her  a  complete  conviction  that  her 
whole  life  was  open  to  the  eyes  of  the  speaker 
(v.  29). 

a  prophet]  The  emphasis  lies  on  the  title 
and  not  on  the  pronoun  (on  npo^rr^s  ft  <nJ). 
The  first  thought  in  the  Samaritan's  mind  is 
that  the  connexion  of  man  with  God  has  been 
authoritatively  restored;  and  if  so,  then,  she 
argues,  it  may  be  that  discrepancies  as  to  local 
worship  will  be  solved. 

20.  Our  fathers  ...  and  ye  say  ...]     To  the 
student  of  the  law  the  exclusive  establishment 
of  worship  at  Jerusalem  must  have  been  a 
great  difficulty.     To  a  Samaritan  no  question 
could  appear  more  worthy  of  a   prophet's 
decision  than  the  settlement  of  the  religious 
centre  of  the  world.    Thus  the  difficulty  which 
is  proposed  is  not  a  diversion,  but  the  natural 
thought  of  one  brought  face  to  face  with  an 
interpreter  of  the  divine  will. 

Our  fathers]  that  is,  either  simply  our  an- 
cestors from  the  time  of  the  erection  of  the 
Samaritan  Temple  after  the  Return,  or,  more 
probably,  the  patriarchs.  See  below.  The 
Samaritan  Temple  was  destroyed  by  John 
Hyrhanus  c.  B.C.  129  (Jos.  'Antt'  xm.  9. 

(worshipped]  For  this  absolute  use  of  the 
verb  (7rpoo-KW(  tv)  see  xii.  20  ;  Rev.  v.  14  (true 
reading);  Acts  viii.  27,  xxiv.  u. 

in  this  mountain]  pointing  to  Mount  Geri- 
zim,  at  the  foot  of  which  the  well  lies.  Ac- 
cording to  the  Samaritan  tradition  it  was  on 
this  mountain  that  Abraham  prepared  the 


ST.  JOHN.   IV. 


[v.  21 — 23. 


21  Jesus  saith  unto  her,  Woman, 
believe  me,  the  hour  cometh,  when 
ye  shall  neither  in  this  mountain,  nor 
yet  at  Jerusalem,  worship  the  Father. 


22  Ye  worship  ye  know  not  what : 
we  know  what  we  worship :  for  sal- 
vation is  of  the  Jews. 

23  But  the  hour  cometh,  and  now 


sacrifice  of  Isaac,  and  here  also  that  he  met 
Melchisedek.  In  Deut.  xxvii.  is  f.  Gerizim 
is  mentioned  as  the  site  on  which  the  six  tribes 
stood  who  were  to  pronounce  the  blessings  for 
the  observance  of  the  law.  And  in  the  Sama- 
ritan Pentateuch,  Gerizim  and  not  Ebal  is  the 
mountain  on  which  the  altar  was  erected, 
Deut.  xxvii.  4. 

The  natural  reference  to  the  unnamed 
mountain  is  an  unmistakable  trait  from  the 
life. 

A  striking  passage  is  quoted  from  'Bere- 
shith  R.'  §  32,  by  Lightfoot  and  Wtlnsche: 
"R.  Jochanan,  going  to  Jerusalem  to  pray, 
passed  by  [Gerizim].  A  certain  Samaritan 
seeing  him  asked  him,  Whither  goest  thou  ? 
I  am,  saith  he,  going  to  Jerusalem  to  pray. 
To  whom  the  Samaritan,  Were  it  not  better 
for  thee  to  pray  in  this  holy  mountain  than  in 
that  cursed  house  ? "  Compare  '  Bereshith  R.' 
§81. 

and  ye  say  ...]  ye  (t5/*ely),  on  your  side... 
The  whole  problem  is  stated  in  its  simplest 
form.  The  two  facts  are  placed  side  by  side 
(and,  not  tut),  traditional  practice,  Jewish 
teaching. 

the  place]  that  is,  the  one  temple. 

ought  to  worship}  must  worship  (v.  24), 
according  to  a  divine  obligation  (8«t).  Comp. 
iii.  30,  note. 

21.  The  rival  claims  of  Gerizim  and  Jeru- 
salem are  not  determined  by  the  Lord,  for 
they  vanish  in  the  revelation  of  a  universal 
religion. 

Woman,  believe  me]  The  true  form  of  the 
original  (n-iorfve  /*oi)  marks  the  present  be- 
ginning of  faith,  which  is  to  grow  to  some- 
thing riper.  Compare  x.  38,  xii.  36,  xiv.  i, 
ii.  On  the  other  hand,  the  single  act  of 
faith  is  marked  (Tri'oreuo-oi/)  in  Acts  xvi.  31. 
In  the  two  parallel  narratives,  Mark  v.  36, 
Luke  viii.  50  (iriajtvcrov),  the  two  forms  are 
used :  that  which  is  general  and  continuous  in 
the  first  passage  is  concentrated  into  a  special 
act  in  the  second  by  the  addition  of,  "and  she 
shall  be  saved."  In  the  present  connexion  the 
unique  phrase  (believe  me)  corresponds  to  the 
familiar  "Verily,  verily,"  as  introducing  a 
great  truth.  Comp.  Mai.  i.  n. 

the  (rather  an)  hour  cometb~\  This  con- 
summation was  still  future.  The  temple  still 
claimed  the  reverent  homage  of  believers  (ii. 
1 6).  Contrast  v.  23. 

the  hour]  There  is  a  divine  order  in  ac- 
cordance with  which  each  part  of  the  whole 
scheme  of  salvation  is  duly  fulfilled.  Comp. 
v.  25,  38,  xvi.  2,  4,  25,  32.  So  Christ  had 
"  His  hour,"  ii.  4,  note. 


neither  ...  nor  yet  (nor)  at  Jerusalem"]  The 
two  centres  of  worship  are  spoken  of  in  the 
same  terms  (ovre...ovTe)  in  the  prospect  of 
the  future. 

'worship  the  Father]  The  word  worship 
was  used  indefinitely  in  *v.  20:  here  it  finds 
its  true  complement.  The  object  of  worship 
determines  its  conditions.  He  who  is  known 
as  the  Father  finds  His  home  where  His  chil- 
dren are.  This  absolute  use  of  the  title,  "  the 
Father,"  is  characteristic  of  St  John,  and 
almost  peculiar  to  him.  Other  examples  are 
found,  Matt.  xi.  27  and  parallels;  Acts  i.  4, 
7;  Rom.  vi.  4;  Eph.  ii.  18.  See  Additional 
Note.  The  revelation  of  God  as  the  Father 
sums  up  the  new  tidings  of  the  Gospel.  In 
this  place  the  title  stands  in  a  significant  re- 
lation to  the  boast  of  a  special  descent  (our 
fathers,  v.  20). 

22.  Ye  (emphatic)  worship  ye  know  not 
what  (that  which  ye  know  not)  (Vulg. 
adoratis  quod  nescitisj]  Your  worship,  that 
is,  is  directed  to  One  with  whose  character, 
as  He  has  revealed  Himself  through  the  pro- 
phets and  in  the  history  of  His  people,  you 
are  really  unacquainted.  You  know  whom 
to  worship,  but  you  do  not  know  Him.  __By 
confining  your  faith  to  the  law  you  condemn  •„  / 
yourselves  to  ignorance  of  the  God  of  Israel'.  ^C 
We  Jews,  on  the  other  hand  (the  pronoun 
again  is  emphatic),  worship  that  which  we 
know;  for  the  promised  salvation  is  of  the 
Jews..  The  power  of  Judaism  lay  in  the  fact 
that  it  was  not  simple  deism,  but  the  gradual 
preparation  for  the  Incarnation.  The  Jew 
therefore  knew  that  which  he  worshipped,  so 
far  as  the  will,  and  in  that  the  nature,  of  God 
was  gradually  unfolded  before  him.  Contrast 
viii.  54- 

ye...we...~]  The  sharp  contrast  between 
Samaritans  and  Jews  which  runs  through  the 
narrative  (w.  9,  20,  ye  say),  and  the  pointed 
reference  to  "the  Jews"  which  follows,  fix 
beyond  all  reasonable  doubt  the  interpretation 
of  the  pronouns. 

what...']  not  Him  whom...  The  abstract 
form  suggests  the  notion  of  God,  so  far  as 
His  attributes  and  purposes  were  made  known, 
rather  than  of  God  as  a  Person,  revealed  to 
men  at  last  in  the  Son:  xiv.  9.  Compare 
Acts  xvii.  23  (o  ovv). 

salvation]  Rather,  the  promised  and  ex- 
pected salvation  (?J  o-eonjpia)  to  be  realised  in 
the  mission  of  Messiah.  So  Acts  iv.  12. 
Compare  Acts  xiii.  26.  See  also  Rev.  vii.  10, 
xii.  10,  xix.  i. 

is  o/"...]  that  is,  "proceeds  from"  (toriv 
eic),  not  "belongs  to."  Comp.  i.  46,  note, 


v.  24,  25.] 


ST.  JOHN.   IV. 


is,  when  the  true  worshippers  shall 
worship  the  Father  in  spirit  and  in 
truth :  for  the  Father  seeketh  such  to 
worship  him. 


73 

24  'God  is  a  Spirit:  and  they  that'200'- 
worship   him   must  worship  him   in *7 
spirit  and  in  truth. 

25  The  woman  saith  unto  him,  I 


vii.  22,  52,  (x.  1 6).    The  thought  is  expressed 
in  a  symbol  in  Rev.  xii.  5. 

23.  But . . .]  The  old  differences  of  more 
and  less  perfect  knowledge  were  to  be  done 
away. 

the  (rather  an)  hour  comet b,  and  now  is]  The 
presence  of  Christ  among  men  brought  with 
it  this  result  at  once,  though  local  worship 
(a-.  21)  was  not  yet  abolished.  Compare  v.  25 
as  contrasted  with  v.  28.  In  each  case  the 
subtle  contrast  between  the  immediate  and 
ultimate  issues  which  are  pointed  to  is  most 
significant  and  characteristic  of  the  exact 
circumstances  to  which  the  words  belong. 
See  also  xvi.  25,  32. 

the  true  worshippers]  The  original  term 
"  true"  (oAqdiPof)  describes  that  which  is  not 
only  truly  but  also  completely  what  it  pro- 
fesses to  be.  Thus  it  is  used  In  connexion 
with  those  material  objects  under  which 
Christ  represents  Himself.  See  i.  9,  vi.  32,  vii. 
a8,  viii.  16,  xv.  i,  note,  xvii.  3,  xix.  35.  The 
popular  sense  of  the  word  "ideal" — fulfilling 
the  complete  conception — comes  near  to  this 
usage. 

in  spirit  and  (om.  in)  truth]  The  words 
describe  the  characteristics  of  worship  in  one 
complex  phrase  (eV  rrvt vfiari  KOI  dXij&ta)  and 
not  in  two  co-ordinate  phrases.  Worship 
involves  an  expression  of  feeling  and  a  concep- 
tion of  the  object  towards  whom  the  feeling  is 
entertained.  The  expression  is  here  described 
as  made  in  spirit:  the  conception  as  formed  in 
truth.  Judaismfepeaking  generally)  was  a 
worship  of  the  lettei'  and  not  of  spirit  (to  take 
examples  from  the  time):  Samaritanism  was 
a  worship  of  falsehood  and  not  of  truth.  By 
the  Incarnation  men  are  enabled  to  have  imme- 
diate communion  with  God,  and  thus  a  wor- 
_ship  in  spirit  has  become  possible:  at  the  same 
time  the  Son  is  a  complete  manifestation  of 
God  for  men,  and  thus  a  worship  in  truth 
\  has  been  placed  within  their  reach.  These 
two  characteristics  answer  to  the  higher  sense 
of  the  second  and  third  commandments,  the 
former  of  which  tends  to  a  spiritual  service, 
and  the  latter  to  a  devout  regard  for  the 
"  name  "  of  God,  that  is,  for  every  revelation 
of  His  Person  or  attributes  or  action. 

spirit']  In  biblical  language,  that  part  of 
man's  nature  which  holds,  or  is  capable  of 
holding,  intercourse  with  the  eternal  order  is 
the  spirit  (i  Thess.  v.  23).  The  spirit  in  man 
responds  to  the  Spirit  of  God.  Comp.  vi.  63. 
The  sphere  of  worship  was  therefore  now  to 
be  that  highest  region  where  the  divine  and 
human  meet,  and  not,  as  in  an  earlier  period 


of  discipline,  material  or  fleshly.  Comp.  Rom. 
i.  9. 

truth]  Worship  is  necessarily  limited  by 
the  idea  of  the  being  worshipped.  A  true 
idea  of  God  is  essential  to  a  right  service  of 
Him.  Comp.  Hebr.  viii.  5,  x.  i. 

for]  The  phrase  in  the  original  (*al  yap, 
Vulg.  nam  ef)  is  remarkable.  It  alleges  a 
reason  which  is  assumed  to  be  conclusive 
from  the  nature  of  the  case :  for  the  Father 
also  on  His  part,  which  is  expressed  fairly  by 
for  in  fact,  for  indeed.  Comp.  Matt.  viii.  9  and 
parallel,  xxvi.  73  and  parallels ;  Mark  x.  45 ; 
Luke  vi.  32  ff.,  xi.  4,  xxii.  37  ;  Acts  xix.  40 ; 
Rom.  xi.  i,  and  not  unfrequently  in  St  Paul. 

seeketh~\  There  is  a  real  correspondence 
between  the  true  worshipper  and  God.  Comp. 
i.  43  (Jindeth),  note.  The  true  (d\rjdiv6s) 
worshipper  answers  to  the  true  (aXrjdivos) 
God  (xvii.  3). 

such  to  worship  him]  such  for  His  wor- 
shippers. 

24.  God  is  a  Spirit]     God  is  Spirit,  ab- 
solutely free  from  all  limitations  of  space  and 
time.     The  nature  and  not  the  personality  of 
God  is  described,  just  as  in  the  phrases,  God 
is  light  (i  John  i.  5),  or  God  is  love  (i  John  iv. 
8).     This  premiss  is  drawn  from  a  true  inter- 
pretation of  the  old  revelation  (Isai.  xxxi.  3), 
but  the  conclusion  which  follows  belongs  to 
the  new.      The  declaration  in  its  majestic 
simplicity  is  unique ;  though  St  John  implies 
in  the  two  other  revelations  of  God's  being 
which  he  has  given  (//.  cc.)  the  truth  which  is 
declared  by  it. 

•worship  him  in  spirit  and  in  truth"]     More 
exactly,    worship    In   spirit    and    truth 
'  (v.  23). 

25.  The  woman's  answer  to  the  declara- 
tion made  to  her  helps  us  to  understand  why 
it  was  made.      She  had  acknowledged  the 
Lord  as  a  prophet,  but  she  felt  that  such 
truths  could  be  affirmed  only  by  one  who 
was  more  than  a  prophet,  and  for  such  a  one 
she  looked.     In  her  hope  Messiah  was  the 
perfect    lawgiver    and    not    the    conqueror. 
Truth  and  not  dominion  was  the  blessing  she 
connected  with  His  mission.     The  confession, 
like  the  revelation  by  which  it  was  followed, 
is  unique  in  the  gospels. 

/  know]  Compare  iii.  *,  lue  know.  The 
object  and  the  ground  of  knowledge  are  cha- 
racteristically different. 

which  is  called  Christ]  The  words  may  be 
part  of  the  speech  of  the  woman,  in  which 
case  they  imply  that  the  Greek  title  was  that 
which  was  popularly  current  (cf.  v.  29).  At 


74 


ST.  JOHN.    IV. 


[v.  26 — 31. 


know  that  Messias  cometh,  which  is 
called  Christ:  when  he  is  come,  he 
will  tell  us  all  things. 

26  Jesus  saith  unto  her,  I   that 
speak  unto  thee  am  he. 

27  11  And  upon  this  came  his  dis- 
ciples, and  marvelled  that  he  talked 
with  the  woman:  yet  no  man  said, 
What  seekest  thou?  or,  Why  talkest 
thou  with  her? 


28  The  woman  then  left  her  wa- 
terpot,  and  went  her  way   into  the 
city,  and  saith  to  the  men, 

29  Come,  see  a  man,  which  told 
me  all  things  that  ever  I  did:  is  not 
this  the  Christ? 

30  Then  they  went  out  of  the 
city,  and  came  unto  him. 

31  II  In  the  mean  while  his  disci- 
ples prayed  him,  saying,  Master,  eat. 


least,  the  different  form  in  which  the  interpre- 
tation is  given  in  i.  41  must  be  noticed.  This 
exact  form  (o  Xryouei/os  ^pioroy)  is  used  as 
part  of  a  title  elsewhere,  xi.  16,  xx.  24,  xxi.  a 
(cf.  Luke  xxii.  i). 

For  the  Samaritan  conceptions  of  Messiah 
see  '  Introd.  to  Study  of  the  Gospels,'  pp. 

159  f- 

when  he  is  come~\  when  He  comes.  The 
pronoun  (tutivos)  is  emphatic,  and  fixes  the 
attention  on  Messiah  as  contrasted  with,  and 
standing  apart  from,  all  other  teachers. 

be  will  tell  us  all  things]  More  exactly,  He 
twill  announce  all  things  unto  us.  The  word 
(dvayyeXci,  Vulg.  adnunciabif)  is  used  of  the 
fresh  and  authoritative  message  of  the  Advo- 
cate, xvi.  13  ff.  The  teaching  so  given  would 
be  absolute  and  complete. 

26.  The  woman  was  prepared  to  welcome 
Messiah  in  His  prophetic  dignity,  and  in  this 
He  makes  Himself  known  to  her.     Compare 
ix.  35  ff.     In  each  case  the  revelation  answers 
to  the  faith  of  the  recipient.     With  these  ac- 
knowledgments prompted  by  grace  contrast 
the  acknowledgment  yielded  to  legal  authority, 
Matt.  xxvi.  63,  64. 

I  that  speak]  Or  rather,  I  that  talk  (o  XoXwf) : 
the  word  suggests  the  notion  of  free,  familiar 
conversation,  which  is  brought  out  in  the  next 
verse.  It  was  by  this  intercourse  of  loving 
and  searching  sympathy,  that  Christ  revealed 
Himself  as  the  hope  of  men.  Comp.  ix.  37, 
note. 

27 — 30.  The  conversation  being  ended,  its 
immediate  effects  are  noticed.  The  disciples 
reverently  wonder.  The  woman  is  filled  with 
a  hope  beyond  hope.  Her  countrymen  are 
moved  by  her  enthusiasm.  The  whole  pic- 
ture is  full  of  life. 

27.  And... came  and  marvelled... ~\    And... 
came;  and  they  marvelled.     The  change  of 
tense,    which    marks  the  pause  of  wonder, 
requires  the  insertion  of  the  pronoun. 

talked  with  the  woman]  was  talking  with 
a  woman,  against  the  custom  of  the  doctors 
by  whom  it  was  said  that  "a  man  should  not 
salute  a  woman  in  a  public  place,  not  even 
his  own  wife,"  and  that  it  was  "better  that 
the  words  of  the  law  should  be  burnt  than 
delivered  to  women."  Compare  'A both'  i.  5 


(Taylor);  and  Buxtorf,  'Lex.  Rabb.'p.  1146; 
and  contrast  Gal.  iii.  28.  One  of  the  thanks- 
givings in  the  daily  service  of  the  Synagogue 
is:  "  Blessed  art  Thou,  O  Lord ...  Who  hast 
not  made  me  a  woman." 

A  double  question  arose  in  the  minds  of  the 
disciples.  Could  their  master  require  a  service 
from  a  woman?  or  could  He  wish  to  com- 
mune with  her  as  a  teacher?  Yet  they  were 
content  to  wait.  In  due  time  He  would  re- 
move their  doubts.  Even  thus  early  they  had 
learnt  to  abide  His  time. 

28.  The  woman  then  left. .  .went  her  way. . .] 
So   the  woman   left... went  away...      This 
time  the  woman's  answer  is  in  action.     The 
Lord  had  set  aside  His  own  want:  she  set 
aside  her  own  purpose.     But  she  shewed  that 
her  absence  was  to  be  but  for  a  brief  space  by 
"leaving  her  water-pot."     And  meanwhile  the 
message  which  she  bore  to  the  city  was  for  all, 
for  the  men,  the  inhabitants  generally,  and  not 
for  her  "husband"  only. 

29.  The  Samaritan  woman,  like  the  first 
disciples  (i.  41,  45),  at  once  tells  what  she  has 
found,  and  with  the  same  appeal  Come,  see  (i. 
46). 

all  things  that  ever  I  did  (that  I  did)~\  The 
words  here  and  ^.39  are  more  definite  in 
their  reference  than  A.  V. ;  and  the  truth  ot 
the  exaggerated  phrase  lies  in  the  effect  which 
Christ's  words  had  upon  the  woman's  con- 
science (i8ff.).  She  was  convinced  that  He 
knew  all,  and  in  the  revelation  which  He  had 
made,  she  seemed  to  feel  that  He  had  told  her 
all,  because  He  had  by  that  called  up  all 
before  her  eyes. 

is  not  this  the  Christ  ?]  The  original  words 
cannot  be  so  rendered.  The  form  of  the 
woman's  question  (JJLJTI  ovros...]  Vulg.  num- 
quid...?\  suggests  the  great  conclusion  as 
something  even  beyond  hope:  Can  this  be 
the  Christ  ?  Is  it  possible  to  believe  that  the 
highest  blessing  has  suddenly  been  given  to 
us  ?  The  form  of  the  sentence  grammatically 
suggests  a  negative  answer  (v.  33),  but  hope 
bursts  through  it.  Compare  Matt.  xii.  23. 
The  same  phrase  occurs  Matt.  xxvi.  22,  25; 
John  viii.  22,  xviii.  35;  James  iii.  n,  &c. 

30.  Omit  Then.  The  result  of  the  woman's 


32—35-] 


ST.  JOHN.    IV. 


75 


32  But  he  said  unto  them,  I  have 
meat  to  eat  that  ye  know  not  of. 

33  Therefore  said  the  disciples  one 
to  another,  Hath  any  man  brought 
him  ought  to  eat? 


34  Jesus  saith  unto  them,  My  meat 
is  to  do  the  will  of  him  that  sent  me, 
and  to  finish  his  work. 

35  Say  not  ye,  There  are  yet  four 
months,   and    then  cometh  harvest  ? 


message  is  given  abruptly.     The  trust  of  the 
hearers  is  the  measure  of  her  zeal. 

came  unto]  The  tense  of  the  original  (tjp- 
VOITO,  comp.  c.  xx.  3)  is  vividly  descriptive. 
The  villagers  started  on  their  journey,  and  are 
seen,  as  it  were,  pursuing  it  Comp.  v.  35. 
They  went  out  of  the  city  and  came  on  their 
way  towards  him  (Vulg.  cxierunt  et  venie- 
bant). 

31 — 38.  The  deeper  lessons  of  the  inci- 
dent are  unfolded  when  the  Lord  was  left 
alone  with  His  disciples.  Their  natural  and 
loving  request  leads  Him  to  point  to  wants 
more  truly  imperious  than  those  of  the  body, 
thus  carrying  on  the  teaching  of  the  act 
and  word  just  given  to  and  by  the  woman 
(31 — 34)-  The  actual,  unexpected,  condition 
of  the  Samaritans,  is  used  to  illustrate  the 
urgency  and  the  fruitfulness  of  the  work  to 
which  the  apostles  were  called. 

31.  h'u  disciples']  the  disciples.     The  love 
of  the  disciples  overpowered  their  wonder. 
They  strive  to   satisfy  the    wants   of  their 
Master  and  not  their  own  curiosity  (v.  47). 

prayed}  begged,  asked  (ifpwrwi/,  Vulg.  ro- 
gabant):  w.  40,  47,  xii.  ai,  &c. 

Master}  The  original  preserves  the  He- 
brew form  Rabbi  (comp.  i.  38)  which 
has  been  translated  here  and  in  ix.  a,  xi.  8. 
Elsewhere  Rabbi  has  been  rightly  kept  in  this 
Gospel. 

32.  meat  to  eat  that  ye  (emphatic)  know 
not  of}    that  ye  know  not;  that  is  meat  of 
which  ye  know  not  the  virtue  and   power. 
Comp.  v.  aa.     For  the  image,  see  vi.  a7. 

33.  one  to  another}  not  venturing  to  ask 
more  from  their  Lord.     Comp.  xvi.  17. 

34.  to  do... and  to  finish..."}     The  exact 
form  of  the  expression  (<Va  TT.)  emphasizes  the 
end  and  not  the  process,  not  the  doing . . .  and 
finishing  but  that  I  may  do... and  finish.    Comp. 
vi.  29,  xv.  8,  xvii.  3;    i  John  iii.  n,  v.  3. 
The  distinction  in  tenses  between  the  two 
verbs   (TTOKB,  reXftwo-w)  which   is  found  in 
the  common  texts  is  not  supported  by  the 
best  authorities. 

that  sent  me]     Comp.  v.  36  f. 

finish}   accomplish.     The  original  word 


is  characteristic  of  St  John,  and  the  Epistle  to 
the  Hebrews:  ch.  v.  36,  xvii.  4,  a3,  xix.  a8; 
i  John  ii.  j,  iv.  la,  17  f.;  Hebr.  ii.  10,  v.  9, 
vii.  a8,  &c. 


bis  work]     Comp.  v.  19,  note. 

34  ff.  The  train  of  thought  in  these  verses 
appears  to  be  this.  "My  true  food  lies  in 
working  for  the  fulfilment  of  my  Father's  will, 
and  the  partial  accomplishment  of  this  end  is 
even  now  before  my  eyes.  You,  as  you 
traverse  these  corn  plains,  anticipate  without 
doubt  the  coming  harvest.  And  the  labour 
of  the  sower  is  a  parable  of  all  spiritual  labour. 
The  issue  of  that  labour  is  not  less  certain 
than  the  issue  of  this.  Nay,  further  :  the  spirit- 
ual harvest  of  which  that  natural  harvest  is  a 
figure  is  even  now  ready  for  the  sickle.  In 
this  sense,  the  reaper  already  has  his  reward 
and  the  sower  through  him.  For  the  work  of 
these  two  is  essentially  separate.  In  spiritual 
labour  the  homely  proverb  is  fulfilled:  He 
who  reaps  sows  not  what  he  reaps,  he  who 
sows  reaps  not  what  he  sows.  Still  the  joy 
of  the  reaper  crowns  the  toil  of  the  sower; 
and  these  first-fruits  of  Samaria,  the  first- 
fruits  of  a  spiritual  harvest,  crown  my  joy." 
Comp.  Matt.  ix.  37,  38. 


Say  not  ye  (vfJLfli)  .  .  .  harvest]  These  words 
have  been  understood  in  two  ways,  either  (i) 
as  a  proverbial  saying,  marking  roughly  the 
interval  between  some  familiar  date  (seedtime) 
and  harvest;  or  (2)  as  a  description  of  the 
actual  state  of  things  at  the  time,  so  that 
when  the  words  were  spoken  there  were  four 
months  to  the  harvest.  The  emphatic  "ye" 
(say  not  ye),  which  appears  to  indicate  men's 
clear  calculation  of  natural  events,  favours  the 
first  interpretation  ;  but  the  form  of  the  sen- 
tence (there  are  yet...)  and  the  period  named, 
which  is  less  than  the  interval  between  seed- 
time and  harvest,  favour  the  second.  If  this 
latter  view  be  adopted  we  have  an  approximate 
date  for  the  narrative.  The  harvest  began 
about  the  middle  of  April,  and  lasted  to  the 
end  of  May  (Tristram,  'The  Land  of  Israel,' 
PP-  583  f.).  The  conversation  therefore  might 
be  placed  about  the  end  of  January  (or  early 
in  February).  By  this  time  the  fields  would 
be  already  green.  Dr  Tristram  found  the 
wheat  and  barley  near  Jerusalem,  sown  just 
after  Christmas,  four  inches  high  on  February 
aoth  (/.  r.  p.  399).  But  on  this  supposition 
it  would  follow  from  this  passage,  compared 
with  ii.  13  and  iv.  3,  that  the  Lord  must 
have  continued  about  ten  months  in  Judasa, 
a  supposition  which  seems  to  be  inconsistent 
with  iv.  45.  See  Additional  Note  on  v.  i. 

Lift  up  your  eyes}  Comp.  Isai.  xlix.  18. 
This  prophetic  passage  offers  a  striking  paral- 
lel in  thought  and  language. 


76 


ST.  JOHN.    IV. 


[v.  36—41. 


37 


behold,  I  say  unto  you,  Lift  up  your 
"  Matt.  9.  eyes,  and  look  on  the  fields ;  ^for  they 
are  white  already  to  harvest. 

36  And  he  that  reapeth  receiveth 
wages,  and  gathereth  fruit  unto  life 
eternal:    that   both    he   that  soweth 
and  he  that  reapeth  may  rejoice  to- 
gether. 

37  And  herein  is  that  saying  true, 
One  soweth,  and  another  reapeth. 

38  I  sent  you  to  reap  that  whereon 
ye  bestowed  no  labour :  other  men  la- 


boured, and  ye  are  entered  into  their 
labours. 

39  fl  And  many  of  the  Samaritans 
of  that  city  believed  on  him  for  the 
saying  of  the  woman,  which  testified, 
He  told  me  all  that  ever  I  did. 

40  So  when  the  Samaritans  were 
come  unto  him,  they  besought  him 
that  he  would  tarry  with  them:  and 
he  abode  there  two  days. 

41  And  many  more  believed  be- 
cause of  his  own  word ; 


the  fields}  At  the  present  time  the  plain  at 
the  foot  of  Gerizim  is  fertile  corn-land  (Stan- 
ley, <S.  and  P.'  233  ff.).  The  detail  has  the 
truth  of  life  in  it.  The  disciples  saw  the 
promise  of  rich  crops:  but  Christ  saw  the 
spiritual  harvest  of  which  the  fields  were  the 
image  (Matt.  xiii.  3  ff.,  &c.),  even  now  come 
in  its  first-fruits,  as  the  people  from  the  city 
approached. 

for]  Rather,  that.  Look  on  (i.  38)  the 
fields,  and  observe  that ...  The  woman,  we 
may  suppose,  with  the  Samaritans  (v.  30), 
was  seen  returning  to  the  well. 

35.  36.     The  punctuation  and  reading  at 
the  end  of  verse  35  are  uncertain,  but  it  seems 
best  to  omit  already  at  the  close  of  it,  and  to 
substitute  it  for  and  at  the  beginning  of  *v.  36: 
Already  he  that  reapeth...    The  harvest 
was  strangely  anticipated  in  this  first  welcome 
of  the  word  beyond  the  limits  of  Judaism. 

36.  receive  th  wages  ...that    both   (omit) 
he...~]    There  is  even  now  work  for  him  to 
do,  which  has  an  immediate  reward,  and  he 
gathereth  fruit  which  shall  not  perish  or  be 
consumed,  but  endure  unto  life  eternal.  Com  p. 
•v.  14,  vi.  a;,  xii.  35.    There  in  that  higher 
order  the  sower  shall  "  see  of  his  travail "  and 
be  glad  :  the  forerunner  who  has  long  passed 
away  shall  meet  him  who  has  received  the 
harvest  of  his  earlier  work  and  share  his  joy. 
The  application  seems  to  be  to  lawgiver  and 
priest  and  prophet,  and  all  who  "went  be- 
fore" Christ's  coming  in  old  times  and  even 
now  go  before  Him.     Christ  Himself  stands 
as  the  Lord  of  the  Harvest  (v.  38)  and  not 
here  as  the  Sower. 

37.  And  herein  is  that  saying ...]     For 
herein  is  the  saying...     "I  say  this,"  so  the 
words  imply,  "  to  prepare  you  by  the  lesson 
of  your  immediate  success  for  future  disap- 
pointment, for  in  this  spiritual  sowing  and 
harvesting    the    common    proverb    finds    its 
complete,    ideal,  fulfilment    (a\r)6ivoi) :   one 
soweth  and  another  reapeth." 

herein]  i.e.  in  the  fact  that  you  are  reaping 
already  (i>.  36)  what  others  sowed.  And 


the  principle  was  to  find  application  in  their 
labours  also. 

38.  /  sent  you  ...ye  bestowed  no  labour  (ye 
have  not  laboured)  ...]    The  words  pro- 
bably point  to  the  successful  labours  of  the 
Apostles  in  Judaea  (v.  a).    At  the  same  time 
their  whole  mission  was  included  in  their  call. 

other  men  laboured  (have  laboured)... 
into  their  labours  (labour)]  The  reference, 
as  in  the  case  of  the  sower,  is  to  all  who  had 
in  any  manner  prepared  the  way  for  Christ. 
He  was,  as  has  been  said,  like  Joshua,  who 
brought  His  Own  people  to  "a  land  for 
which  they  did  not  labour  "  (Josh.  xxiv.  13) ; 
and  it  is  possible  that  the  words  may  contain 
a  reference  to  that  passage  of  the  Old  Testa- 
ment. The  "  you  "  is  emphatic  throughout. 
The  word  "laboured"  is  the  same  as  that 
used  for  "wearied"  in  <v.  6  (KOTTIUV).  The 
result  is  identified  with  the  effort  (labour,  that 
which  you  have  not  (wrought  by  your  labour,  o 
ov  KfKvrr.,  Vulg.  quod  non  laborastis).  Comp. 
Ecclus.  xiv.  15. 

The  work  in  Sychar  (39 — 44). 

39 — 42.  The  ready  faith  of  the  woman 
was  found  also  among  her  countrymen.  As 
she  had  looked  for  a  religious  teacher  in  the 
Christ,  they  acknowledged  in  Him  "the 
Saviour  of  the  world." 

39.  believed. ..  for  the  saying]    Rather,  be- 
cause of  the  word  (v.  41),  the  narrative 
(8ta  TOV  Xoyov),  and  not  the  simple  statement 
only,  of  the  woman  as  (or  while)  she  (earn- 
estly, constantly,  and  not  once  for  all)  testified 
(rijs  yvvaiKos  (j-aprvpovcnji) ... 

40.  So  when  ...  were  come   (came)  ...] 
Their  belief  went  thus  far,  that  they  wished 
to  hear  more  of  His  teaching. 

that  he  would  tarry]  Rather,  to  abide 
('•  38,  39),  as  in  the  second  clause. 

41.  many  more]    The  phrase  is  compara- 
tive, far  more  (in  reference  to  *v.  39),  and  not 
positive  (7roXX£  TrXei'our).    This  isolated  no- 
tice is  an  instructive  illustration  of  our  frag- 


v.  42—44-] 


ST.  JOHN.   IV. 


77 


42  And  said  unto  the  woman,  Now 
we  believe,  not  because  of  thy  saying : 
for  we  have  heard  him  ourselves,  and 


43  1T  Now  after  two  days  he  de- 
parted thence,  and  went  into  Galilee. 

For  'esus  himself  testified,  that  'M*tt.  13. 

i  C-7. 


rv,  nv,aiu  mm  uurscives,  ana         44  for  e Jesus  nimselt  testified,  that  '& 
now  that  this  is  indeed  the  Christ,    a  prophet  hath  no  honour  in  his  own  57' 


the  Saviour  of  the  world. 


country. 


mentary  knowledge  of  the  Lord's  whole 
work. 

because  of  his  (omit  own)  word]  Comp. 
v.  39. 

42.  Now  <Wf  believe ...  heard  him  our- 
selves] More  exactly,  No  longer  Is  It  be- 
cause of  thy  speech  that  we  believe, 
for  we  have  heard  for  ourselves.  The 
order  is  remarkable.  The  word  speech  (talk- 
ing, XaXid)  corresponds  with  talk  in  w.  26, 
27.  It  occurs  elsewhere  in  New  Testament 
only  ch.  viii.  43 ;  Matt.  xxvi.  73  (Mark  xiv. 
70).  It  does  not  appear  that  the  Samaritans 
asked  for  signs  like  the  Jews  (comp.  v,  48), 
or  that  any  outward  miracles  were  wrought 
among  them. 

the  Christ,  the  Saviour  of  the  world]  The 
words  the  Christ  must  be  omitted,  in  accord- 
ance with  an  overwhelming  concurrence  of 
ancient  authorities.  The  simple  title,  the  Sa- 
viour of  the  world  (Vulg.  Salvator  mundi),  is 
found  once  again  in  i  John  iv.  14  ;  and  it  is  a 
significant  fact  that  this  magnificent  concep- 
tion of  the  work  of  Christ  was  first  expressed 
by  a  Samaritan,  for  whom  the  hope  of  a  De- 
liverer had  not  been  shaped  to  suit  national 
ambition.  So  at  last  faith  rose  to  the  level  of 
the  promise,  v.  21.  The  "salvation"  (v.  22) 
sprang  from  the  Jews,  and  was  recognised  by 
Samaritans. 

3.    THE  WORK  IN  GALILEE  (43 — 54). 

This  notice  of  Christ's  Galilaean  work  con- 
sists of  a  general  account  of  the  welcome 
which  He  found  (w.  43 — 45),  followed  by 
the  narrative  of  a  second  "sign"  (w.  46 — 
54). 

It  seems  probable  that  the  earlier  part  of 
the  Synoptic  narratives  (Mark  i.  14 — ii.  14 
and  parallels)  must  be  placed  in  the  interval 
which  extended  from  iv.  43 — v.  i.  So  far 
there  are  no  signs  of  the  special  hostility  which 
seems  to  have  been  called  out  by  the  healing 
on  the  Sabbath  wrought  on  the  next  visit  to 
Jerusalem. 

The  contents  of  the  section  are  peculiar  to 
St  John.  It  has  indeed  been  questioned  whe- 
ther "the  healing  of  the  nobleman's  son"  is 
not  identical  with  "  the  healing  of  the  centu- 
rion's servant,"  recorded  by  St  Matthew  (viii. 
5  ff.)  and  St  Luke  (vii.  2  ff.).  Both  miracles 
were  wrought  at  Capernaum,  and  wrought  in 
the  same  manner,  at  a  distance.  But  in  all 
other  respects  the  incidents  are  characteristi- 
cally unlike,  as  to 

(i)  Place.  The  request  was  made  here  at 
Cana,  there  at  Capernaum. 


(2)  Time.     Here  immediately  after  the  re- 
turn to  Galilee,  there  after  some  time  had 
elapsed. 

(3)  Persons.    Here  the  subject  was  a  son, 
there  a  slave :  here  the  petitioner  was  probably 
a  Jew,  there  a  heathen  soldier. 

(4)  Character.    Here  the  faith  of  the  father, 
as  interpreted  by  the  Lord,  is  weak;  there  the 
faith  of  the  centurion  is  exceptionally  strong. 

(5)  Manner.     Here  the  request  is  granted 
in  a  way  opposed  to  the  prayer,  there  in  ac- 
cordance with  it:  here  the  Lord  refuses  to 
go,  there  He  offers  to  go  to  the  sufferer. 

The  two  miracles  are  in  fact  complement- 
ary. In  the  one,  weak  faith  is  disciplined  and 
confirmed:  in  the  other,  strong  faith  is  re- 
warded and  glorified.  The  fame  of  the  former 
miracle  may  easily  have  encouraged  the  cen- 
turion to  appeal  to  the  Lord  in  his  distress. 

In  one  other  case  the  Lord  is  recorded  to 
have  exercised  His  power  at  a  distance,  Matt. 
xv.  22  and  parallels. 

43.  Now  after  two  days  he  departed  thence, 
and  went ...]    After  the  two  days  (mentioned 
in  v.  40)  he  went  forth  («.'£j;A0e»>)  thence 
into  Galilee. 

44.  Jesus  himself]      The  testimony  of 
Christ  was  the  same  as  the  testimony  of  the 
Apostles  after  the  fall  of  Jerusalem. 

testified  ...  country]  The  general  meaning  of 
this  clause  depends  upon  the  sense  given  to 
bis  own  country.  This  has  been  understood  to 
be  (i)  Galilee  generally,  (2)  Nazareth,  (3) 
Lower  Galilee,  in  which  Nazareth  was  situ- 
ated, as  distinguished  from  Upper  Galilee,  in 
which  was  Capernaum,  (4)  Judaea.  Against 
the  first  three  lies  the  fatal  objection,  that  it 
seems  impossible  that  St  John  should  speak  of 
Galilee  in  this  connexion  as  Christ's  "own 
country"  (j  I8ia  irarpiy.  Compare  vii.  41, 
42).  Both  by  fact  and  by  the  current  inter- 1 
pretation  of  prophecy,  Judaea  alone  could 
receive  that  title  (comp.  Orig.  'Tom.'  xm. 
54).  Moreover,  Judasa  is  naturally  suggested 
by  the  circumstances.  The  Lord  had  not 
been  received  with  due  honour  at  Jerusalem. 
His  Messianic  claim  had  not  been  welcomed. 
He  did  not  trust  Himself  to  the  Jews  there. 
He  was  forced  to  retire.  If  many  followed 
Him,  they  were  not  the  representatives  of  the 
people,  and  their  faith  reposed  on  miracles. 
No  apostle  was  a  Jew  in  this  narrower  sense. 
Nothing  then  can  be  more  appropriate  than  to 
mark  this  outward  failure  of  the  appeal  to 
Judaea  by  an  application  of  the  common  pro- 
verb (comp.  Matt,  xxiii.  3  7 ;  Luke  xiii.  34), 


ST.  JOHN.    IV. 


[v.  45—49- 


45  Then  when  he  was  come  into 
Galilee,  the  Galilaeans  received  him, 
having  seen  all  the  things  that  he  did 
at  Jerusalem  at  the  feast :   for  they 
also  went  unto  the  feast. 

46  So  Jesus  came  again  into  Cana 
/chap.  a.  i.  Of  Galilee,  Avhere  he  made  the  water 
\9*'cour'  wine.     And  there  was  a  certain  "no- 
bleman, whose  son  was  sick  at  Ca- 
pernaum. 


tier,  or, 
ruler. 


47  When  he  heard  that  Jesus  was 
come  out  of  Judaea  into  Galilee,  he 
went  unto  him,   and  besought  him 
that  he  would  come  down,  and  heal  his 
son :  for  he  was  at  the  point  of  death. 

48  Then  said  Jesus  unto  him,  Ex- 
cept ye  see  signs  and  wonders,  ye 
will  not  believe. 

49  The  nobleman  saith  unto  him, 
Sir,  come  down  ere  my  child  die. 


followed  by  the  notice  of  the  ready  welcome 
given  to  Christ  by  Galilasans  (v.  45). 

If  this  interpretation  of  "his  own  country" 
be  accepted,  it  will  be  enough  simply  to  notice 
the  other  interpretations  which  have  found 
favour.  Thus  the  words  have  been  supposed 
to  mean,  (i)  Jesus  departed  into  Upper  Ga- 
lilee (or  Capernaum),  for  He  testified  that  a 
prophet  hath  no  honour  in  his  own  country 
(Lower  Galilee  or  Nazareth).  (2)  Jesus  de- 
parted into  Galilee,  ennobled  by  the  fame 
which  He  had  gained  in  Jerusalem,  and  which 
He  could  not  have  gained  in  Galilee,  for  He 
testified  that  a  prophet  hath  no  honour  in  his 
own  country,  and  therefore  must  win  it  in 
some  strange  place.  (3)  Jesus  departed  into 
Galilee  to  meet  what  He  knew  would  be  a  hope- 
less conflict ;  or  to  seek  there  rest  from  labour. 

It  may  be  noticed  that  the  emphatic  epithet 
own  distinguishes  the  phrase  used  here  from 
that  found  in  Matt.  xiii.  54,  57  (where  "own" 
is  inserted  by  some  copies)  and  in  Luke  iv.  23, 
24.  The  addition  indicates  the  special  force 
which  the  Evangelist  attached  to  the  words. 

45.  Then  when  he  was  come..."]    So  when 
He  came...    The  issue  justified  the  proverb. 
In  Galilee,  which  was  not  Messiah's  country, 
not  even  in  popular  estimation  a  prophet's 
home  (vii.  52),  Jesus  found  a  ready  reception. 
His  works  at  Jerusalem,  which  had  produced 
no  permanent  effect  upon  the  spot,  impressed 
the  Galilasans  more  deeply ;  and  it  is  not  un- 
likely   that    Galilaean    pilgrims    formed    the 
greater  part  of  "the  many"  who  "believed  on 
His  name  "  at  the  Passover  (ii.  23). 

received']  "welcomed"  (fdfgavro,  Vulg.  ex- 
ceperunf).  See  iii.  27,  note. 

they  also  -went ...]  and  therefore  if  in  one 
sense  they  were  strangers  yet  they  were  not 
religious  aliens. 

46.  So  Jesus  came  again..."]     He  came 
therefore  again...     In  consequence  of  the 
welcome 'which  He  received  He  went  on  to 
Cana,  where  He  had  first  "  manifested  forth 
His  glory"  (ii.  n). 

nobleman]  Rather,  officer  In  the  service  of 
the  king,  i.e.  Herod  Antipas,  tetrarch  of 
Galilee,  who  was  popularly  known  as  ' '  king : " 
Matt.  xiv.  9.  The  word  (fiaa&iKos)  is  used 
by  Josephus  (e.g.  <B.  J.'  j.  13  (ii).  j)  for  any 


person  employed  at  court.  The  Vulgate,  fol- 
lowing an  early  but  false  reading  (/3ao-iXi'o-Kos), 
gives  regulus,  "a  petty  king,"  "a  chieftain." 
Some  have  conjectured  that  this  officer  was 
Chuza,  "Herod's  steward"  (Luke  viii.  3),  or 
Manaen,  his  foster-brother  (Acts  xiii.  i). 
Capernaum"]  ii.  12,  note. 

47.  fluent]     Literally,  went  away  (<iTrf)\- 
dev,  Vulg.  abiit).     The  word  emphasizes  the 
thought  that  the  father  left  his  son  for  the  time. 

come  down]     Comp.  ii.  12. 

he  was  at  the  point  of  death]  The  Vulgate 
rendering  is  worthy  of  notice:  incipiebat  mori. 
Comp.  Acts  xxvii.  33.  Contrast  xii.  33, 
esset  moriturus. 

48.  Then  said  Jesus...]    Jesus  therefore 
said...     The  Lord  read  the  character  of  the 
petitioner  even  through  a  petition  which  might 
seem  to  shew  faith. 

see]  Comp.  xx.  29.  His  faith  required 
the  support  of  sight. 

signs  and  wonders]  The  two  words  (o~r)- 
fifia  Kai  re'para)  are  combined  Matt,  xxiv.  24  ; 
Mark  xiii.  22;  Acts  (ii.  19),  ii.  22,  43,  iv.  30, 
v.  12,  vi.  8,  vii.  36,  viii.  13,  xiv.  3,  xv.  12; 
Rom.  xv.  19;  2  Cor.  xii.  12;  (2  Thess.  ii.  9); 
Hebr.  ii.  4.  They  severally  mark  the  two 
chief  aspects  of  miracles:  the  spiritual  aspect, 
whereby  they  suggest  some  deeper  truth  than 
meets  the  eye,  of  which  they  are  in  some  sense 
symbols  and  pledges;  and  the  external  aspect, 
whereby  their  strangeness  arrests  attention. 
"Sign"  and  "work"  (see  v.  20)  are  the  charac- 
teristic words  for  miracles  in  St  John.  The 
word  here  translated  "  wonders"  is  never  used 
',  by  itself  in  the  New  Testament. 

ye  will  not  believe]  ye  will  in  no  wise 
believe.  The  plural  (ye)  marks  the  nobleman 
as  the  representative  of  a  class,  to  whom 
miracles  were  the  necessary  support  of  a  faith 
which  was  not  reluctant  but  feeble.  The 
negative  phrase  (ou  uf/  Trurrfvo-rjTf)  does  not 
express  the  simple  fact,  but  in  some  degree 
connects  it  with  the  state  of  things  of  which  it 
is  the  result:  "There  is  no  likelihood — no 
possibility— that  ye  should  believe."  Perhaps 
however  the  phrase  is  better  taken  as  an  inter- 
rogation :  Will  ye  in  no  wise  believe?  Comp. 
ch.  xviii.  ii ;  (Rev.  xv.  4).  Luke  xviii.  7  (ov 
' 


v.  so— 54.] 


ST.  JOHN.    IV. 


50  Jesus  saith  unto  him,  Go  thy 
way;  thy  son  liveth.    And  the  man 
believed    the   word    that   Jesus    had 
spoken  unto  him,  and  he  went  his 
way. 

5 1  And  as  he  was  now  going  down, 
his  servants  met  him,  and  told  him^ 
saying,  Thy  son  liveth. 

52  Then  inquired  he  of  them  the 
hour  when  he  began  to  amend.    And 


they  said  unto  him,  Yesterday  at  the 
seventh  hour  the  fever  left  him. 

53  So  the  father  knew  that  it  was 
at  the  same  hour,  in  the  which  Je- 
sus said  unto  him,  Thy  son  liveth: 
and  himself  believed,  and  his  whole 
house. 

54  This  is  again  the  second  mira- 
cle that  Jesus  did,  when  he  was  come 
out  of  Judasa  into  Galilee. 


79 


The  temper  of  the  Galilaeans  is  placed  in 
sharp  contrast  with  that  of  the  Samaritans. 

49.  Sir,  come  down...']     The  faith,  how- 
ever imperfect,  which  springs  out  of  fatherly 
love  is  unshaken.     It  clings  to  what  it  can 
grasp.     Compare  Mark  ix.  24,  which  offers  a 
complete  spiritual  parallel. 

_  child]  The  diminutive  (TO  iraAiov)  is  used 
significantly  here;  not  "son"  (v.  47)  or  "boy" 
(v,  51).  Compare  Mark  v.  23,  35. 

50.  Go  thy  <way;    thy   son   liveth]     The 
assurance  thus  given  is  the  final  test,  and  it  is 
sustained.     So  far  the  father  endured  without 
seeing.      The  crisis  of  life  and  death   was 
present;  hence  it  is  enough  to  say  "liveth" 
(v.  51)  and  not  "is  healed."     Comp.  Mark 
v.  a.i. 

And  the  man.. .Jesus  bad  spoken...']  The 
man...Jejus  spake... 

51.  met  him,  and  told  Aim,  saying,  Thy  son 
liveth']     met  him,  saying  that  his  boy  (irats) 
liveth.     Here  only  (according  to  the  true 
reading)  St  John  uses  the  oblique  form  ("that 
his  boy  liveth"),  and  not  as  in  A.  V.,  the 
direct  ("Thy  son  liveth"). 

52.  Then  inquired  he...  And  they  said...']   He 
inquired  therefore. ..So  they  said  (tlirav  ovv)... 

be  began  to  amend]  The  original  phrase  is 
remarkable  (KoptyoTtpov  (<r\tv,  Vulg.  melius 
habuerit),  and  appears  to  have  been  used  in 
familiar  conversation,  as  we  might  say  "he 
begins  to  do  nicely,"  or  "bravely."  The 
closest  parallel  is  in  Arrian:  "When  the 
doctor  comes  in  you  must  not  be  afraid  as  to 
what  he  will  say ;  nor  if  he  says  '  You  are 
doing  bravely'  (KO^ODS  <x«r),  must  7°u  give 
way  to  excessive  joy"  ('Dissert.  EpicL'iii.  10. 
1.3;  comp.  Dissert.  II.  18.  14). 


Testerday  at  the  seventh  hour. . .]  i.e.  7  p.m. 
See  note  on  ch.  xix.  Such  a  phrase  could 
scarcely  be  used  of  one  o'clock  in  the  after- 
noon in  the  evening  of  the  same  natural  day. 

at  the  seventh  hour]  The  original  expresses 
duration  of  time  (Spav  i^o^v,  "in  the  seventh 
hour")  and  not  a  point  of  time. 

53.  believed]  that  Jesus  was  the  Christ. 
Comp.  iii.  15  note.     The  belief  in  v.  50  is 
simply  belief  in  the  specific  promise. 

54.  This  is  again  the  second  miracle ..  .when 
be  <was  come...']    More  closely:  This  did  Jesus 
again  as  a  second  sign  having  come  (after  He 
came)...     The  point  lies  in  the  relation  of  the 
two  miracles  as  marking  two  visits  to  Cana, 
separated  by  a  visit  to  Jerusalem.    The  form 
of  the  phrase  corresponds  with  that  in  ii.  n. 

In  looking  back  over  this  section  (ii.  13 — 
iv.  54),  the  signs  of  harmonious  progress  in 
the  development  of  the  Lord's  work  are 
obvious.  At  first  He  stands  before  men  with 
words  and  deeds  of  power,  and  they  interpret 
and  misinterpret  His  character,  yet  so  that 
He  cannot  enter  upon  His  kingdom  by  the 
way  of  a  universal  welcome  from  the  ancient 
theocracy  (ii.  13 — 25).  Then  follows  the 
beginning  of  the  direct  revelation  of  a  divine 
presence,  which  is  shewn  at  once  to  have  a 
larger  significance  than  for  Israel.  Christ  sets 
Himself  forth  in  two  representative  scenes  as 
satisfying  the  hope  of  men,  yet  otherwise  than 
they  had  expected  (iii.,  iv.}.  He  acknowledges 
that  He  is  the  Messiah  in  the  sense  of  the 
woman  of  Samaria ;  but  the  higher  teaching 
which  He  addressed  to  Nicodemus  is  veiled 
in  riddles.  At  the  same  time  a  new  confession 
is  added  to  those  of  the  first  chapter  (i.  51, 
note).  The  Samaritans  acknowledge  Christ 
to  be  "the  Saviour  of  the  world"  (iv.  42, 
note). 


ADDITIONAL  NOTE  on  CHAP.  iv.  21. 


On  the  titles  "the  Father,"  '•'•my  Father,"  in 

St  John. 

Very  much  of  the  exact  force  of  St  John's 
record  of  the  Lord's  words  appears  to  depend 
upon  the  different  conceptions  of  the  two 
forms  under  which  the  Fatherhood  of  God  is 


described.  God  is  spoken  of 'as  "the  Father" 
and  as  "my  Father."  Generally  it  may  be 
said  that  the  former  title  expresses  the  original 
relation  of  Gpd  to  being  and  specially  to 
humanity,  in  virtue  of  man's  creation  in  the 
divine  image,  and  the  latter  more  particularly 


8o 


ST.  JOHN.   V. 


the  relation  of  the  Father  to  the  Son  Incar- 
nate, and  so  indirectly  to  man  in  virtue  of 
the  Incarnation.  The  former  suggests  those 
thoughts,  which  spring  from  the  consideration 
of  the  absolute  moral  connexion  of  man  with 
God:  the  latter,  those  which  spring  from 
what  is  made  known  to  us  through  revelation 
of  the  connexion  of  the  Incarnate  Son  with 
God  and  with  man.  "The  Father"  corre- 
sponds, under  this  aspect,  with  the  group  of 
ideas  gathered  up  in  the  Lord's  titles,  "the 
Son,"  "the  Son  of  man:"  and  "my  Father" 
with  those  which  are  gathered  up  in  the  title 
"the  Son  of  God,"  "the  Christ." 

The  two  forms  are  not  unfrequently  used 
in  close  succession.  Thus  for  example,  we 
read : 

v.  43.  I  have  come  in  the  name  of  my 
Father. 

v.  45.  Do  not  think  that  I  will  accuse  you 
to  the  Father. 

The  coming  of  Christ  was  a  new  revelation: 
the  accusation  of  the  unbelieving  lies  already 
in  the  primal  constitution  of  things. 

vi.  27.  Which  the  Son  of  man  will 
give  you,  for  him  the  Father  sealed,  even 
God. 

vi.  32.  My  Father  giveth  you  the  true 
bread  from  heaven. 

In  the  one  place  the  Lord  appears  as  satis- 
fying the  wants  of  humanity:  in  the  other, 
the  new  dispensation  is  contrasted  with  the 
old. 


x.  17.  Therefore  doth  the  Father  love  me, 
because  I  lay  down  my  life. 

x.  1 8.  This  commandment  received  I  from 
my  Father. 

The  one  statement  rests  on  the  conception 
of  true  self-sacrifice:  the  other  deals  with  the 
mission  of  Christ. 

Other  instructive  examples  will  be  found: 
viii.  1 8  f.,  x.  29  ff.,  36  ft.,  xiv.  6 — 10,  xv.  8  — 
10,  15  f.,  23 — 26.  In  many  cases  it  will  be 
seen  that  the  absolute  conception  of  Father- 
hood is  that  on  which  the  main  teaching  of  a 
passage  really  depends:  iv.  ai  ff.,  vi.  45  f., 
xvi.  23  ff.,  and  to  such  pregnant  sentences  as 
x.  30,  xx.  21,  the  title  "the  Father"  gives  a 
singular  depth  of  meaning.  Of  the  two 
phrases  the  Father  is  by  far  the  more  common, 
and  yet  in  many  places  my  Father  has  been 
substituted  for  it  in  the  later  texts,  to  express 
a  more  obvious  sense:  vi.  65,  viii.  28,  38, 
x.  29,  32,  xv.  10,  xvi.  10. 

The  form  my  Father  is  the  true  reading  in 
the  following  passages:  ii.  16,  v.  17,  43,  vi.  32, 
40,  viii.  19,  49,  54,  x.  18,  25,  29,  37,  xiv.  2, 
7,  20,  21,  23,  xv.  i,  8,  15,  23  f.,  xx.  17. 

It  may  be  added  that  St  John  never  uses 
the  phrase  "our  Father,"  which  is  not  unfre- 
quent  in  St  Paul,  nor  yet  the  phrase  "your 
Father,"  except  xx.  17.  Nor  does  he  use 
iruTijp  without  the  article  by  itself  (comp. 
2  John  3)  of  God,  except  (of  course)  in  the 
vocative  case;  xi.  41,  xii.  27  f.,  xvii.  i,  5,  (n), 
21,  24,  (25).  Comp.  i.  14,  note. 


CHAPTER  V. 

i  Jesus  on  the  sabbath  day  cureth  him  that 
was  diseased  eight  and  thirty  years.  10  The 
Jews  therefore  cavil,  and  persecute  him  for 


it.  17  He  answereth  for  himself,  and  re- 
proveth  them,  shewing  by  the  testimony  of  his 
Father,  32  of 'John,  36  of 'his  -works,  39  and 
of  the  scriptures,  who  he  is. 


THE  CONFLICT  (v.  i — xii.  jo). 
Up  to  the  present  time  the  Lord  has  offered 
Himself  to  typical  representatives  of  the  whole 
Jewish  race  at  Jerusalem,  in  Judaea,  in 
Samaria,  and  in  Galilee,  in  such  a  way  as  to 
satisfy  the  elements  of  true  faith.  Now  the 
conflict  begins  which  issues  in  the  Passion. 
Step  by  step  faith  and  unbelief  are  called  out 
in  a  parallel  development.  The  works  and 
words  of  Christ  become  a  power  for  the 
revelation  of  men's  thoughts.  The  main  scene 
of  this  saddest  of  all  conceivable  tragedies  is 
Jerusalem.  The  crises  of  its  development  are 
the  national  Festivals.  And  the  whole  con- 
troversy is  gathered  round  three  miracles. 

(1)  The  healing  of  the   impotent  man  at 
Bethesda  (v.). 

(2)  The  healing  of  the  man  born  blind  Qx..) 

(3)  The  raising  of  Lazarus  (xi.). 

The  sixth  chapter  is  a  Galilaean  episode, 
marking  the  crisis  of  faith  and  unbelief  out- 
side Judaea  proper. 

The  unity  of  the  record  is  marked  by  the 
symptoms  of  the  earlier  conflict  which  appear 


at  the  later  stages,  e.g.  vii.  19  ff.  compared 
with  v.  1 8  ff. ;  x.  27  ff.  compared  with  x.  i  ff. ; 
xi.  47  ff. 

With  the  exception  of  parts  of  ch.  vi.  the 
contents  of  this  division  of  the  Gospel  are 
peculiar  to  St  John. 

The  narrative  falls  into  two  parts :  THE 
PRELUDE  (v.,  vi.),  and  THE  GREAT  CON- 
TROVERSY (vii. — xii.). 

I.   THE  PRELUDE  (v.,  vi.). 

The  Prelude  consists  of  two  decisive  inci- 
dents with  their  immediate  consequences ;  one 
at  Jerusalem  (ch.  v.),  the  other  in  Galilee 
(ch.  vi.).  In  the  first  we  have  Christ's  revela- 
tion of  Himself  in  answer  to  false  views  of 
His  relation  to  God  (v.  18)  ;  in  the  other,  His 
revelation  of  Himself  in  answer  to  false  views 
of  His  work  for  men  (vi.  15,  26).  In  the 
first  case  the  revelation  is  indirect  ("  the  Son ; " 
compare  w.  24,  30,  31  ff.) ;  in  the  second 
case  the  revelation  is  predominantly  direct 
("  I  am,"  yet  see  w.  40,  53). 

The  section  closes  with  the  first  division 


i— 3-] 


ST.  JOHN.   V. 


Si 


•  Lev.  23.      A  FTER  "this  there  was  a  feast  of 
Deut.i6.i.  _/-\  the  Jews;  and  Jesus  went  up  to 
Jerusalem. 

2  Now  there  is  at  Jerusalem  by 


the  sheep  J market  a  pool,  which  is 'Or,  gate, 
called  in  the  Hebrew  tongue  Bethes- 
da,  having  five  porches. 

3  In  these  lay  a  great  multitude  of 


in  the  circle  of  the  disciples  (vi.  66),  and  the 
foreshadowing  of  the  end  (vi.  70  f.). 

i.  THE  SON  AND  THE  FATHER  (ch.  v.). 

The  record  of  the  healing  (vv.  2 — 90),  and 
of  the  immediate  sequel  to  it  (w.  9 b — 18),  is 
followed  by  a  long  discourse  addressed  by 
"the  Lord"  to  "  the  Jews,"  in  answer  to  their 
charge  that  "  He  spake  of  God  as  His  own 
Father,  as  His  Father  in  a  sense  wholly  unique 
(rranjp  Wtor)."  This  discourse  consists  of 
two  main  divisions. 

(a)  The  nature  and  prerogatives  of  the  Son 
(vv.  19 — 29). 

(/3)  The  witness  to  the  Son,  and  the  ground 
of  unbelief  (vv.  31 — 47). 

v.  30  serves  as  a  connecting  link  between 
the  two  parts. 

The  contents  of  these  two  sections  form  the 
foundation  of  all  the  later  teaching  in  the 
Gospel. 

The  discourse  appears  to  have  been  ad- 
dressed to  a  small  (official)  gathering:  per- 
haps to  the  Sanhedrin,  and  certainly  not  to 
the  multitude  (comp.  vv.  33,  39).  Perhaps 
there  is  a  reference  to  it  in  vii.  26  (tywcrai>). 

The  sign  (vv.  2 — 9  a). 

The  healing  of  the  impotent  man  was  a 
work  wrought  by  the  Lord  spontaneously. 
He  chose  both  the  object  of  it  and  the  oc- 
casion. The  malady  of  the  sufferer  was  not 
urgent  in  such  a  sense  that  the  cure  could  not 
have  been  delayed.  The  cure  therefore  was 
not  wrought  on  a  Sabbath  although  it  was  a 
Sabbath,  but  because  it  was  Sabbath,  with  the 
view  of  bringing  out  a  deeper  truth  (comp. 
vii.  21  ff.). 

For  other  healings  on  Sabbaths  see  Matt. 
xii.  9  ff.  and  parallels;  Luke  xiii.  10  ff., 
xiv.  i  ff. 

CHAP.V.  I.  After  this,.,  (these  things...)] 
There  is  a  slight  difference  between  after  this 
(pcrd  TOVTO,  ii.  12,  xi.  7,  n,  xix.  28  [Hebr. 
ix.  27]),  and  after  these  things  (jura  ravra, 
v.  14,  iii.  22,  yi.  i,  xiii.  7,  xix.  38,  xxi.  i,  &c.). 
The  former  implies  a  connexion  of  some 
kind  (of  time  or  dependence)  between  the 
preceding  and  subsequent  events,  which  is  not 
suggested  by  the  latter. 

a  feast]  The  evidence  for  the  identification 
of  this  unnamed  feast  is  very  slight.  The 
tradition  of  the  early  Greek  Church  identified 
it  with  Pentecost  Most  modern  commenta- 
tors suppose  it  to  be  the  Feast  of  Purim 
(March),  from  a  comparison  of  iv.  35  and 
vi.  4.  But  see  Additional  Note. 


went  up  to  Jerusalem]  If  the  feast  were 
that  of  Purim,  this  journey  was  not  of  obliga- 
tion ;  but  compare  x.  22  (the  Feast  of  Dedi- 
cation). 

2.  there  is  at  Jerusalem...']  The  use  of 
the  present  tense  does  not  prove  that  the  nar- 
rative was  written  before  the  destruction  of 
Jerusalem.  It  is  quite  natural  that  St  John 
in  recalling  the  event  should  speak  of  the 
place  as  he  knew  it.  It  has  indeed  been 
conjectured  that  a  building  used  for  a  benevo- 
lent purpose  might  have  been  spared  in  the 
general  ruin,  but  this  explanation  of  the  phrase 
is  improbable. 

Jjj  the  sheep  market]  by  the  sheep  gate  (tVt 
T!)  rrpofSaTiKt),  super  probatica  Am.),  which  lay 
near  the  temple  on  the  east  of  the  city  (Neh. 
iii.  i,  32,  xii.  39),  though  it  cannot  now  be 
certainly  fixed  ('  Diet,  of  Bible,'  s.  v.).  The 
ellipsis,  which  is  most  naturally  supplied  by 
gate,  is  (apparently)  without  parallel. 

a  poof]  This  has  been  identified  by  some 
with  an  intermittent  spring  known  as  the 
Fountain  of  the  Virgin,  in  the  Valley  of  Kidron. 
The  traditional  site  is  the  Birket  Israil  by  the 
modern  gate  of  St  Stephen,  on  the  north-east 
of  the  city.  But  neither  spot  fully  answers  to 
the  conditions  of  the  pool. 

in  the  Hebrew]  that  is,  in  the  language 
"  of  those  beyond  the  river "  brought  from 
Babylon,  and  not  in  the  classical  language  of 
the  Old  Testament.  Compare  Lightfoot  ad  loc. 
Betbesda']  The  original  reading  and  the 
meaning  of  the  name  are  both  very  uncertain. 
The  common  interpretation  of  the  form  Be- 
thesda  is  House  of  mercy  (XlDn  JV3)  ;  but  this 
is  open  to  objection  on  the  ground  of  the 
usage  of  NlDn,  and  it  has  been  supposed  to 
represent  the  House  of  the  portico  (VDDK  7V3, 
OIKOS  orojjr).  See  Delitzsch,  '  Ztschr.  f.  Luth. 
Theol.'  1856,  622  f.  The  true  reading  ap- 
pears to  contain  the  element  -zatha  (-saida), 
which  suggests  NJVT  JV3,  the  House  of  the 
olive.  The  pool  is  not  mentioned  by  any 
Jewish  writer. 

frve  porches']  Cloisters,  or  covered  spaces 
round  the  pool,  such  as  are  commonly  found 
by  tanks  in  India. 

3,  4.  The  words  from  waiting  for. ..he 
had  are  not  part  of  the  original  text  of  St  John, 
but  form  a  very  early  note  added  to  explain 
v.  7,  while  the  Jewish  tradition  with  regard 
to  the  pool  was  still  fresh.  Some  authorities 
add  the  last  clause  of  v.  3  only ;  others  v.  4 
only ;  others  add  both,  but  with  considerable 
verbal  variations.  See  Additional  Note. 

3.  In  these  lay  a  great  multitude  of  impotent 
folk]  In  these  were  lying  a  multitude  of 


82 


ST.  JOHN.  V. 


[v.  4—io. 


impotent  folk,  of  blind,  halt,  withered, 
waiting  for  the  moving  of  the  water. 

4  For  an  angel  went  down  at  a 
certain  season  into  the  pool,  and  trou- 
bled the  water :  whosoever  then  first 
after  the  troubling  of  the  water  step- 
ped in  was  made  whole  of  whatsoever 
disease  he  had. 

5  And  a  certain  man  was  there, 
which   had   an  infirmity  thirty  and 
eight  years. 

6  When  Jesus  saw  him  lie,  and 
knew  that  he  had  been  now  a  long 
time  in  that  case,  he  saith  unto  him, 
Wilt  thou  be  made  whole? 


7  The   impotent   man   answered 
him,  Sir,  I  have  no  man,  when  the 
water  is  troubled,  to  put  me  into  the 
pool :  but  while  I  am  coming,  another 
steppeth  down  before  me. 

8  Jesus  saith  unto  him,  Rise,  take 
up  thy  bed,  and  walk. 

9  And  immediately  the  man  was 
made  whole,   and  took  up  his  bed, 
and  walked:   and  on  the  same  day 
was  the  sabbath. 

10  IT  The  Jews  therefore  said  unto 
him  that  was  cured,  It  is  the  sabbath 

day :    *it  is  not'  lawful  for   thee   to  *  Jer. 17. 
carry  thy  bed. 


sick  folk...  The  healing  properties  of  the 
pool  may  have  been  due  to  its  mineral  elements. 
Eusebius  ('  De  situ  et  nom.'  s.  v.)  describes 
the  waters  of  the  pool  identified  with  it  in  his 
time  as  "  marvellously  red,"  i.e.  probably  from 
deposits  of  iron  on  the  stones.  A  chalybeate 
spring  would  be  efficacious  generally  in  cases 
of  weakness. 

A  similar  scene  is  still  presented  by  the  hot 
sulphureous  springs  near  Tiberias  (Hammatb, 
Josh.  xix.  35) :  Tristram, '  Land  of  Israel,'  416. 

4.  an  angel...']     Comp.  Rev.  xvi.  5. 

5.  thirty  and  eight  years']     This  period  of 
time,  corresponding  with  the  period  of  the 
punishment  of  the  Israelites  in  the  wilderness, 
has  led  many,  from  a  very  early  date,  to  regard 
the  man  as  a  type  of  the  Jewish  people  para- 
lysed by  faithlessness  at  the  time  of  Christ's 
coming.     The  detail  may  however  be  added 
simply  to  mark  the  inveteracy  of  the  disease 
(ix.  I,  blind  from  his  birth). 

6.  saw  him  lie  (lying)  and  knew  (yvovi)] 
by  the  information  of  bystanders,  or  (more 
probably)  by  His  divine  intuition  (see  p.  46). 
The  life  of  this  sick  man  was  open  to  Him  (v. 
14),  just  as  the  life  of  the  Samaritan  woman  (iv. 
1 8).     It  is  to  be  noticed  that  all  the  miracles 
recorded  by  St  John,  except  the  healing  of  the 
nobleman's  son,  were  wrought  spontaneously 
by  Christ.     But  the  question  with  which  this 
work  is  prefaced  is  a  peculiar  feature. 

Wilt  thou]  i.e.  hast  thou  the  will?  desirest 
thou  ?  The  word  is  often  ambiguous,  as  for 
example,  v.  40,  vi.  n,  67,  vii.  17,  viii.  44, 
ix.  27.  The  question  was  suggested  by  the 
circumstances  of  the  man's  case.  It  might 
seem  that  he  acquiesced  in  his  condition,  and 
was  unwilling  to  make  any  vigorous  effort  to 
gain  relief.  If  it  was  so,  the  words  were 
fitted  to  awaken  attention,  hope,  effort,  in  one 
who  had  fallen  into  apathy.  Comp.  Acts  iii.  4. 

7.  The  impotent  man]   The  sick  man  (o 

The  sufferer  answers  the  thought 


which  underlay  the  inquiry.  The  delay  in 
his  healing  was  due,  as  he  explains,  not  to 
want  of  will  but  to  want  of  means. 

is  troubled']  The  popular  explanation  of  the 
phenomenon  of  an  intermittent  spring. 

put]  The  original  word  (/3aXXetc)  is  that 
which  is  commonly  translated  cast.  In  late 
Greek  it  is  used  very  widely  (e.g.  xiii.  2, 
xviii.  n,  xx.  25,  27),  but  it  may  express  the 
necessary  haste  of  the  movement  according  to 
the  gloss  in  v.  4. 

8.  The  three  features  of  the  complete  re- 
storation are  to  be  noticed  (rise,  take  up  thy 
bed,  walk).     The  phrase  occurs  Mark  ii.  9. 

bed]  The  word  (Kpa/3arros,  Vulg.  grabbat- 
/HJ),  said  to  be  of  Macedonian  origin,  which 
is  used  here,  occurs  Mark  ii.  4  ff.  (note),  vi. 
55;  Acts  v.  15,  ix.  33.  It  describes  techni- 
cally the  bed  of  the  poor — "a  pallet." 

The  immediate  sequel  of  the  sign  (9^ — 18). 

In  this  section  the  various  elements  of  the 
coming  conflict  .are  brought  out  distinctly; 
the  significance  of  the  cure  as  a  work  of  power 
and  judgment  (v.  14),  the  accusations  of  the 
Jews  (-v-v.  10,  1 6,  1 8),  the  self-vindication  of 
Christ  (v.  17). 

9.  and  on... the  sabbath~]  A  new  paragraph 
begins  with  these  words :  Now  on  that  day 
was  a  sabbath,  which  prepares  the  way  for 
the  subsequent  discourse.     The  form  of  the 
phrase  is  very  remarkable  (comp.  ix.  14,  xix. 
31),  and  suggests  the  idea  that  the  sabbath 
was  a  day  of  rest  other  than  the  weekly 
sabbath. 

10.  The  Jews']     See  Introd.  pp.  ix,  x. 
unto  him  that  was  (had  been)  cured]    The 

word  and  tense  are  contrasted  with  those 
found  in  -v.  13. 

It  is  the  sabbath:  and  it  is  not... to  carry] 
Rather,  to  take  up,  as  in  -w.  8,  9,  ii,  12. 
The  objectors  would  refer  to  such  passages 
as  Jer.  xvii.  21  f.  "If  any  one  carries  anything 


v.  IT — 1 6.] 


ST.  JOHN.   V. 


11  He  answered  them,   He  that 
made  me  whole,  the  same  said  unto 
me,  Take  up  thy  bed,  and  walk. 

12  Then   asked  they  him,  What 
man   is   that  which  said   unto  thee, 
Take  up  thy  bed,  and  walk? 

13  And  he  that  was  healed  wist 
not  who  it  was:  for  Jesus  had  con- 

Ve7ecl    nimselr~  away,    I  a    multitude 
being  in  that  place. 

14  Afterward  Jesus    findeth    him 


in  the  temple,  and  said  unto  him, 
Behold,  thou  art  made  whole :  sin  no 
more,  lest  a  worse  thing  come  unto 
thee. 

15  The  man  departed,  and  told 
the  Jews  that   it  was  Jesus,  which 
had  made  him  whole. 

1 6  And  therefore  did   the   Jews 
persecute  Jesus,   and  sought  to  slay 
him,  because  he  had  done  these  things 
on  the  sabbath  day. 


from  a  public  place  to  a  private  house  on 
the  sabbath. ..intentionally,  he  renders  himself 
liable  to  the  punishment  of  premature  death 
(ma)  and  stoning"  ('Sabb.'  6  a,  quoted  by 
Wunsche). 

11.  He  answered  them... ~\  But£<r..      The 
authority   of    One    who    had    wrought    the 
miracle  seemed  to  him  to  outweigh  any  legal 
enactment.     He  felt  instinctively  the  presence 
of  that  which  was  greater  than  the  sabbath. 

the  same]  even  he,  with  a  marked  emphasis 
on  the  pronoun  (fWi/ot).  This  usage  is 
characteristic  of  St  John,  i.  18,  33,  ix.  37,  x. 
i,  xii.  48,  xiv.  ai,  26.  Compare  also  Mark 
vii.  15,  20;  Rom.  xiv.  14 ;  2  Cor.  x.  18. 

12.  Then   asked   they. ..What   man. ..which 
said...']     They    asked,    Who    Is   the    man 
that   said...     The  introduction   of  the  man 
marks  the  spirit  of  the  inquiry,  and  suggests 
the  contrast  between  the  Divine  Law  and  this 
(assumed)   human  teacher,   who  claimed  to 
deal  with  it  by  his  own  power.    Moreover,  as 
the  sufferer  had  spoken  of  his  healing,  these 
speak  only  of  the  technical  offence,  and  pass 
by  that  work  of  power  and  mercy.     Comp. 
v.  15. 

Take  up  (omit  thy  bed)  and  ivalk]  The 
words  are  given  with  great  naturalness  in  an 
abrupt  form. 

13.  And  be  that. ..In  that  place]    But  he 
that... in  the  place. 

for  Jesus  had  conveyed  himself  aivay]  for 
Jesus  retired — withdrew — silently  and  un- 
perceived,  from  a  place  where  He  might  be 
exposed  to  embarrassment;  for  this  appears  to 
be  the  force  of  the  reference  to  the  multitude, 
and  not  that  the  crowd  made  escape  easier. 
The  word  (tKixvfiv,  which  occurs  only  here 
in  New  Testament)  expresses  literally,  "to 
bend  the  head  aside,  to  avoid  a  blow"  (de- 
dinavit  a  turba,  Vulg.).  Comp.  Judg.  iv.  18, 
xviii.  26 ;  2  K.  ii.  24,  xxiii.  16 ;  3  Mace.  iii. 
22  (LXX.)  ;  Jos.  « Antt.'  vii.  4-  *. 

14.  Afterward}     After  these  things. 
Comp.  v.  i,  note. 

fndeth]  The  healing  was  incomplete  till 
its  spiritual  lesson  was  brought  out  clearly. 
Though  Christ  had  withdrawn  from  the  mul- 

New  Test. — VOL.  II. 


titude  He  sought  (comp.  i.  43,  ix.  35)  the 
object  of  His  mercy ;  and  so  much  at  least 
the  man  had  already  learnt,  that  he  repaired 
to  the  temple,  as  we  must  suppose,  to  offer 
thanks  there  for  his  restoration  directly  after 
his  cure. 

sin  no  morel  Tne  original  (^xe'rt  auapravt, 
nolipeccare,  Vulg.)  expresses  rather  No  longer 
continue  to  sin  (comp.  i  Joh.  iii.  6,  9).  How 
his  sickness  was  connected  with  his  sin  must 
remain  undefined;  but  the  connexion  is  im- 
plied, yet  in  no  such  way  as  to  lend  colour 
to  the  belief  in  the  direct  connexion  of  all 
suffering  with  personal  sin,  which  is  corrected 
in  ix.  3. 

a  worse  thing]  even  than  the  sickness  of 
thirty-eight  years,  by  which  the  greater  part 
of  his  life  had  been  saddened. 

15.  The  man  departed  (went   away)...] 
It  is  difficult  to  understand  the  motive  of  the 
man  in  conveying  this  information  to  the  Jews, 
since  he  knew  the  hostile  spirit  in  which  they 
regarded  the  cure.     He  was  certainly  not  un- 
grateful, for  he  still  speaks  of  Jesus  as  having 
cured  him  (which  had  made  him  whole,  -v.  ir, 
and  not  <which  had  told  him  to  take  up  his  bed, 
•v.  12).      He  may  have  wished  to  leave  the 
responsibility  of  his  illegal  act  on  the  sabbath 
with  One  who  had  power  to  answer  for  it ; 
or  it  may  be  simplest  to  suppose  that  he  acted 
in  obedience  to  the  instructions  of  those  whom, 
as  a  Jew,  he  felt  bound  to  obey. 

16.  And   therefore    (&a    roGro,   for   this 
cause)...]     This  is  the  first  open  declaration 
of  hostility  to  Christ  (though  the  words  and 
sought  to  slay  him,  which  are  wrongly  added 
in  this  verse  from  v.  18,  must  be  omitted)  ; 
and  it  is  based  upon  the  alleged  violation  of 
the  letter  of   the  Law  with  regard  to  the 
sabbath,  as  in  the  other  Gospels,  Matt.  xii.  2  ff. 
and   parallels.      The  miracle   just    recorded 
called  out  the  settled  enmity  of  the  Jews,  but 
the  phrase  because  he  did,  or  rather  used  to  do, 
(was  in  the  habit  of  doing,  these  things  (acts  of 
mercy  which  involved    offences  against  the 
traditional  interpretations  of  the  Law)  on  a 
sabbath,  shews  that  the  feeling  was  not  due  to 
a  solitary  act,  but  to  an  obvious  principle  of 
action. 


84 


ST.  JOHN.  V. 


[v.  17—19- 


17  11  But  Jesus  answered  them, 
My  Father  worketh  hitherto,  and  I 
work. 

1 8  Therefore  the  Jews  sought  the 
more  to  kill  him,  because  he  not  only 
had  broken  the  sabbath,  but  said  also 


that   God  was   his    Father,    making 
himself  equal  with  God. 

19  Then  answered  Jesus  and  said 
unto  them,  Verily,  verily,  I  say  unto 
you,  The  Son  can  do  nothing  of  him- 
self, but  what  he  seeth  the  Father  do : 


17.  The  answer  (see  *u.  19,  note)  of  Christ 
contains  in  the  briefest  possible  space  the  ex- 
position of  His  office:  My  Father  (ii.  16,  xx. 
17)   worketh  hitherto  (ecoy  aprt,  Vulg.  usque 
modo,   up    to    the    present    moment),   even 
until  now,  and  I  work.    That  is  to  say,  the 
rest  of  God  aftei    the  creation,   which  the 
sabbath  represents  outwardly,  and  which  I  am 
come  to  realise,  is  not   a  state  of   inaction, 
but  of  activity,  and  man's  true  rest  is  not  a 
rest  from  human  earthly  labour,  but  a   rest 
for  divine  heavenly  labour.     Thus  the  merely 

negative,  traditional,  observance  of  the  sabbath 
is  placed  in  sharp  contrast  with  the  positive, 
final,  fulfilment  of  spiritual  service,  for  which  it 
was  a  preparation.  The  works  of  Christ  did 
not  violate  the  Law,  while  they  brought  out 
the  truth  to  which  that  tended.  Cf.  Matt. 
xii.  i  ff.  and  parallels.  By  the  u  work "  of 
the  Father  we  must  understand  at  once  the 
maintenance  of  the  material  creation  and  the 
redemption  and  restoration  of  all  things,  in 
which  the  Son  co-operated  with  Him  (Hebr. 
i.  3  ;  Eph.  i.  9  f.). 

The  form  of  the  sentence  is  remarkable. 
Christ  places  His  work  as  co-ordinate  with 
that  of  the  Father,  and  not  as  dependent  on  it. 
Comp.  Mark  ii.  27,  28  (The  Son  of  man  is 
Lord  also  of  the  sabbath*). 

The  question  of  the  action  of  God  upon  the 
Sabbath  was  much  debated  in  the  Jewish 
schools.  "Why  does  not  God,"  said  a  ca- 
viller, "keep  the  sabbath?"  "May  not  a 
man,"  was  the  answer,  "  wander  through  his 
own  house  on  the  sabbath?  The  house  of 
God  is  the  whole  realm  above  and  the  whole 
realm  below"  ('Shem.  R.'  xxx.).  Comp. 
Philo,  « Leg.  Alleg.'  I.  p.  46  M. 

hitherto]  even  until  now.  The  work  of 
Christ  which  had  excited  the  hostility  of  the 
Jews  was,  however  little  they  could  see  it, 
really  coincident  with  a  working  of  God 
which  knows  no  interruption. 

18.  The  Jews  rightly  interpreted  the  words 
of  the  Lord.     They  saw  that  He  claimed  the 
power  of  abrogating  the  law  of  the  Sabbath  in 
virtue  of  His  absolutely  special  relation  to 
God:    He  called  God  His  own  Father 
(Rom.  viii.    32) — His  Father  in  a  peculiar 
sense — making  Himself  equal  with   God,    by 
placing  His  action  on  the  same  level  with  the 
action  of  God.    Comp.  x.  33.    For  this  reason 
the  more  they  (not  only  persecuted  Him,  v.  16, 
but)  sought  to  kill  Him.    Comp.  Matt.  xii.  14, 
and  parallels.    Matt.  xxvi.  65,  note.     Comp. 
viii.  59,  x.  33;  Mark  ii.  7. 


he... had  broken]  Literally,  he  was  loosing 
(eXv«,  Vulg.  sol-vebat),  i.e.  he  declared  that 
the  law  of  the  sabbath  was  not  binding.  The 
word  (Avo>)  expresses  not  the  violation  of  the 
sanctity  of  the  day  in  a  special  case,  but  the 
abrogation  of  the  duty  of  observance.  Comp. 
Matt.  v.  19,  xviii.  18.  A  prophet  might  ab- 
solve from  the  obligation  of  the  law  in  a 
particular  instance,  but  not  generally. 

The  Nature  and  Prerogatives  of  the  Son 
(19—29). 

The  first  part  of  the  comprehensive  answer 
of  the  Lord  to  the  Jews  deals  with  His 
Nature  and  prerogatives  (i)  in  relation  to  the 
Father  (19 — 23),  and  (a)  in  relation  to  men 
(24—29). 

The  fact  that  the  discourse  was  addressed 
to  a  small,  trained,  audience  (see  preliminary 
note)  explains  the  close  brevity  of  the  reason- 
ing. 

irv.  19 — 23.  The  action  and  honour  of  the 
Son  are  coincident  with  the  action  and  honour 
of  the  Father.  It  is  through  the  action  of  the 
Son  that  men  see  the  action  of  the  Father,  and 
it  is  by  honouring  the  Son  that  they  honour 
the  Father. 

The  exposition  of  these  thoughts  is  made  in 
a  series  of  statements  bound  together  by  u  for" 
(•yap)  four  times  repeated. 

The  Son  doeth  nothing  self-determined  of 
Himself,  which  would  be  impossible  (19^)  ; 
for  His  action  is  absolutely  coincident  in  range 
with  that  of  the.  Father  (19^)5  and  this 
can  be; 

for    His   Father  shews  Him    His  widening 
counsels,  which  extend  to  the  exhibition 
of  greater  works  than  healing  (20)  ; 
fcr  it  is  the  prerogative  of  the  Son  to  give  life 

(21^),  as  is  shewn  to  be  the  case  ; 
for  all  judgment  is  given  to  Him,  and  men 
can  see  that  He  exerts  this  power  (22). 

Hence  it  follows  that  men  should  honour 
the  Son  even  as  they  honour  the  Father  (23). 

19.  Then  answered  Jesus..."]  Jesus  there- 
fore answered....  He  met  their  thoughts  and 
their  actions  (comp.  ii.  18,  n.)  by  a  justifica- 
tion of  His  own  works  and  His  divine  claims 
as  Messiah.  This  "answer"  is  not  to  be 
placed  in  immediate  temporal  connexion  with 
what  precedes. 

Verily,  verily]  See  i.  5 1 ,  note.  The  teaching 
is  "with  authority"  (Matt.  vii.  28  f.). 

The  Son]  iii.  35.  The  idea  is  simply  that  of 
the  absolute  relation  of  the  Divine  Persons,  of 


V.   20,   21.] 


ST.  JOHN.   V. 


for  what  things  soever  he  doeth,  these 
also  doeth  the  Son  likewise. 

2O  For  the  Father  loveth  the  Son, 
and  sheweth  him  all  things  that  him- 


self doeth:  and  he  will  shew  him 
greater  works  than  these,  that  ye  may 
marvel. 

21  For  as  the  Father  raiseth  up 


the  Son  to  the  Father,  and  consequently  this 
term  is  used  (19 — 23),  and  not  (as  below  vv. 
30  ff.)  "  I  " — the  Christ  whom  you  reject — 
or  "  the  Son  of  God  "  (v.  25),  or  "  Son  of 
man"  (v.  27),  which  emphasize  the  divine  or 
human  nature  of  the  Lord  relatively  to  man. 
At  the  same  time  the  Son  is  regarded  as 
"sent"  (vv.  23  f.),  and  therefore  as  Incar- 
nate. But  this  idea  lies  in  the  background 
here,  where  the  immediate  point  is  the  jus- 
tification of  the  statement  in  v.  17  from  the 
essential  relation  of  the  Son  to  the  Father. 
The  argument  is  conducted  by  the  Lord 
without  a  direct  personal  reference  to  Him- 
self in  such  a  way  as  to  arrest  the  attention 
of  the  Jews,  and  not  to  drive  them  away 
at  once.  Perfect  Sonship  involves  perfect 
identity  of  will  and  action  with  the  Father. 
The  Son  can  do  nothing  of  Himself,  self-de- 
termined without  the  Father,  nothing,  that  is, 
except  He  see  the  Father  doing  It  (but 
what  be  seeth  the  Father  do).  Separate  action 
on  His  part  is  an  impossibility,  as  being  a  con- 
tradiction of  His  unity  with  the  Father  (comp. 
v.  30  and  xvi.  13).  The  limitation  (except 
He  see...)  refers  to  can  do  nothing,  and  not  to 
the  last  words  (of  Himself) ;  and  the  coinci- 
dence of  the  action  of  the  Father  and  of  the 
Son  is  brought  out  by  the  exact  turn  of  the 
phrase — see  the  Father  doing,  and  not  do. 

can  do  notting"]  The  eternal  law  of  right  is 
(in  human  language)  the  definition  of  divine 
power.  The  words  do  not  convey  any  limita- 
tion of  the  Son's  working,  but  explain  some- 
thing as  to  its  character.  Comp.  v.  30,  iii.  27 ; 
Mark  vi.  5;  (Gen.  xix.  22).  For  another 
aspect  of  this  "cannot"  see  vii.  7,  note. 

of  himself']  v.  30,  note;  Num.  xvi.  28 
(LXX.).  The  truth  lies  in  the  very  idea  ot 
Sonship. 

for  <wbat  things  soever...']  The  negative 
statement  is  supplemented  by  a  positive  one ... 
The  Son  can  do  nothing  ...for ...  His  action  is 
not  only  coincident  but  coextensive  with  the 
action  of  the  Father :  what  things  soever  He 
doeth  these  also  the  Son  doeth  in  like 
manner,  not  in  imitation,  but  in  virtue  ot 
His  sameness  of  nature. 

20.  For  the  Father..."]  The  action  of  the 
Son,  as  coincident  and  coextensive  with  that 
of  the  Father,  depends  upon  the  continuous 
revelation  which  the  Father  makes  to  Him  in 
accordance  with  His  eternal  love:  for  the 
Father  loveth  the  Son;...  and  this  revelation, 
regarded  under  the  limitations  of  human 
existence,  is  progressive,  and  signs  of  healing 
are  only  preparatory  to  greater  works;  for  as 


the  Father  . . .  quickenetb,  even  so  the  Son  also 
quickeneth  whom  He  (unemphatic)  will. 

Thus  we  can  see  that  there  is  a  divine 
coherence,  a  divine  meaning,  in  all  nature 
and  all  history.  The  Son  sees  all,  for  the 
Father  shews  all  to  Him ;  and  we  also  can 
see  parts  at  least  in  Him.  Comp.  Matt.  xi. 
27. 

loveth  (the  Son)]  The  word  (<£iA«<»>)  marks 
personal  affection  based  upon  a  special  rela- 
tion (xi.  3,  36  ;  comp.  Matt.  x.  37),  and  not 
the  general  feeling  of  regard,  esteem,  consi- 
deration (ayanqv)  which  comes  from 'reflec- 
tion and  knowledge :  the  former  feeling  answers 
to  nature,  the  latter  to  experience  and  judg- 
ment (iii.  35,  x.  17),  and  so  is  specially  ap- 
propriate to  spiritual  relations.  This  love 
expresses  (so  to  speak)  the  moral  side  of  the 
essential  relation  of  the  Father  to  the  Son. 
And  so  it  is  through  the  Son  that  the  per- 
sonal love  of  God  is  extended  to  believers: 
xvi.  27  ;  comp.  Rev.  iii.  19. 

The  sign  of  love  is  the  perfect  revelation  of 
thought  and  feeling  :  xv.  15. 

be  will . . .  than  these]  The  Original  order  is 
more  expressive:  greater  works  (comp.  xiv. 
12)  than  these  will  He  shew  (comp.  x. 
32)  Him;  and  He  (so  it  is  implied,  v.  19) 
when  He  seeth  them  will  do  them  in  like 
manner,  that  ye  (emphatic)  may  marvel.  It 
cannot  but  appear  strange  at  first  sight  that 
wonder  is  given  as  the  object  of  Christ's 
works.  The  difficulty  is  removed  by  taking 
account  of  the  pronoun  :  that^<?  who  question 
my  authority  and  are  blind  to  my  divine 
Sonship  may  marvel.  Till  Christ  was  recog- 
nised His  works  could  at  the  most  appeal- 
only  to  be  prodigies :  their  effect  would  be 
astonishment,  not  belief.  But  wonder  might 
give  occasion  for  faith.  Under  this  aspect 
"wonder"  is  presented  in  two  remarkable 
traditional  sayings  of  the  Lord  preserved  by 
Clement  of  Alexandria  ('Strom.'  n.  9,  45): 
"He  that  wonders  shall  reign,  and  he  that 
reigns  shall  rest:"  "Wonder  at  that  which  is 
before  you."  This  partial  object  of  wonder, 
however,  is  contrasted  with  the  general  object 
in  v.  23.  Works — outward  signs — may  pro- 
duce wonder,  but  judgment  completed  en- 
forces honour.  Comp.  Plat.  'Theaet.'  p.  155  D. 
she<w~\  x.  32.  The  divine  works  require 
the  interpretation  of  sympathy.  Such  sym- 
pathy the  Son  has  absolutely. 

works']  This  is  a  characteristic  term  in  St 
John  (comp.  Matt.  xi.  2)  in  which  Christ 
includes  under  the  same  category  the  manifold 
forms  of  His  action.  His  "works"  were 
fragments  contributing  to  "  the  work  "  which 

G  2 


86 


ST.  JOHN.   V. 


[V.   22,   23. 


the  dead,  and  quickeneth  them;  even 
so  the  Son  quickeneth  whom  he  will. 
22  For  the  Father  judgeth  no 
man,  but  hath  committed  all  judg- 
ment unto  the  Son : 


23  That  all  men  should  honour  the 
Son,  even  as  they  honour  the  Father. 
He  that  honoureth  not  the  Son  ho- 
noureth  not  the  Father  which  hath 
sent  him. 


He  came  to  finish  (iv.  34,  xvii.  4),  and  these 
He  must  needs  work  while  it  was  day  (ix.  4). 
Miracles  from  this  point  of  view  are  regarded 
on  the  same  level  with  the  other  works  of 
Christ,  though  "  miraculous"  works  may  in  a 
peculiar  sense  move  to  faith  (v.  36,  x.  35,  32, 
xiv.  10,  iz,  xv.  24).  All  works  alike  are  de- 
signed to  contribute  to  the  redemption  of  the 
world  (comp.  ch.  xvii.  21,  note).  Seei;.  36,  n. 

21.  The  progress  in  the  dignity  of  the 
works  of  the  Son  follows  from  the  extent  of 
their  sphere,  for  as  the  Father  raiseth  the  dead 
...even so  the  Son  also  ...    The  restoration  of 
an  impotent  man  is  then  but  a  beginning  of 
that  giving  of  life  of  which  it  was  a  sign.    The 
vivifying  power  of  the  Father  is  described  in 
its  twofold  physical  aspect,  He  raiseth  up  the 
dead  and  quickenetK :  that  of  the  Son  in  refer- 
ence to  its  moral  law,  He  quickeneth  whom  He 
twill.     The  "quickening"  as  it  stands  in  the 
second  clause  is  necessarily  coextensive  with 
the  raising  the  dead  and  quickening  in  the  first, 
which  is  not  to  be  limited  to  any  isolated 
"miraculous"  acts,  but  extends  to  all  com- 
munication of  life,  natural  and  spiritual.    The 
main  forms  of  "quickening  "  are  distinguished 
afterwards,  w.  25,  28. 

The  definition  whom  He  will  marks  (i)  the 
efficacy  of  Christ's  power,  and  (2)  connects 
this  communication  of  higher  life  with  the 
counsels  of  infinite  wisdom  and  love,  and  (3) 
shews  its  independence  of  outward  descent 
(as  from  Abraham).  There  is  no  emphasis 
on  the  personal  will  of  the  Son  (whom  He 
twill)  as  in  v.  20  (which  He  Himself  doeth). 

The  full  significance  of  this  claim  of  Christ 
to  "quicken  whom  he  will"  is  illustrated  by 
the  second  of  the  '  Shemoneh  Esreh,'  the 
'  Eighteen  [Benedictions],'  of  the  Jewish 
Prayer  Book.  It  is  probable  that  this  thanks- 
giving was  used  in  substance  in  the  apo- 
stolic age:  "Thou,  O  Lord,  art  mighty  for 
ever:  Thou  quickenest  the  dead:  Thou  art 
strong  to  save.  Thou  sustainest  the  living  by 
Thy  mercy :  Thou  quickenest  the  dead  by 
Thy  great  compassion.  Thou...makest  good 
Thy  faithfulness  to  them  that  sleep  in  the 
dust ...  Thou  art  faithful  to  quicken  the 
dead.  Blessed  art  Thou,  O  Lord,  who 
quickenest  the  dead." 

22.  The  fact  that  the  Son  possesses  and 
exercises  this  quickening  power  is  established 
by  the  fact  that  He  has  a  still  more  awful 
prerogative.     The  quickening  of  men  is  con- 
trasted with  the  judgment  of  men,  which  is 
the  correlative  of  sin  (iii.  17  ff.).     And  this 


judgment  belongs  to  the  Son  (as  Son  of  man, 
v.  27),  For  not  even  doth  the  Father 
judge  any  man,  but  hath  committed  (given) 
all  judgment  (or  literally,  the  judgment  which 
comes  and  will  come,  wholly,  in  all  its  parts, 
now  in  its  first  beginning  and  hereafter  in  its 
complete  accomplishment)  unto  the  Son. 

the  Father  ...no  man]  The  exact  phrase  of 
the  original  marks  a  climax:  not  even  doth 
the  Father — to  whom  this  office  might  seem 
to  pertain — judge  any  man. 

committed]  given  (8f8a>K(i>),  the  word 
which  is  constantly  used  of  the  privileges  and 
office  of  the  Son  :  v.  36,  iii.  35,  vi.  37,  39, 
x.  29,  xvii.  2,  4  ff".,  22  ff.  See  v.  36,  note. 

23.  The  Son  has  received  the  prerogative 
of  judgment,  and  it  is  through  the  exercise  of 
this  power  that  men  come  to  perceive  His 
true  majesty.  For  it  was  committed  to  Him 
for  this  end,  that  all  men  should  honour  (not 
future,  but  present)  the  Son  even  .  as  they 
honour  the  Father  (x.  37,  38).  Sooner  or  later, 
in  loss  or  in  sorrow,  this  must  be.  And 
there  is  also  a  converse  form  of  the  Truth. 
It  is  by  honouring  the  Son  that  we  can  honour 
the  Father ;  and  He  that  honoureth  not  the  Son 
honoureth  not  the  Father  which  sent  Him  (comp. 
i  John  iv.  20 ;  ch.  xv.  24). 

which  hath  sent  him]  which  sent  Him. 
These  words  mark  the  transition  from  the 
conception  of  the  Son  essentially  to  that  of  the 
Son  revealed  by  the  incarnation.  The  phrase 
He  that  sent  me  is  peculiar  to  St  John  (comp. 
Rom.  viii.  3).  It  is  used  only  by  the  Lord 
absolutely  of  the  Father,  iv.  34,  w.  2.4,  30, 
vi-  38,  39>  vii.  16,  28,  33,  viii.  26,  29,  ix.  4, 
xii.  44,  45,  xiii.  20,  xv.  21,  xvi.  5.  Elsewhere 
the  full  form,  the  Father  that  sent  me,  occurs, 
v.  37,  vi.  44,  viii.  16,  18,  xii.  49,  xiv.  24. 
Comp.  i.  33  (He  that  sent  me  to  baptize). 

24 — 29.  In  these  verses  we  pass  from  the 
consideration  of  the  relation  of  the  Son  to  the 
Father  to  that  of  the  relation  of  Christ  to 
men.  The  conception  of  the  "  greater  works" 
of  the  Son,  the  quickening  and  the  judgment 
of  men,  is  defined  more  exactly  in  connexion 
with  the  Son  as  revealed  by  the  Incarnation. 
At  the  same  time,  though  the  oblique  form  is 
generally  preserved,  the  work  and  the  mission 
of  Christ  are  referred  to  directly  (my  word, 
Him  that  sent  me,  v.  24).  In  -v.  24  the 
general  ideas  of  all  life  and  all  judgment  in 
connexion  with  the  Son  (ai,  22)  are  restated : 
in  -w.  25,  26,  they  are  applied  to  the  present 
order;  in  28,  29,  they  are  applied  to  the 
future  order. 


v.  24—27.] 


ST.  JOHN.   V. 


24  Verily,  verily,  I  say  unto  you, 
He  that  heareth  my  word,  and  believeth 
on  him  that  sent  me,  hath  everlasting 
life,  and  shall  not  come  into  condemna- 
tion ;  but  is  passed  from  death  unto  life. 

25  Verily,  verily,  I  say  unto  you, 
The    hour   is    coming,   and   now   is, 
when  the  dead  shall  hear  the  voice  of 


the  Son  of  God :  and  they  that  hear 
shall  live. 

26  For  as  the  Father  hath  life  in 
himself;  so  hath  he  given  to  the  Son 
to  have  life  in  himself; 

27  And  hath  given  him  authority 
to  execute  judgment  also,  because  he 
is  the  Son  of  man. 


24.  Verily,  "verily]  vv.  19,  25.  Comp.  i. 
51,  note. 

He  that . . .  believeth  on  him  . . .  everlasting  life, 
and  shall  not  come  into  condemnation  ...]  He 
that  heareth  my  word  and  believeth  Him 
that  sent  me  bath  life  eternal  and  cometh 
not  into  judgment,  but  is  passed  out  of 
death  (the  death  that  is  truly  death)  into  life 
(the  life  that  is  truly  life).  (Comp.  i  John  iii. 
14.)  The  two  conditions  of  eternal  life  are 
(i)  knowledge  of  the  revelation  made  by  the 
Son,  and  (2)  belief  in  the  truth  of  it,  that  is, 
belief  in  the  word  of  the  Father  who  speaks 
through  the  Son.  Comp.  xvii.  3.  He  who 
knows  the  Gospel  and  knows  that  the  Gospel 
is  true  cannot  but  have  life.  Eternal  life  is 
not  future  but  present,  or  rather  it  is,  and  so 
is  above  all  time.  Comp.  iii.  1 8  f.  For  him 
who  hath  this  life  judgment  is  impossible.  He 
has  already  gone  beyond  it.  Comp.  i  John 
ii.  28,  iv.  17. 

believeth  on  him...']  believeth  him... 
(iriffTtvuv  TW  TT.).  The  difference  between 
"believing  a  person  or  statement"  (nHrrfvfiv 
nvi)  and  "  believing  on  a  person  "  (wwrnfov 
tls  nva)  is  as  clearly  marked  in  Greek  as  in 
English,  though  it  is  destroyed  here  in  A.  V. 
and  in  viii.  31 ;  Acts  xvi.  34,  xviii.  8  ;  Tit.  iii. 
8  ;  while  it  is  preserved  vv.  38,  46,  viii.  45, 
46 ;  Rom.  iv.  3  ;  Acts  xxvii.  25.  The  two 
phrases  are  contrasted  in  vi.  29,  30,  viii.  30, 
31 ;  i  John  v.  10.  To  believe  God  or  to 
believe  the  Lord  is  to  acknowledge  as  true 
the  message  which  comes  from  Him  or  the 
words  which  He  speaks.  It  is  assumed  that 
the  message  does  come  from  Him,  and  there- 
fore to  believe  the  message  is  to  believe  Him. 
So  here  Christ  refers  His  word  to  the  authority 
of  the  Father:  compare  v.  37. 

shall  not  come']  cometh  not.  The  issues 
of  action  are  regarded  in  their  potential  accom- 
plishment in  the  present. 

condemnation]  Judgment.  Compare  In- 
trod.  pp.  xlviii  ff. 

from  deaih  unto ...]  out  of  death  into... 
i  John  iii.  14.  In  his  epistle  St  John  speaks 
of  "love  to  the  brethren"  as  the  personal 
proof  of  this  transition.  Such  love  flows 
from  an  acceptance  in  faith  of  Christ's  word 
(i  John  ii.  7,  iii.  u).  Death  and  life  are,  as 
it  were,  two  spheres  of  existence,  like  darkness 
and  light:  i  John  v.  19,  20,  ch.  viii.  31,  note. 

25.     The  present  manifestation  of  Christ's 


vivifying  power  in  the  spiritual  resurrection 
(is  coming  and  now  is)  is  stated  in  contrast 
with  the  future  manifestation  in  the  general 
resurrection  (is  coming,  v.  28).  See  iv.  23, 
21.  The  hour  was  "  coming,"  so  far  as  the 
Christian  dispensation  truly  began  with  the 
gift  of  Pentecost:  but  it  "was"  already 
while  Christ  openly  taught  among  men. 

the  dead]  the  spiritually  dead:  this  is  the 
predominant  idea,  but  at  the  same  time  we 
cannot  exclude  the  outward  signs  of  it  as  in 
the  raising  of  Lazarus  :  comp.  xi.  23  ff.  For 
this  use  of  the  word  see  Matt.  viii.  22  ;  Luke 
xv.  24,  32;  Rom.  vi.  ii ;  Eph.  v.  14.  It 
will  be  observed  that  the  voice  of  power  is 
attributed  to  the  Son  of  God.  Comp.  xi.  4  ; 
contrast  ix.  35. 

they  that  hear]  This  phrase  is  not  co- 
extensive with  the  dead.  The  voice  is  ad- 
dressed to  the  whole  class :  those  who  receive 
it  (ot  dKovo-avT(s)  shall  live.  As  yet  the 
thought  is  of  life  only,  and  not  of  judgment, 
except  so  far  as  that  is  expressed  in  the  want 
of  life. 

26.  as...so...~\     The  particles  mark  the 
fact  of  the  gift  and  not  the  degree  of  it.   Comp. 
v.  21 ;  Matt.  xiii.  40,  &c. 

jo  hath  he  given  ....]  so  gave  He  also... 
The  Son  has  not  life  only  as  given,  but  life 
in  Himself  as  being  a  spring  of  life.  «'  Nos 
non  habemus  vitam  in  nobis  ipsis,  sed  in 
Deo  nostro.  I  lie  autem  Pater  vitam  in 
semetipso  habet ;  et  talem  genuit  Filium 
qui  haberet  vitam  in  semetipso;  non  fieret 
vitae  particeps,  sed  ipse  vita  esset,  cujus 
nos  vitae  participes essemus "  (August.  'Serm.' 
cxxvil.  9).  The  tense  (gave)  carries  us  back 
beyond  time;  and  yet  it  has  a  further  appli- 
cation to  the  incarnation,  wherein  the  Son 
became  also  the  Son  of  man  (v.  27).  The 
sovereignty  of  life  is  followed  by  the  au- 
thority to  judge,  as  in  vv.  21,  22.  Comp. 
vi.  57  ;  Rev.  i.  17. 

27.  And  hath  given  (gave)  him  ...judg- 
ment (om.  also)  because  he  is  the  Son  of  man 
(son   of  man  or   a  son  of  man)]     The 
prerogative  of  judgment  is  connected  with  the 
true  humanity  of  Christ   (Son  of  man)  and 
not  with  the  fact  that  He  is  the  representative 
of  humanity  (the  Son  of  man).    The  Judge, 
even  as  the  Advocate  (Hebr.  ii.  18),  must  share 
the  nature  of  those  who  are  brought  before 


88 


ST.  JOHN.   V. 


[v.  28—30. 


28    Marvel  not  at   this :    for  the  rection  of  life ;  and  they  that  have 

hour   is   coming,    in   the   which    all  done  evil,   unto  the  resurrection  of 

that  are  in  the  graves  shall  hear  his  damnation. 

vojce  30    I   can  of  mine   own   self  do 

'Matt. 25.      29'  And  shall  come  forth;  'they  nothing:  as  I  hear,  I  judge:  and  my 

461           that  have  done  good,  unto  the  resur-  judgment  is  just;  because  I  seek  not 


Him.  The  omission  of  the  article  concentrates 
attention  upon  the  nature  and  not  upon  the 
personality  of  Christ.  Comp.  i.  i ;  Hebr.  i.  i, 
a  (ev  rols  wpcKprjrtur. . .ev  vi<5,  in  One  who 
was  a  Son).  The  phrase  (son  of  man)  is 
found  here  only  in  the  Gospel,  but  it  occurs 
also  Rev.  i.  13,  xiv.  14  :  the  Son  of  Man  occurs 
i.  51,  iii.  13,  14,  vi.  27,  53,  62,  as  often  in 
the  other  Gospels.  Comp.  i.  51,  additional 
note. 

28.  Marvel  not  at  this :  for  ...]    The  par- 
tial spiritual  quickening  and  judgment  is  con7 
summated  in  a  universal  quickening  and  judg- 
ment.   There  is  a  marked  contrast  between  the 
corresponding  clauses  of  vv.  25,  28  :  the  dead 
(v.  25),   all  that  are  in  the  tombs  (v.  28)  : 
cometh  and  now  is  (v.  25),  cometh  (v.  28). 
Here  the  quickening  is  the  inevitable  result  of 
the  divine  action  (all... shall  hear)  ;  before  it 
followed  from  the  concurrence  of  faith  with 
the  divine  message  (they  that  hear  shall  live). 

Marvel  not...']  Comp.  v.  20.  Wonder  is  at 
most  only  a  stage  of  transition.  Each  mani- 
festation of  Christ's  power  is  a  preparation  for 
something  greater. 

29.  It  will  be  observed  that  there  is  a  con- 
trast between  the  one  result  of  the  present 
action  of  the  Son,  shall  live  (v.  25),  and  the 
complex  result  of  His  future  action  :  shall  go 

forth... 

they  that  have  done  (that  wrought)  good...'] 
The  "  doing  "  of  good  is  described  by  a  word 
which  sets  it  forth  as  issuing  in  a  definite  pro- 
duction (ot  TO.  dyada  Tronjo-aires),  while  in 
the  second  member  the  word  is  changed  : 
they  that  have  done  (did)  evil ...  where  the 
"doing"  is  regarded  simply  in  the  moral 
character  of  the  action  (ot  fif  <pat)Xa  7rpd£- 
avT(s).  The  same  words  (Troteti',  Trpacrcreiv) 
are  contrasted,  ch.  iii.  20,  21,  note;  Rom. 
i.  32,  vii.  15,  19,  xiii.  4.  The  distinction  is 
well  preserved  in  the  Vulgate,  bona  fecerunt... 
mala  egerunt. 

For  the  contrast  of  a  resurrection  of  life  (2 
Mace.  vii.  14),  and  a  resurrection  of  judgment, 
see  v.  24.  In  one  case  the  resurrection  is 
accompanied  by  the  full  fruition  of  life,  judg- 
ment being  past:  in  the  other  resurrection 
issues  in  judgment. 

of  damnation']  of  judgment  (xptVews). 
Comp.  iii.  17  ff. 

30.  This  verse  forms  a  transition  from 
the  first  section  of  the  discourse  to  the  second. 
At  the  same  time  it  marks  the  passage  from 


the  indirect  (the  Son)  to  the  personal  (7)  reve- 
lation of  Christ.  The  truth  of  the  divine  Son- 
ship,  with  which  the  discourse  opened,  is  first 
repeated  in  a  new  form,  /  (eyw)  can  of  mine 
own  self  do  nothing;  and  then  the  principle  of 
Christ's  judgment  is  laid  down  (as  I  hear,  I 
judge),  which  is  the  ground  of  all  true  judg- 
ment. 

I  can... do  nothing"]     Comp.  v.  19,  note. 

of  mine  own  self]     Comp.  vii.   17  f.,  28, 

viii.  28,  42,  (xii.  49>  «'£  «>•)>  xi.v-  Io>  (xi-  5J)» 
xv.  4,  note,  xvi.  13.  The  very  idea  of  Sonship 
involves  (in  some  sense)  that  of  dependence. 
There  is  but  one  "  fountain  "  of  Deity.  But 
under  another  aspect  the  Son  "lays  down  His 
life  of  Himself "  (x.  18). 

as  I  hear,  I  judge]  The  judgment  of  the 
Son  is  based  upon  the  perfect  knowledge  of 
the  thoughts  of  the  Father,  as  the  action  ot 
the  §on  is  based  upon  the  perfect  vision  of 
His  works.  The  "  hearing  "  in  this  verse  with 
regard  to  judgment  corresponds  to  the  "see- 
ing" in  v.  19  with  regard  to  action. 

because  I  seek... the  will  of  the  Father  which 
hath  sent  mi]  of  Him  that  sent  me  (iv.  34, 
vi.  38,  39).  The  two  conditions  of  absolute 
justice  are  (i)  negative :  absence  of  all  respect 
of  self;  and  (2)  positive :  devotion  to  the  will 
of  the  Father.  In  both  these  respects  the  just 
judgment  of  the  Son  is  contrasted  with  the 
false  judgment  of  the  Jews,  vv.  41 — 44. 

The  connexion  between  the  obedience  ren- 
dered by  the  Son,  and  the  honour  rendered  to 
the  Son  (v.  23),  must  be  noticed. 

It  will  be  observed  that  the  "will"  ot 
Christ  corresponds  with  His  one  unchanged 
personality  (/,  e'yw).  Comp.  Matt.  xxvi.  39, 
gnd  parallels.  The  thought  of  the  verse  is 
partially  illustrated  by  a  noble  saying  of  R. 
Gamaliel:  "Do  His  will  as  if  it  were  thy 
will,  that  He  may  do  thy  will  as  if  it  were 
His  will."  But  he  continues:  "Annul  thy 
will  before  His  will,  that  He  may  annul  the 
will  of  others  before  thy  will"  (' Aboth,'  n.  4). 

The  witness  to  the  Son  and  the  ground  of 

unbelief  (31 — 47). 

This  second  main  division  of  the  discourse 
consists,  like  the  first,  of  two  parts.  The 
witness  to  the  Son  is  first  laid  open  (31 — 40), 
and  then  the  rejection  of  the  witness  in  its 
cause  and  end  (41 — 47). 

31 — 40.  Christ  appeals  to  a  witness  sepa- 
rate from  His  own,  and  yet  such  that  He  has 
immediate  knowledge  of  its  truth.  Such  wit- 


-  31— 35-1 


ST.  JOHN.   V. 


89 


'Matt.  3. 


mine  own  will,  but  the  will  of  the 
Father  which  hath  sent  me. 

31  rflf  1  bear  witness  of  myself, 
my  witness  is  not  true. 

32  f  'There  is  another  that  bear- 
eth  witness  of  me  ;  and  I  know  that 
the  witness  which  he  witnesseth   of 
me  is  true. 


33  Ye  sent  unto  John,  and  /he '^p.  1.7. 
bare  witness  unto  the  truth. 

34  But  I    receive  not  testimony 
from  man  :    but  these  things  I  say, 
that  ye  might  be  saved. 

35  He  was  a  burning  and  a  shining 
light :  and  ye  were  willing  for  a  sea- 
son to  rejoice  inthis  light. 


ness  is  partly  provisional  and  partly  final.  Of 
the  former  kind  that  of  John  the  Baptist  is 
the  type  (33 — 35).  The  latter  lies  in  the 
witness  of  "  works"  leading  up  to  the  witness 
of  the  Father  (36—40). 

31.  If  I  (emphatic)  bear  witness  of  (con- 
cerning)...]   The  stress  lies  on  the  pronoun , 
"  If  I  alone  and  in  fellowship  with  no  other..." 
Comp.  viii.  14. 

is  not  true]  The  words  anticipate  an  ob- 
jection, and  define  the  amount  of  truth  which 
it  contains.  According  to  legal  usage  the 
testimony  of  a  witness  was  not  received  in  his 
own  case.  This  principle  the  Jews  might  urge 
against  Christ ;  and  He  acknowledges  the 
deeper  meaning  which  lay  beneath  it.  If  He 
asserted  His  claims  self-prompted  (of  Himself) 
He  would  violate  the  absolute  trust  which 
the  Son  owed  to  the  Father;  though  there 
was  a  sense  in  which  He  could  bear  witness 
of  Himself  (viii.  12  ff.)  when  the  Father  spoke 
through  Him  (viii.  18). 

32.  There  is  another]     In  due  time  and  in 
due  manner  another  bears  witness.  The  whole 

i  scope  of  the  statement  decides  that  this  other 
is  "  the  Father  "  and  not  the  Baptist.  In  the 
'  verses  which  follow  the  testimony  of  the 
Baptist  is  treated  as  provisional,  and  as  being 
in  a  certain  degree  an  accommodation.  The 
testimony  of  the  Father  is  that  upon  which 
the  Son  rests,  v.  37,  viii.  18. 

that  beareth  witness']  The  action  is  present 
and  continuous  (o  piaprvpa>f.../zaprv/>ct). 

I kno<w...~\  In  the  certainty  of  this  know- 
ledge Christ  could  repose.  Such  witness 
could  not  but  produce  its  true  effect.  The 
absolute  knowledge  spoken  of  here  (oi8a)  is 
to  be  distinguished  from  the  knowledge  of 
experience  (eyvo>Ka)  in  v.  42. 

the  (witness  which  be  wttnesseth]  This  full 
form  of  expression,  as  distinguished  from 
"  his  witness,"  emphasizes  the  idea  of  the  con- 
tinuity of  the  witness  as  a  matter  of  actual 
experience. 

33.  Ye  (emphatic)  sent, ..and  be  bare..."] 
Te  have  sent. ..and  he  hath  borne...  The 
mission  and  the  testimony  are  spoken  of  as 
abiding  in  their  results.  The  prominent  idea 
is  not  the  historic  fact  (i.  32),  but  the  perma- 
nent and  final  value  of  the  witness  (i.  34,  iii. 
26,  v.  37,  xix.  35). 

The  emphatic  pronoun  (Te  have  sent...) 


marks  a  contrast  between  the  standard  of 
authority  which  the  Jews  set  up  and  that 
which  Christ  admitted  (v.  34).  At  the  same 
time  the  reference  to  John  follows  naturally 
after  the  mysterious  reference  to  "another" 
in  whom  some  might  think  that  they  recog- 
nised him. 

34.  But  I  receive  not  testimony  from  man...] 
But  though  the  witness  of  John  was  decisive 
according  to  your  view,  /  (emphatic  as  dis- 
tinguished from  you)  receive  not  my  witness 
(rr)v  paprvpiav,  the  witness  which  characterizes 
the  reality  of  my  work  and  answers  to  it) 
from  a  man  (even  though  he  be  a  prophet), 
but  these  things  I  say — I  appeal  even  to  this 
imperfect  witness,  1  urge  every  plea  which 
may  be  expected  to  prevail  with  you — that  ye 
— even  ye — might  (may)  be  saved. 

35.  He  <was  a  burning  and  a  shining  light..  ^\ 
He  was — though  now  his  work  is  ended  by 
imprisonment  or  death  —  the  lamp  that 
burneth  and  shineth  (giveth  light)...  The 
phrase  may  also  be  rendered,  the  lamp  that 
is  kindled  and  shineth,  by  the  analogy  of 
Matt.  v.  15  ;  but  Luke  xii.  35,  Rev.  iv.  5, 
viii.  10,  are  strongly  against  this  interpretation. 
John  the  Baptist  was  the  lamp,  the  derivative 
and  not  the  self-luminous  light  (i.  8).  Comp. 
Matt.  vi.  22 ;  2  Pet.  i.  19 ;  but  the  word  is 
used  also  of  the  Lamb,  Rev.  xxi.  23,  where 
the  glory  of  God,  as  the  source  of  light,  is 
placed  in  connexion  with  the  Lamb,  through 
whom  (as  the  lamp  of  this  vast  temple)  the 
light  is  conveyed  in  the  city  of  God.  The 
definite  article  (the  lamp)  simply  marks  the 
familiar  piece  of  household  furniture  (comp. 
Mark  iv.  21 ;  Luke  xi.  36).  The  epithets  com- 
plete the  image.  The  lamp  is  exhausted  by 
shining;  its  illuminating  power  is  temporary, 
and  sensibly  consumed.  John  the  Baptist 
necessarily  decreased  (iii.  30).  The  title  is 
eminently  appropriate  to  the  Baptist  in  his 
relation  to  Christ  (the  Light) ;  but  there  is  no 
evidence  to  shew  that  it  was  given  to  the 
herald  of  Messiah  by  tradition,  though  it 
was  applied  to  several  distinguished  teachers. 
Compare  Buxtorf,  '  Lex.'  s.  v.  K2W3,  p.  338. 
But  while  his  glory  lasted  the  Jews  (ye  em- 
phatic) were  willing  for  a  season  (an  hour, 
i  Cor.  vii.  8 ;  Gal.  ii.  5 ;  Philem.  15)  to  rejoice 
(dya\\ia(r6fjvai)  in  his  light.  This  exulting 
joy  however  shewed  their  real  misundet- 


ST.  JOHN.   V. 


[v.  36—38. 


36  1T  But  I  have  greater  witness  hath  sent  me,  ^hath  borne   witness  f^'J- 

than   that  of  John :   for   the    works  of  me.     Ye  have  neither  heard  his 

which  the  Father  hath  given  me  to  voice    at    any   time,    h  nor   seen    his  *2Deut- 

finish,  the  same  works  that  I  do,  bear  shape, 
witness  of  me,  that  the  Father  hath         38    And   ye   have   not   his   word 


sent  me. 


abiding  in  you :  for  whom  he  hath 


37  And  the  Father  himself,  which     sent,  him  ye  believe  not. 


standing  of  his  mission.  They  welcomed  his 
power,  but  disregarded  the  solemn  warning  of 
his  preaching  of  repentance.  His  stern  pre- 
sence became  a  mere  spectacle.  Comp.  Luke 
vii.  24  ff. 

36,  37  a.  But  I  have  greater  'witness...'] 
More  exactly:  But  the  witness  which  I 
(emphatic)  have  is  greater  (more  conclu- 
sive) than  that  of  John  (or  than  John),  for... 
the  very  works  that  I  do  bear  witness  of  me 
...and  the  Father  which  sent  me,  He  hath  borne 
witness.  The  one  witness  was  even  then 
being  given  ;  the  other  was  complete.  The 
revelation  made  in  Christ,  and  especially  in 
His  works  of  power,  was  a  proof  developed 
before  the  eyes  of  men.  The  historical  revela- 
tion of  the  Old  Testament  consummated  at 
the  Baptism  was  already  a  finished  whole,  and 
recorded  in  the  preparatory  Scriptures  of  the 
old  Covenant. 

the  works  ...given]  "The  works"  of 
j  Messiah  from  the  divine  side  were  a  com- 
plete whole  (hath  given)  ;  but  they  were 
gradually  wrought  out  on  earth  (that  I  should 
accomplish,  v.  34)  ;  and  this  accomplishment 
was  the  end  proposed  in  the  divine  gift 
(iva). 

the  works']  This  phrase  is  used,  as  generally 
in  St  John's  Gospel  (v.  20,  n.),  to  describe  the 
whole  outward  manifestation  of  Christ's  acti- 
vity, both  those  acts  which  we  call  supernatural 
and  those  which  we  call  natural.  All  alike 
are  wrought  in  fulfilment  of  one  plan  and  by 
one  power.  The  many  "works"  (vii.  3,  ix. 
3,  x.  25,  32,  37  f.,  xiv.  10  ff.,  xv.  24)  are  parts 
of  the  one  "work"  (iv.  34,  xvii.  4).  The 
phrase  occurs  elsewhere  in  Matt.  v.  16. 

hath  given  (deftmicev)']  The  declaration  of 
this  relation  of  the  Father  to  the  Son  (Incar- 
nate) is  characteristic  of  St  John.  The  Father 
hath  given  all  things  in  His  hand  (iii.  35, 
xiii.  3) ;  He  hath  given  Him  all  judgment 
(vv.  22,  27)  ;  He  gave  Him  to  have  life  in 
Himself  (v.  26)  ;  He  hath  given  Him  a  com- 
pany of  faithful  servants  (vi.  39 ;  comp.  vi. 
65,  xvii.  2,  6,  9,  12,  24,  xviii.  9) ;  He  hath 
given  Him  commandment  what  to  say  (xii. 
49)  and  to  do  (xiv.  31,  xvii.  4 ;  comp. 
xvii.  7  f.).  He  gave  Him  authority  over  all 
flesh  (xvii.  2)  ;  He  hath  given  Him  His  name 
(xvii.  n  f.)  and  glory  (xvii.  24;  comp.  v. 
22). 
^finish]  accomplish.  Comp.  iv.  34,  note. 

that  I  do]    The  pronoun  («y»)  which  is 


inserted  in  the  common  text  must  be  omitted. 
It  stands  in  x.  25,  xiv.  12,  and  xiii.  7. 

37.  the  Father  (omit  himself)  ...He  (e«a- 
i>oy)  hath  borne  witness..."]     Side  by  side  with 
the  continuous  witness  of  the  Father  (v.  32) 
there  is  a  witness  which  is  complete.     This 
was  given,  in  its  outward  form,  in  the  prophe- 
tic teaching  of  the  Old  Testament  closed  by 
the  work  of  the  Baptist ;  and  in  its  spiritual 
form,  in  the  constitution  of  man  whereby  he  re- 
cognises in  Christ  the  fulfilment  of  the  providen- 
tial teaching  of  God.  Comp.  Introd.  pp.  xiv.  ff. 

37  b,  38.  But  still  the  double  witness  was 
unavailing.  The  words  and  visions  of  the 
Old  Testament  were  fulfilled  in  Christ  (i. 
17).  If  He  was  rejected  at  His  coming, 
they  were  inarticulate  and  unreal  to  the  faith- 
less. So  too  it  was  with  the  last  witness  at 
the  Baptism  (i.  32  ff.).  Since  therefore  it  is 
only  through  the  Son  that  men  can  hear  or 
see  God  (xiv.  9),  the  Jews  by  their  disbelief 
of  Christ  failed  to  hear  and  see  Him  (ye  is 
unemphatic)  ;  nor  was  His  word,  which 
answers  from  within  to  the  revelation  without, 
abiding  in  them  (i  John  ii.  14).  This  all 
follows  from  the  words  which  are  emphasized 
in  the  original  by  their  position :  whom  He 
sent,  Him  ye  (v/iels)  believe  not. 

The  passage  is  a  summary  of  the  mode  and 
conditions  of  revelation.  The  teaching  and 
the  character  of  God  can  be  discovered  in 
nature  and  history,  but  His  Word  must  be 
welcomed  and  kept  in  the  soul  in  order  that 
that  which  is  without  may  be  intelligible. 

his  voice... shape...']  Comp.  Luke  iii.  22 
(voice,  shape),  ix.  35.  Comp.  ch.  xii.  28 ; 
Acts  vii.  31,  ix.  4,  x.  13. 

38.  his    word]      Compare    xvii.    6    ff. ; 
i  John  i.  10,  ii.  14,  (Hebr.  iv.  12).    The  word 
of  God  is  a  power  within  man,  speaking  to 
and  through  his  conscience;  not  simply  the 
sum  of  the  earlier  revelation  under  the  old 
Covenant  as  an  outward  power;  nor  yet  an 
independent    illumination ;     but    the    whole 
teaching  of  Providence  felt  to  be  a  divine  , 
message. 

for  (because)...]     This  is  not  alleged  as 
the  ground,  but  as  the  sign  of  what  has  been 
said.     Comp.  Luke  vii.  47;  i  John  iii.  14. 
he  hath  sent]  he  sent.    Comp.  xx.  21,  note. 

39.  40.     From  the  essential  elements  of 
revelation,  external  (voice,  shape)  and  internal 


-  39—43-] 


ST.  JOHN.    V. 


39  f  Search  the  scriptures  ;  for  in 
them  ye  think  ye  have  eternal  life  : 
and  they  are  they  which  testify  of  me. 

40  And  ye  will  not  come  to  me, 
that  ye  might  have  life. 


41  I  receive  not  honour  from  men. 

42  But  I  know  you,  that  ye  have 
not  the  love  of  God  in  you. 

43  I  am  come  in  my  Father's  name, 
and  ye  receive  me  not :   if  another 


(•word},  the  Lord  passes  to  the  record  of 
Revelation  in  Scripture.  This  the  Jews 
misused. 

39.  Search  the  scriptures... ,]  Ye  search 
the  Scriptures...  The  original  word  may  be 
either  imperative  (A.V.)  or  indicative.  The 
indicative  rendering  is  strongly  recommended 
by  the  (i)  immediate  connexion,  ye  search... 
and  they...  ;  (2)  the  sense  of  for  in  tKem  ye 
think...,  which  rather  explains  a  practice  than 
recommends  a  precept;  (3)  the  general  form 
of  the  passage:  ye  have... ye  have  not... ye  will 
not;  (4)  the  character  of  the  Jews  who 
reposed  in  the  letter  of  the  Old  Testament 
instead  of  interpreting  it  by  the  help  of  the 
living  Word.  On  the  other  side  the  position 
of  the  verb  at  the  beginning  of  the  sentence, 
and  the  omission  of  the  pronoun,  which  occurs 
in  the  second  clause,  are  in  favour  of  the 
imperative  rendering.  But  on  the  whole,  tNe 
former  view  is  the  most  probable.  The  in- 
sertion of  the  pronoun  would  weaken  the  stress 
which  is  laid  on  the  idea  of  searching,  and  this 
is  the  central  thought.  The  intense,  misplaced 
diligence  of  search  is  contrasted  with  the 
futile  result. 

Search]  ch.  vii.  52  ;  I  Pet.  i.  n.  Comp. 
Rom.  viii.  27;  i  Cor.  ii.  10;  Rev.  ii.  23. 
The  original  word  (lpaw^.v)  describes  that 
minute,  intense  investigation  of  Scripture 
(EH1)  which  issued  in  the  allegorical  and 
mystical  interpretations  of  the  Midrash.  A 
single  example  of  the  stress  laid  upon  the 
written  word  will  suffice:  "  Hillel  used  to  say 
...more  Thorah  (Law),  more  life  (Prov.  iii. 
i  f.)...  He  who  has  gotten  to  himself  words 
of  Thorah,  has  gotten  to  himself  the  life  of  the 
\vorldto  come"  (' Aboth,'  ii.  8.  Compare 
'Perek  R.  Meir'  throughout;  Taylor,  'Sayings 
of  the  Fathers,'  pp.  113  ff.).  The  knowledge 
of  God,  it  was  thought,  without  repentance 
brought  forgiveness  of  sins  (Just.  M.  'Dial.' 
§  MI). 

the  scriptures']  the  book  as  distinguished 
from  the  living  word  (y.  38). 

for  (because).,  jr  think~\  because  you  tor 
your  part  (v/i««r),  following  your  vain  fancies, 
think  falsely  and  superstitiously  that  in  them 
— in  their  outward  letter — ye  have  eternal  life, 
without  penetrating  to  their  true,  divine  mean- 
ing. You  repose  where  you  should  be  moved 
to  expectation.  You  set  up  your  theory  of 
Holy  Scripture  against  the  divine  purpose 
of  it. 

and  they... and  ye  will  not...']  The  words 
mark  a  double  failure.  The  scriptures  wit- 
nessed of  One  whom  the  Jews  rejected ;  they 


pointed  to  life  which  the  Jews  would  not  seek. 
There  is  a  deep  pathos  in  the  simple  co-ordi- 
nation: and... and... 

and  they  (eKtlvai)...]  those  very  scriptures 
which  you  idolize.  Comp.  i.  18,  note. 

which  testify'}  ffiH  and  always.  Comp.  v. 
32.  The  teaching  of  the  Old  Testament  is 
never  exhausted.  As  we  know  more  of  Christ 
it  reveals  more  to  us  concerning  Him. 

40.  And]  still,  even  with  this  testimony 
before  you,  the  personal  act  of  faith  fails,  ye 
will  not  (ye  have  no  will  to)  come  unto  me 
(comp.   Matt,  xxiii.  37,   ch.  iii.   19)  that  ye 
may  have  life — "life"  in  its  simplest  form,  the 
condition  of  all  else  (iii.  36,  xx.  31),  not  quali- 
fied even  as  "eternal  life"  (y.  39). 

ye  ^will  not]  Man  has  that  freedom  of 
determination  which  makes  him  responsible. 
This  truth  is  expressed  in  various  forms  in 
St  John'5  Gospel  (comp.  vii.  17,  viii.  44,  vi. 
67)  side  by  side  with  the  affirmation  of  the 
divine  action  through  which  the  will  is  effec- 
tive for  good  (vi.  44). 

41 — 47.  In  this  section  Christ,  starting 
from  the  fact  of  a  want  of  will  to  believe  in 
His  hearers,  unfolds  the  cause  (41 — 44) 
and  the  end  (45 — 47)  of  their  rejection  of 
Himself. 

The  ground  of  rejection  (41 — 44)  lies  in  a 
want  of  divine  love  in  the  Jews  (v.  42), 
which  is  shewn  by  their  inability  to  recognise 
Christ's  self-sacrifice  (i».  43),  while  they  them- 
selves pursued  selfish  ends  (y.  44). 

41.  The  connexion  of  thought  with  what 
precedes  appears  to  lie  in  the  anticipation  of  a 
natural  objection.     The  condemnation  which 
Christ  pronounced  might  be  referred  to  dis- 
appointed hope.      It    is,    He    replies,    your 
spiritual  life  and  not  my  own  glory  that  I 
seek.     I  want  nothing  for  myself,  but  I  see 
a  fatal  defect  in  you.     "  Glory  from  men  I 
receive    not"  —  the  order  is  emphatic,   and 
contrasted  with  that  in  v.  34 — "but  I  know 
you,  that  ye  have  not  the  love  of  God  in  you." 

honour  (glory)  from  men]  The  glory  of 
Messiah  lies  in  His  perfect  fellowship  with  the 
Father  (comp.  i.  14,  "'•  ">  x»-  4i)  ;  and  men 
shew  their  sympathy  with  Him  by  "  the  love 
of  God."  This  the  Jews  had  not,  and  their 
rejection  of  Christ  was  the  sign  of  the  fatal 
defect. 

42.  /  know]   by  the  knowledge  of  ex- 
perience (fywKo).     Comp.  ii.  24,  note. 

the  love  of  God]  The  phrase  occurs  else- 
where in  the  Gospels  only  in  Luke  xi.  44. 


ST.  JOHN.   V. 


t— 47- 


i  chaP- 


shall  come  in  his  own  name,  him  ye 
will  receive. 

44  *  How  can  ye  believe,  which 
receive   honour  one  of  another,  and 
seek  not  the  honour  that  cometh  from 
God  only  ? 

45  Do  not  think  that  I  will  ac- 
cuse you  to  the  Father  :  there  is  one 


that   accuseth    you,  even   Moses,   in 
whom  ye  trust. 

46  For  had  ye  believed  Moses,  ye 
would   have    believed    me  :    k  for   he  * Gen-  3- 
wrote  of  me.  Dem.  is. 

47  But    if   ye    believe    not    his  I5 
writings,    how  shall  ye    believe    my 
words  i1 


Comp.  i  John  ii.  5,  iii.  17,  iv.  7,  9,  v.  3; 
Rom.  v.  5  ;  a  Cor.  xiii.  14 ;  a  Thess.  iii.  5  ; 
Jude  a  i.  God  is  at  once  the  Author  and  the 
Object  of  this  love ;  and  it  is  frequently  diffi- 
cult to  determine  whether  the  words  express 
the  quickening  love  of  God  towards  man,  or 
the  responsive  love  of  man  towards  God, 

have... in  you  (ev  eauroir)]  Comp.  v.  36, 
yi-  53  j  I  J°hn  v-  Io  5  Mark  iv.  17. 

43.  The  utter  want  of  fellowshjp  with 
God  on  the  part  of  the  Jews  js  exhibited  in  its 
contrasted  results :  /  (emphatic)  am  come  in 
the  name  of  my  Father,  revealing  God  to 
you  in  this  character,  and  ye  receive  me  not  : 
if  another  shall  come  in  his  own  name,  giving 
expression  to  his  own  thoughts,  his  own  der 
sires,  which  are  in  harmony  with  your  own, 
him  ye  (will  receive. 

In  the  name  of  my  Father]  ch.  x.  aj, 
that  is,  resting  absolutely  in  Him  who  is  my 
Father  and  whom  I  make  known  to  you  as 
such;  not  simply  "as  representing"  or  "by 
the  authority  of"  my  Father,  though  these 
ideas  are  included  in  that  deeper  and  more 
comprehensive  one.  Comp.  xiv.  13  f.,  xv.  16, 
xvi.  33  f.,  26,  xvii.  n,  12,  xx.  31. 

44.  The  Jews  offered  a  complete  con- 
trast to  Christ  (v.  30) ;    for  they  made  the 
judgment  of  men  their  standard.     Hence  the 
cause  of  their  faithlessness  is  summed  up  in 
the  question  which  represents  faith  as  an  im- 
possibility for  them :  How  can  ye  (emphatic) 
believe,  seeing  that  ye  receive  glory  (the 
highest  reward  of  action)  one  of  another  (comp. 
Matt,  xxiii.  5);  and  the  glory  that  cometh 
from  the  only  God  (not  from  God  only)  ye 
seek  not?    The  only  God,  the  one  source  of 
all  glory,  absolutely  one  in  nature,  stands  in 
opposition  to  the  "gods  many"  and  to  the 
many  common  dispensers  of  praise ;  to  regard 
these  in  themselves  is  idolatry  (comp.  xii.  42, 
43).    The  change  of  construction  in  the  ori- 
ginal is  remarkable,  from  a  causal  participle 
(seeing  that  ye  receive)  to  the  finite  verb 
(ye  seek  not).     The  first  clause  gives  the  suffi- 
cient reason  of  unbelief;   the  second  an  ac- 
companying fact.     Comp.  i.  32. 


45 — 47.  The  rejection  of  Christ  carries 
condemnation  with  it.  The  accuser  is  found 
in  the  supposed  advocate  (v.  45) ;  and  un- 
belief in  the  vaunted  belief  (v.  47). 

45.  Do  not  think...']  Though  I  lay  bare  the 
cause  and  nature  of  your  unbelief,  do  not  think 
that  I  will  accuse  you  to  the  Father  (not  my 
Father)  ;  thepe  is  one  that  accuseth  you,  even 
Moses  on  whom  you  have  set  your  hope. 
Disbelief  in  me  is  disbelief  in  him,  in  the 
record  of  the  ppomises  to  the  patriarchs  (viii. 
56),  in  the  types  of  the  deliverance  from 
Egypt  (iii.  14),  in  the  symbolic  institutions  of 
the  Law,  iq  the  promise  of  a  prophet  like 
to  himself;  for  it  was  of  me  (the  order  is 
emphatic)  he  wrote.  If  ye  were  now  at  this 
very  time  his  faithful  disciples,  you  would  be 
mine  also.  Christ  was  the  essential  subject 
of  the  Law  ^s  of  the  Prophets ;  and  so  of 
the  perrnanent  records  of  the  earlier  dispensa- 
tion. 

in  whom  ye  trust]  on  whom  ye  have  set 
your  hope  («r  bv  vpds  ijXniKarf,  Vulg.  in 
quo  vos  speratis).  Comp.  a  Cor.  i.  10;  i  Tim. 
i.y.  10,  v.  5. 

47.  The  converse  of  v.  46  also  holds  true. 
Disbelief  in  Moses  involved  disbelief  in  Christ. 
If  ye  believe  not  his  writings,  the  testimony 
which  he  has  given  formally,  solemnly,  and 
which  you  profess  to  accept  as  authoritative, 
how  shall  ye  believe  my  words,  my  sayings 
(iii.  34),  which  come  to  you  without  the  re- 
commendation of  use  and  age  ?  The  essence 
of  the  disbelief  which  the  Jews  shewed  to 
Moses  lay  in  refusing  to  regard  the  Law  as 
transitory.  They  failed  to  seize  the  principle 
of  life  by  which  it  was  inspired,  and  petrified 
the  form.  If  they  thus  allowed  their  pride 
to  interfere  with  their  acceptance  of  the  real 
teaching  of  Moses,  they  could  much  less 
admit  the  teaching  of  Christ.  Outward  zeal 
became  spiritual  rebellion. 

(writings']  The  original  word  (ypa^ara) 
appears  to  mark  the  specific  form  rather  than 
the  general  scope  of  the  record  (ypa(j)ai). 
Comp.  2  Tim.  iii.  15  f. 


ADDITIONAL  NOTES  on  CHAP.  v.  i,  3. 

The  evidence  for  the  identification  of  the  of  the  three  great  Jewish  festivals — the  Pass- 
unnamed  feast  in  v.  i  is  obscure  and  slight,  over  (Irenaeus,  Eusebius,  Lightfoot,  Neander, 
The  feast  has  in  fact  been  identified  with  each  Greswell,  &c.),  Pentecost  (Cyril,  Chrysostom, 


ST.  JOHN.   V. 


93 


Calvin,  Bengel,  &c.),  and  the  feast  of  Taber- 
nacles (Ewald,  &c.).  It  has  also  been  identi- 
fied with  the  Day  of  Atonement  (Caspar!), 
the  feast  of  Dedication  (Petavius  ?),  and  more 
commonly  in  recent  times  with  the  feast  of 
Purlm  (Wieseler,  Meyer,  Godet,  &c.). 

The  difficulty  was  felt  at  a  very  early  time. 
The  definite  article  (r>  toprrf)  was  added  as 
soon  as  the  second  century,  and  is  found  in 
a  large  number  of  copies,  among  which  are 
N,  C,  L,  and  the  early  Egyptian  versions.  It 
is  however  omitted  by  ABD,  Origen,  and  a 
large  number  of  later  copies ;  and  this  combi- 
nation of  authorities  is  of  far  greater  weight  in 
such  a  case  than  the  former.  We  may  there- 
fore safely  conclude  that  the  Evangelist  speaks 
of  "a  feast,"  not  of  "the  feast."  If  the 
definite  article  were  authentic  the  reference 
would  be  to  the  Feast  of  Tabernacles,  which 
was  emphatically  "  the  Feast  of  the  Jews " 
(comp.  Browne,  4  Ordo  Sasclorum,'  p.  87), 
and  not,  as  is  commonly  said,  to  the  Passover. 
One  MS.,  it  may  be  added,  inserts  "of  un- 
leavened bread,"  and  another  "  the  Feast  of 
Tabernacles." 

The  determination  of  the  event,  if  it  can  be 
reached,  has  a  decisive  bearing  both  upon  the 
chronology  of  St  John's  narrative,  and  upon 
the  relation  of  St  John's  narrative  to  that  of 
the  Synoptists. 

The  fixed  points  between  which  the  Feast 
lies  are  the  Passover  (ii.  23)  and  the  Feeding 
of  the  Five  Thousand  ;  the  latter  event  taking 
place,  according  to  the  universal  testimony  of 
MSS.  and  versions,  "  when  the  Passover  was 
near  at  hand  "  (vi.  4). 

The  following  details  in  St  John  bear  more 
or  less  directly  upon  the  date. 

1.  After  leaving    Jerusalem   at  the  con- 
clusion of  the  Passover  (iii.  21),  the  Lord 
"  tarried "  in   Judaea.     This  stay  was  suffi- 
ciently long  to  lead  to  results  which  attracted 
the  attention  of  the  Baptist's  disciples  (/.  c.) 
and  of  the  Pharisees  (iv.  i). 

2.  On  the  other  hand,  the  interval  between 
the  Passover  and  the  Lord's  return  to  Galilee 
was  such  that  the  memory  of  the  events  of 
that  Feast  was  fresh  in  the  minds  of  those  who 
had  been  present  at  it  (iv.  45)  ;  and  from  the 
mention  of  "  the  Feast "  it  is  unlikely  that  any 
other  great  Feast  had  occurred  since. 

3.  The  ministry  of  the  Baptist,  who  was 
at  liberty  after  the  Passover  (iii.  26  ff.),  is 
spoken   of  as  already  past  at  the  unnamed 
Feast  (v.  35). 

4.  To  this  it  may  be  added  that  the  lan- 
guage in  which  the  Lord's  action  in  regard  to 
the  Sabbath  is  spoken  of,   implies  that   His 
teaching  on   this  was  now  familiar  to  the 
leaders  of  the  people  (v.  18,  t\vt). 

5.  The  phrase  used  in  iv.  35  has  special 
significance  if  the   conversation  took  place 
either  shortly  after  seedtime  or  shortly  before 
harvest. 

6.  The  circumstances  of  the  conversation 


in  ch.  iv.  suit  better  with  summer  than  with 
early  spring. 

7.  At  the  time  when   the  healing  took 
place  the  sick  lay  in  the  open  air,  under  the 
shelter  of  the  porches. 

8.  From  vii.    21    ff.   it  appears  that  the 
Lord  had  not  visited  Jerusalem  between  this 
unnamed  Feast  and  the  Feast  of  Tabernacles, 
and  that  the  incident  of  v.  i  ff.  was  fresh  in 
the  minds  of  the  people  at  the  later  visit. 

9.  It  is  improbable  that  the  Feast  was  one 
of  those  which  St  John  elsewhere  specifies  by 
name  (the  Passover,  ii.  13,  vi.  4,  xi.  55  ;  the 
Tabernacles,  vii.  2  ;  the  Dedication,  x.  22). 

A  consideration  of  these  data  seems  to  leave 
the  choice  between  Pentecost,  the  Feast  of 
Trumpets,  (the  Day  of  Atonement)  and  Purlm. 

Purlm  (March)  would  fall  in  well  with  the 
succession  of  events ;  but  the  character  of  the 
discourse  has  nq  connexion  with  the  thoughts 
of  the  Festival ;  and  the  Festival  itself  was  not 
such  as  to  give  a  natural  occasion  for  such 
teaching. 

Pentecost  would  suit  well  with  the  character 
of  the  discourse,  but  the  interval  between  the 
Passover  of  ch.  ii.  and  the  Pentecost  of  the 
same  year  would  scarcely  leave  sufficient 
time  for  the  events  implied  in  ch.  iii.,  iv. ; 
while  to  regard  it  as  the  Pentecost  of  the  year 
after  (McClellan)  seems  to  make  the  interval 
too  great. 

It  is  scarcely  likely  that  the  Day  of  Atone- 
ment would  be  called  simply  "  a  festival."' 
though  Philo  ('de  septen.'  §  23)  speaks  of  it 
as  "  a  festival  of  a  fast "  (i/ijorei'ar  eopnT),  but 
the  Feast  of  Trumpets  (the  new  moon  or  Sep- 
tember), which  occurs  shortly  before,  satisfies 
all  the  conditions  which  are  required.  This 
"beginning  of  the  year,"  "the  day  of 
memorial,"  was  in  every  way  a  most  signi- 
ficant day.  It  had,  according  to  the  contem- 
porary interpretation  of  Philo,  a  double  sig- 
nificance, national  and  universal :  national  in 
memory  of  the  miraculous  giving  of  the  law 
with  the  sound  of  the  trumpet ;  and  universal 
a?  calling  men  to  a  spiritual  warfare  in  which 
God  gives  peace  (/.  c.  §  22).  On  this  day, 
according  to  a  very  early  Jewish  tradition, 
God  holds  a  judgment  of  men  (Mishnah, 
'Rosh  Hashanah,'  §  n.  and  notes);  as  on 
this  day  He  had  created  the  world  (Suren.  on 
Mishnah,  '  Rosh  Hashanah,'  §  i,  n.  pp.  306, 
313).  Thus  many  of  the  main  thoughts  of 
the  discourse,  creation,  judgment,  law,  find 
a  remarkable  illustration  in  the  thoughts  of 
the  Festival,  as  is  the  case  with  the  other 
Festival  discourses  in  St  John.  These  find 
expression  in  the  ancient  prayer  attributed 
to  Rav  (second  century),  which  is  still 
used  in  the  Synagogue  service  for  the  day: 
"  This  is  the  day  of  the  beginning  of  Thy 
works,  a  memorial  of  the  first  day...  And  on 
the  provinces  is  it  decreed  thereon,  '  This  one 
is  for  the  sword,'  and  'This  for  peace;'  'This 
one  is  for  famine,'  and  'This  for  plenty.' 


94 


ST.  JOHN.    VI. 


And  thereon  are  men  (creatures)  visited,  that 
they  be  remembered  for  life  and  for  death. 
Who  is  not  visited  on  this  day  ?  for  the 
remembrance  of  all  that  hath  been  formed 
cometh  before  Thee..."  ('Additional  Service 
for  the  New  Year,'  "O1T  nnS).  And  again, 
shortly  after  (comp.  w.  37  f.) :  "Thoii 
didst  reveal  Thyself  in  the  cloud  of  Thy  glory 
unto  Thy  holy  people,  to  speak  with  them ; 
from  the  heavens  didst  Thou  make  them  to 
hear  Thy  voice,  and  Thou  didst  reveal  Thy- 
self to  them  in  a  dense  bright  cloud.  Yea 
the  whole  world  trembled  at  Thy  presence, 
and  the  creatures  of  Thy  making  trembled 
because  of  Thee,  when  Thou,  our  King,  didst 
reveal  Thyself  Ori  Mount  Sinai,  to  teach1  Thy 
people  Thy  Law  and  THy  commandnlents  " 

(id.  n^w  nn«). 

NOTE  ON  THE  READING  IN  v.  3  ff. 

The  various  readings  in  w.  3,  4  are  very 
instructive.  The  last  clause  of  i>.  3  and  the 
whole  of  v.  4  (cK8exo/jLfvwv...voo-iiiJiaTi)  is 
omitted  by  NBC*,  Memph.,  TKeb,,  Syr.  vt., 
and  one  Latin  copy  (g). 

The  last  clause  of  v.  3  ({KSe^b^e'i/coi/..;*/^- 
(TIV)  is  omitted  by  A*L;  while  it  is  contained 
in  D,  i,  33,  (Z,att.),  (tyrr.),  and  the  great  mass 
of  later  authorities. 

The  whole  of  v.  4  is  omitted  by  D,  33, 
and  by  some  Latin  copies,  and  is  marked  as 
spurious  in  very  many  MSS. ;  while  it  is  con- 
tained in  AL,  (Latt.*),  (Syr.),  and  the  great 


mass  of  later  authorities.  The  passage  is  not 
referred  to  by  any  writer  except  Tertullian 
(see  below)  earlier  than  Chrysostom,  Didy- 
mus  and  Cyril  of  Alexandria. 

Thus  the  whole  passage  is  omitted  by  the 
oldest  representatives  of  each  great  group  of 
authorities.  And,  on  the  other  hand,  the  whole 
passage  is  not  contained  in  any  authority,  ex- 
cept Latin,  which  gives  an  ante-Nicene  text. 
It  is  also  to  be  noticed  that  the  passage  is 
inserted  in  the  later  texts  of  the  Memph.  and 
Ami.,  which  omit  it,  wholly  or  in  part,  in 
their  earliest  form. 

The  earliest  addition  to  the  original  text  was 
the  conclusion  of  i».  3.  This  was  a  natural 
gloss  suggested  by  v.  7,  which  is  undisturbed. 

The  gloss  in  v.  4  probably  embodied  an 
early  tradition ;  and  Tertullian  was  acquainted 
with  it  ('deBapt.'j). 

The  glosses  (though  longer  and  more  im- 
portant) are  like  many  which  are  found  in  ND, 
Syr.  -vt.  and  Lat.  i>t.,  and  the  fact  that  they 
are  not  found  in  X,  Syr.  vt.,  and  only  partly  in 
D,  shews  that  they  were  for  a  time  confined 
to  North  Africa. 

It  is  obvious  that  there  could  be  no  motive 
for  omitting  the  words,  if  they  originally 
formed  part  of  St  John's  text ;  nor  could 
any  hypothesis  of  arbitrary  omission  explain 
the  partial  omissions  in  the  earliest  authorities 
which  omit ;  while  all  is  intelligible  if  the 
words  are  regarded  as  two  glosses.  The 
most  ancient  evidence  and  internal  probability 
perfectly  agree. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

I-  Christ  feedeth  five  thousand  men  with  five 
loaves  and  two  fishes.  15  Thereupon  the 
people  would  have  made  him  king.  16  But 
•withdrawing  himself,  he  walked  on  the  sea 


to  his  disciples:  16  reproveth  the  people  flock- 
ing after  him,  and  all  the  fleshly  hearers 
of  his  word:  32  declareth  himself  to  be  the 
Bread  of  life  to  believers.  66  Many  disciples 
depart  from  him.  68  Peter  confesseth  him. 
70  Judas  is  a  devil. 


ii.  CHRIST  AND  MEN  (ch.  vL). 

The  record  of  a  critical  scene  in  Christ's 
work,  in  Galilee  follows  the  record  of  the 
critical  scene  at  Jerusalem.  At  Jerusalem 
Christ  revealed  Himself  as  the  Giver  of  life ; 
here  He  reveals  Himself  as  the  Support  and 
Guide  of  life.  In  the  former  case  the  central 
teaching  was  upon  the  relation  of  the  Son  to 
the  Father ;  in  this  case  it  is  on  the  relation  of 
Christ  to  the  believer. 

This  episode  contains  the  whole  essence  of 
the  Lord's  Galilsean  ministry.  It  places  in 
a  decisive  contrast  the  true  and  false  con- 
ceptions of  the  Messianic  Kingship,  the  one 
universal  and  spiritual,  the  other  local  and 
material. 

The  record  consists  of  three  parts :  the  signs 
(vv.  I — ai)  ;  the  discourses  (vv.  22 — 59)  ;  the 
issue  (vv.  60 — 71). 

The  signs  on  the  land  and  on  the  lake  (i — ai). 

The  two  signs,   the  Feeding  of  the  Five 

Thousand  (i — 15),  and  the  Walking  on  the  Sea 


(15 — 21),  combine  to  shew  Christ  as  the  sup- 
port of  life  and  as  the  guide  and  strengthener 
of  the  toiling.  Through  His  disciples  He  first 
satisfies  the  multitudes,  and  then  He  Himself, 
at  first  unseen  and  unrecognised,  brings  His 
labouring  disciples  to  the  haven  of  rest. 

1 — 15.  The  sign  on  the  land,  the  feeding  of 
the  five  thousand. 

The  feeding  of  the  five  thousand  is  the  only 
incident  in  the  Lord's  life,  before  His  last  visit 
to  Jerusalem,  which  is  recorded  by  all  four 
Evangelists.  The  variations  of  detail  in  the 
four  narratives  are  therefore  of  the  deepest 
interest  (Matt.  xiv.  13 — 21;  Mark  vi.  30 — 44; 
Luke  ix.  10 — 17  ;  John  vi.  i — 15). 

Generally  it  may  be  said  that  the  Synoptic 
narratives  are  given  in  broad  outline,  as  part 
of  a  prolonged  ministry.  St  John's  narrative 
is  part  of  an  isolated  episode,  but  at  the  same 
time  individual  in  detail.  The  actors  in  the 
former  are  the  Lord  and  "  the  disciples,"  or 
the  "twelve:"  "the  disciples  say  to  Him," 


i— 3-] 


ST.  JOHN.   VI. 


ATER  these  things   Jesus    went 
over  the  sea  of  Galilee,  which 
is  the  sea  of  Tiberias. 

2  And  a  great  multitude  followed 


him,  because  they  saw  his  miracles 
which  he  did  on  them  that  were 
diseased. 

3  And  Jesus  went  up  into  a  moun- 


95 


"  He  saith  to  them ; "  in  the  latter,  the  Lord. 
and  Philip,  and  Andrew.  As  a  natural  con- 
sequence the  conversation,  of  which  St  John 
has  preserved  characteristic  fragments,  is  con- 
densed into  a  simple  form  by  the  first  three 
Evangelists ;  and,  on  the  other  hand,  the  cir- 
cumstances which  led  up  to  the  event  are  to 
be  found  only  in  the  Synoptists,  though  we 
may  detect  traces  of  their  influence  in  St 
John's  record. 

It  follows  that  the  two  narratives  are  derived 
from  two  distinct  sources ;  for  it  is  not  possible 
that  the  narrative  of  St  John  could  h.ave  been 
derived  from  any  one  of  the  Synoptists,  or 
from  the  common  original  from  whfch  they 
were  finally  derived. 

The  chronology  of  the  event  cannot  be 
determined  with  absolute  certainty.  Some 
have  supposed  that  the  words  TO  »rdcr^a  (v,  4) 
are  a  very  early  and  erroneous  gloss  ( i )  ;  and 
others  again  have  suggested  that  chh.  v.  and 
vi.  were  transposed  accidentally,  perhaps  at 
the  time  when  chh.  vi.,  xxi. —episodes  of  the 
Galilaean  lake — were  added  on  the  last  review 
of  the  Gospel  (»). 

Against  (i)  (Browne,  « Ordo  Saeclortim,' 
pp.  84  fF.)  it  must  be  urged  that  all  direct 
documentary  evidence  whatever  supports  the 
disputed  words.  The  ground  for  suspecting 
them  is  derived  indirectly  from  patristic  cita- 
tions, and  it  is  by  no  means  clear  that  there  js 
not  in  the  passages  quoted  a  confusion  between 
vi.  4  and  vii.  2.  Irenseus  (n.  22,  §  3)  appears 
to  interpret  nigh  (vi.  4,  iyyvs)  retrospectively. 
Comp.  Mark  vi.  39,  note. 

The  transposition  (2)  (Morris,  '  Journal  qf 
Philology,'  1871,  pp.  107  fF.)  would  give  a 
simple  connexion  of  events,  but  in  the  absence 
of  all  external  evidence  it  cannot  be  maintained. 

Our  knowledge  of  the  details  of  the  Lord's 
life  is  far  too  fragmentary  to  justify  us  in  the 
endeavour  to  make  a  complete  arrangement  of 
those  which  have  been  recorded.  The  very 
abruptness  of  the  transition  in  vi.  i  is  charac- 
teristic of  St  John ;  comp.  iii.  22,  x.  22,  xii.  i. 

CHAP.  VI.  1.  After  these  things]  See 
v.  i,  note. 

'went']  Rather,  departed,  went  away,  th'at 
is  from  the  scene  of  His  ministry  at  the  time, 
which  is  left  undetermined,  and  not  from 
Jerusalem,  as  if  this  verse  stood  in  immediate 
connexion  with  ch.  v.  The  abruptness  with 
which  the  narrative  is  introduced  is  most 
worthy  of  notice.  All  we  read  is  that  the 
departure  "over  the  sea  of  Galilee"  (i.e.  to 
the  east  side  of  it)  took  place  at  sometime 
after  the  visit  to  Jerusalem,  which,  as  we 


have  seen,  probably  took  place  at  the  feast  of 
the  New  Year.  The  Passover  also  was  near, 
if  the  present  text  in  v.  4  is  correct ;  but  we 
learn  nothing  from  St  John  as  to  the  facts  by 
which  the  incident  was  immediately  preceded. 
This  information  must  be  sought  from  the 
other  Gospels.  And  it  is  very  significant  that 
the  Synoptists  set  the  withdrawal  of  the  Lord 
in  connexion  with,  two  critical  events.  They 
all  agree  in  stating  that  it  followed  upon  tid- 
ings brqught  from  without.  St  Matthew  makes 
it  consequent  upon  the  account  of  the  death 
of  the  Baptist  brought  by  his  disciples  (xiv. 
13).  St  Luke  places  it  immediately  after  the 
return  of  the  twelve  from  their  mission,  but 
without  any  definite  combination  of  the  two 
events  (ix.  10).  St  Mark  brings  out  more 
clearly  that  at  least  one  object  of  the  retire- 
ment was  rest  from  exhausting  labour  (vi.  30, 
31).  These  indications  of  a  concurrence  of 
motives  exactly  correspond  to  the  fulness  of 
life.  And  St  Luke  has  preserved  the  link 
which  combines  them.  "Herod,"  he  says, 
"sought  to  see  [Jesus],"  troubled  by  the 
thought  of  a  new  John  come  to  take  the  place 
of  him  whom  he  had  murdered  (ix.  9).  The 
news  of  the  death  of  the  Baptist,  of  the  de- 
signs of  Herod,  of  the  work  of  the  twelve, 
coming  at  the  same  time,  made  a  brief  season 
of  quiet  retirement,  and  that  outside  the 
dominions  of  Herod,  the  natural  counsel  of 
wisdom  and  tenderness.  St  Luke  alone  gives 
the  name  of  the  place  which  was  chosen  for 
this  object,  "  a  city  called  Bethsaida"  (ix.  10), 
that  is  the  district  of  Bethsaida  Julias  in  Gaul- 
onitis,  at  the  N.E.  of  the  lake  (Jos.  'Ant.' 
xvin.  2.  i).  This  second  city  of  the  same 
name  was  probably  present  to  the  mind  of 
St  John  when  he  spoke  of  "Bethsaida  of 
Gali/ee"  (xii.  21 ;  but  not  i.  44)  as  the  home 
of  Philip.  Perhaps  we  may  add,  that  this 
withdrawal  for  calm  devotion  would  be  still 
more  necessary,  if  it  was  intended  to  cover 
the  period  of  the  Passover,  which  the  Lord 
could  not  celebrate  at  Jerusalem  owing  to  the 
hostility  shewn  towards  Him  there  not  long 
before. 

the  sea  of  Tiberias']  This  is  the  name 
by  which  the  lake  was  known  to  classical 
writers  (Paus.  V.  7,  p.  391.  ^"77  Tt/3eptds). 
The  title  occurs  only  here  and  in  ch.  xxi.  i 
in  the  New  Testament;  and  it  will  be  no- 
ticed that  in  xxi.  i  no  second  name  is  given. 
The  later  incident  was  not  contained  in  the 
common  basis  of  the  Synoptic  accounts, 
and  was  not  therefore  connected  with  the 
Synoptic  title  of  the  lake.  The  name  _  of 
Tiberias,  the  splendid  but  unholy  capital 


96 


ST.  JOHN.   VI. 


[v.  4—7. 


tain,  and  there  he  sat  with  his  dis-    Whence    shall   we   buy   bread,   that 
ciples.  these  may  eat? 

4  a  And  the  passover,  a   feast  of        6  And  this  he  said  to  prove  him : 


Lev.  23. 

i)eut.i6.i.  the  Jews,  was  nigh. 


for     he     himself     knew     what     he 


*  Matt  14.      5  fl  *When  Jesus  then  lifted  up    would  do. 

bis  eyes,  and  saw  a  great  company         7  Philip  answered  him,  Two  hun- 
come  unto  him,  he  saith  unto  Philip,     dred  pennyworth  of  bread  is  not  suf- 


which  Herod  the  tetrarch  had  built  for  him- 
self, is  not  mentioned  in  the  New  Testament 
except  in  these  two  places  and  in  f.  23. 

2.  followed]   not  simply  on  this  occasion 
but  generally  (r/KoAovtfei).    The  verse  describes 
most  vividly  the  habitual  work  and  environ- 
ment and    influence  of    Christ.     The  sense 
stands  in  contrast  with  that  in  Matt.  xiv.  13  ; 
Luke  ix.  n. 

saw]  beheld  (ifoelpobv),  v.  19.  See  ii. 
23,  note. 

his  miracles.,.']  the  signs  which  he  did... 
This  verb  (eVtu'fi,  Vulg.  faciebat),  like  those 
which  precede,  marks  a  continued  ministry. 

3.  Into  a  mountain]  into  the  mountain, 
and...     So  v.  15.     The  use  of  the  definite 
article  implies    an    instinctive  sense    of   the 
familiar  landscape,  the  mountain  range  closing 
round  the  lake.     This  use  is  found  also  in  the 
Synoptic  narrative,  Matt.  v.  i,  xiv.  23,  xv.  29 ; 
Mark  iii.  13,  vi.  46;    Luke  vi.  12,  ix.  28. 
St  Matthew  adds  that  it  was  "  a  desert  spot" 
(xiv.  13). 

sat]  Literally,  was  sitting.  The  word  has  a 
life-like  distinctness  when  taken  in  connexion 
with  v.  5.  Comp.  Matt.  xiii.  i,  xv.  29. 

4.  And   (Now)   the  pas  server... was  nigh~\ 
i.e.  "near  at  hand"  (ii.  13,  vii.  2,  xi.  55),  and 
not  as  Irenaeus  (?)  and  some  moderns  have 
taken   it,   "lately  past."    The  notice  of  the 
feast  is  probably  designed  to  give  a  clue  to  the 
understanding  of  the  spiritual  lessons  of  the 
miracle  which  are  set  forth  in  the  discourse 
which  followed  (i    Cor.  v.  7) ;   and  at  the 
same  time  it  serves  to  explain  how  trains  of 
pilgrims  on  their  way  to  Jerusalem  may  have 
been    attracted    to    turn   aside  to  the    new 
Teacher,  in  addition  to  "  the  multitude"  who 
were  already  attached  to  Him. 

the  feast  of  the  Jews]  i.e.  "the  well-known 
feast."  The  phrase  when  it  stands  alone  sig- 
nifies the  Feast  of  Tabernacles,  "the  one  great 
national  feast."  Compare  vii.  2  (where  the 
order  is  different),  and  v.  i,  note. 

5.  When  Jesus  then  lifted  up. ..and saw... 
come. ..he  saith...']  Jesus  therefore  having 
lifted    up    his    eyes    and    seen  that... 
cometh... saith.     Comp.  iv.  35,  (i.  38). 

come  (cometh)]  Literally,  is  coming.  Jesus 
and  His  disciples  sailed  across  the  lake  (Matt. 
xiv.  13),  but  "the  multitudes"  observed  their 
departure  and  reached  Bethsaida  on  foot 


(Mark  vi.  33).  The  point  of  time  here  is 
evidently  the  first  arrival  of  the  people.  A 
day  of  teaching  and  healing  must  be  inter- 
calated before  the  miracle  of  feeding  was 
wrought  (Matt.  xiv.  14  ;  Mark  vi.  34  ;  Luke 
ix.  n).  St  John  appears  to  have  brought 
together  into  one  scene,  as  we  now  regard  it, 
the  first  wofds  spoken  to  Philip  on  the  ap- 
proach of  the  crowd,  and  the  words  in  which 
they  were  afterwards  taken  up  by  Andrew, 
when  the  disciples  themselves  at  evening  re- 
stated the  difficulty  (Matt.  xiv.  15  ;  Mark 
vi.  35;  Luke  ix.  12).  If  this  view  be  true, 
so  that  the  words  addressed  to  Philip  with  his 
answer  preceded  the  whole  day's  work,  then 
the  mention  of  '•  two  hundred  pennyworth 
of  bread  "  made  by  the  disciples  in  St  Mark 
(v'-  3?)  gains  great  point,  and  so  too  the 
phrase  "what  He  was  about  to  do"  (v.  6), 
which  otherwise  appears  to  be  followed  too 
quickly  by  its  fulfilment.  It  appears  also  from 
i>.  15  that  the  Lord  came  down  from  the 
mountain  before  the  miracle  was  wrought. 

Philip']  \.  44  ff.,  xii.  21  f.,  xiv.  8  f. 

Whence  shall  we...]  The  words  are  one 
expression  of  the  feeling  of  tender  compassion 
noticed  by  the  Synoptists  (Matt.  xiv.  14 ; 
Mark  vi.  34). 

6.  to  prove]  Literally,  trying  him,  to  see 
whether  he  could  meet  the  difficulty.     Comp. 
2  Cor.  xiii.  5  ;  Rev.  ii.  2.     The  word  does 
not  necessarily  carry  with  it  (as  these  passages 
shew)  the  secondary  idea  of  temptation  (comp. 
also  Matt.  xxii.  25 ;  Mark  xii.  28)  ;  but  prac- 
tically in  the  case  of  men  such  trial  assumes  for 
the  most  part  this  form,  seeing  that  it  leads  to 
failure,  either  as  designed  by  him  who  applies 
it  (Matt.  xvi.  i,  xix.  3,  xxii.  18,  &c.),  or  con- 
sequent upon  the  weakness  of  him  to  whom 
it  is  applied  (Hebr.  xi.  17  ;    i   Cor.  x.  1.3). 
Comp.  Deut.  xiii.  3. 

for  he  himself  knew. ..would  (was  about 
to)  do]  Throughout  the  Gospel  the  Evan- 
gelist speaks  as  one  who  had  an  intimate 
knowledge  of  the  Lord's  mind.  He  reveals 
both  the  thoughts  which  belong  to  His  own 
internal,  absolute  knowledge  (eiSeVm,  -w.  61, 
64,  xiii.  3,  xviii.  4,  xix.  28),  and  also  those 
which  answered  to  actual  experience  and  in- 
sight (yivuo-Kfiv,  -v.  15,  iv.  i,  v.  6,  xvi.  19). 

7.  Two  hundred  pennyworth]  *'.?.  between 
six  and  seven  pounds  worth.     See  Mark  vi. 
37.    We  cannot  tell  by  what  calculation  this 


v. 


ST.  JOHN.   VI. 


97 


ficient  for  them,  that  every  one  of 
them  may  take  a  little. 

8  One  of  his  disciples,   Andrew, 
Simon  Peter's  brother,  saith  unto  him, 

9  There  is  a  lad  here,  which  hath 
five    barley    loaves,    and    two    small 
fishes :  but  what  are  they  among  so 
many  ? 

10  And  Jesus  said,  Make  the  men 
sit  down.    Now  there  was  much  grass 
in  the  place.    So  the  men  sat  down, 
in  number  about  five  thousand. 

1 1  And    Jesus    took    the   loaves ; 
and  when  he  had  given  thanks,  he 
distributed  to  the  disciples,  and  the 
disciples  to  them  that  were  set  down ; 


and  likewise  of  the  fishes  as  much  as 
they  would. 

12  When  they  were  filled,  he  said 
unto  his  disciples,  Gather  up  the  frag- 
ments that  remain,  that  nothing  be 
lost. 

13  Therefore  they  gathered  them 
together,    and    filled    twelve   baskets 
with  the  fragments  of  the  five  bar- 
ley loaves,  which  remained  over  and 
above  unto  them  that  had  eaten. 

14  Then   those   men,  when  they 
had  seen  the  miracle  that  Jesus  did, 
said,  This  is  of  a  truth  that  prophet 
that  shoifld  come  into  the  world. 

15  fl  Whfen  Jesus  therefore  per- 


exact  sum  was  reached.     The  reference  may 
be  to  some  unrecorded  fact. 

e*uery  one  of  them]     Omit  of  them. 

8.  Andrew]      He    appears  elsewhere  in 
connexion  with  Philip,  i.  44,  xii.  22. 

9.  barley  loaves]  v.  13.    The  detail  is  pe- 
culiar to  St  John.  Comp.  2  K.  iv.  42.  Barley 
bread  was  the  food  of  the  poor.     Wetstein 
(ad  loc.)  has  collected  a  large  number  of  pas- 
sages to  shew  the  small  account  in  which  it 
was  held.    See  Judg.  vii.  13  f. ;  Ezek.  xiii.  19. 

small Jishes]  Rather,  fishes.  It  is  worthy 
of  remark  that  the  original  word  (ctydpia)  « 
found  in  the  New  Testament  only  in  this 
passage  and  in  ch.  xxi.  It  may  have  been  a 
familiar  Galilxan  word. 

10.  And  Jesus]     Omit  And. 

the  men... the  men]  //.v  people  (rovs  av6pu>- 
7roi;i).../Af  men  (ot  avSpts)... about  five  t/jou- 
sand.  The  change  of  word  in  the  latter  case 
implies  the  remark  added  by  St  Matthew  (xiv. 
21)  beside  women  and  children. 

much  grass]  See  note  on  Mark  vi.  39.  The 
difference  of  the  form  in  which  the  detail  is 
introduced  marks  apparently  the  testimony  of 
two  eye-witnesses.  This  detail  corresponds 
with  the  date,  which  is  fixed  (vi.  4)  in  the 
early  spring. 

11.  And  Jesus...']     Jesus  therefore,  an- 
swering the  obedience  of  faith. 

when  he  had  given  thanks  (v.  23)]  By  this 
act  the  Lord  takes  the  place  of  the  head  of  the 
family  fcomp.  Luke  xxiv.  30).  The  word 
itself  is  found  elsewhere  in  St  John  only,  xi.  41. 
This  second  passage  suggests  that  the  thanks- 
giving was  rendered  in  acknowledgment  of 
the  revelation  of  the  Father's  will  in  accord- 
ance with  which  the  miracle  was  wrought. 
In  the  parallels  the  word  is  blessed  (yet  comp. 
Matt.  xv.  36  ;  Mark  viii.  6).  The  two  words 
preserve  the  two  aspects  of  the  action  in  rela- 
tion to  the  source  and  in  relation  to  the  mode 


of  its  accomplishment.  Compare  in  this  con- 
nexion Matt.  xxvi.  26  f.;  Mark  xiv.  22  f. 

he  distributed  to. ..them  that...]  The  words 
to  the  disciples... and  the  disciples  must  be  omit- 
ted. They  are  an  obvious  gloss  introduced 
from  St  Matthew  xiv.  19. 

and  like  ^wise  of]  likewise  also  of. 

12.  When  they. ..said...]  And  when  they... 
saith... 

fragments]  i.e.  the  pieces  broken  for  dis- 
tribution (Ezek.  xiii.  19).  The  command  to 
collect  these  is  preserved  by  St  John  only. 

that  remain]  that  remain  over,  and  so  in 
v.  13  (jwfyich  remained  over),  where  the 
same  word  is  used. 

13.  gathered. ..together]   gathered...  up. 
The  word  is  the  same  as  in  v.  12.  The  simple 
repetition  gives  character  to  the  narrative. 

twelve]  The  number  implies  that  the  work 
was  given  to  the  apostles,  though  they  have 
riot  been  specially  mentioned.  Comp.  v.  70. 

baskets']  The  stout  wicker  baskets  (*o0i- 
vtivs)  as  distinguished  from  the  soft,  flexible 
"frails"  (o-0vpi'8ff,  Matt.  xv.  37;  Mark  viii. 
8).  Juv.  '  Sat.'  in.  14,  VI.  542. 

14.  15.     This  incident  is  peculiar  to  St 
John,   but  St  Luke  has  preserved  a  detail 
which  illustrates  it.     He  notices  that  Christ 
spoke  to  the  multitudes  "  concerning  the  king- 
dom of  God"  (ix.  n) ;  and  it  is  natural  to 
suppose  that  the  excitement  consequent  upon 
the  death  of  the  Baptist,  which  in  part  led  to 
the  Lord's  retirement,  may  have  moved  many 
to  believe  that  He  would  place  Himself  at  the 
head  of  a  popular  rising  to  avenge  the  murder. 

14.  Then  those  men  ...Jesus  did...]  The 
people  (of  avOpviroi)  therefore. ..he  did... 

that  prophet  that  should  come...]  the  prophet 
that  cometh...  Comp.  i.  21,  25,  vii.  40. 
The  phrase  is  peculiar  to  St  John.  Yet  see 
Matt.  xxi.  n,  and  Acts  vii.  37. 


98 


ST.  JOHN.   VI. 


[v.  1 6 — 21. 


t  Matt.  14. 
23- 


ceived  that  they  would  come  and 
take  him  by  force,  to  make  him  a 
king,  he  departed  again  into  a  moun- 
tain himself  alone. 

1 6  'And    when    even    was    now 
come,  his  disciples  went  down  unto 
the  sea, 

17  And  entered  into  a  ship,  and 
went  over  the  sea  toward  Capernaum. 
And  it  was  now  dark,  and  Jesus  was 
not  come  to  them. 


1 8  And  the  sea  arose  by  reason  of 
a  great  wind  that  blew. 

19  So  when  they  had  rowed  about 
five   and  twenty  or  thirty  furlongs, 
they  see  Jesus  walking  on  the  sea, 
and  drawing  nigh  unto  the  ship :  and 
they  were  afraid. 

20  But  he  saith  unto  them,  It  is 
I ;  be  not  afraid. 

21  Then   they  willingly  received 
him  into  the  ship  :  and  immediately 


15.  would   (were  about  \,o)...take  him 
by  force  (apira(tiv,  Vulg.  ut  raperenf)}    Comp. 
Actsxxiii.  10;  (Judg.  xxi.  21,  LXX.)  ;  Matt. 
xi.  12.     The  multitude  wished  to  use  Christ 
to  fulfil  their  own  ends  even  against  His  will. 
In  this  lies  the  foreshadowing  of  the  sin  of 
Judas,  ch.  xviii.  6. 

make  him  a  king]  make  him  king. 

departed]  withdrew  (d^w^o-ei.).  Comp. 
Matt.  ii.  iz  ff.,  xiv.  13,  xv.  21,  &c. ;  Acts 
xxiii.  19. 

again]  It  follows  (v.  3)  that  He  had 
descended  towards  the  shore  when  the  miracle 
took  place. 

himself  alone]  to  pray,  as  is  added  in  the 
parallel  narratives  (Matt.  xiv.  23  ;  Mark  vi. 
46).  The  dismissal  of  the  apostles  mentioned 
in  Matt.  xiv.  22  ;  Mark  vi.  45,  is  involved  in 
these  words  (contrast  "v.  3).  The  apostles 
were  first  withdrawn  from  the  influence  of  the 
multitude,  and  the  mass  of  the  people  were 
then  sent  away  ;  but  some  (T;.  22)  still  lingered 
with  vain  hopes  till  the  morning. 

16 — 21.     The  sign  upon  the  lake. 

This  incident  is  related  also  by  St  Matthew 
(xiv.  22  ff.)  and  by  St  Mark  (vi.  45  ff.).  The 
change  in  time,  scene,  persons,  belongs  to  the 
significance  of  the  sign. 

16.  Comp.  Matt.   xiv.    22  ff.;  Mark  vi. 

45  ff- 

when  even  was  now  come]  The  "  second 
evening,"  from  sunset  till  dark.  Comp.  Matt, 
xiv.  15,  23. 

17.  into  a    ship]     The  definite  article  is 
omitted  in  the  true  text,  so  that   A.  V.   is 
correct. 

went... toward]  Literally,  set  out  on  their 
<way  to...  Comp.  iv.  30.  This  continuous 
toil  is  contrasted  by  the  tense  with  the  simple 
act  which  preceded  it  (narf^no-av,  ffpxovro). 

was  not  yet  come...]  at  the  time  when  they 
finally  started.  It  appears  that  some  incidents 
are  here  omitted.  Probably  Jesus  had  directed 
the  apostles  to  meet  Him  at  some  point  on 
the  eastern  shore  on  their  way  to  Capernaum. 

18.  The  singular  vividness  of  the  descrip- 
tion  is  to  be  noticed.     Comp.  Jonah  i.  13 
(LXX.> 


19.  Jive  and  twenty...  furlongs']     The  lake 
is  at  its  broadest  about  forty  stades  ("fur- 
longs"), or  six  miles.     Thus  they  were  "m 
the  middle"  of  the  lake  (Mark  vi.  47),  having 
for  a  time  kept  to  the  shore. 

see~]  behold.  The  word  marks  the  arrested, 
absorbed  attention  of  the  disciples.  Comp. 
•v.  2. 

on  the  sea]  The  words  might  mean  (as 
xxi.  i)  "on  the  sea-shore,"  but  the  context 
and  parallels  determine  the  sense  here.  Comp. 
Job  ix.  8  (LXX.). 

were  afraid]  Comp.  Matt.  xiv.  26  ;  Mark 
vi.  49;  Luke  xxiv.  37. 

20.  It  is  7]     Comp.  iv.  26,  viii.  24,  28, 
58,  (ix.  9),  xiii.  19,  xviii.  5,  6,  8;  Mark  xiii.  6; 
Luke  xxi.  8. 


21.  'willingly  recet"ved~\  Literally,  they 
willing  to  take  (fjQtKov  Xa/3eii>,  Vulg.  "voluerunt 
accipere).  The  imperfect  in  the  original  ex- 
presses a  continuous  state  of  feeling  as  dis- 
tinguished from  an  isolated  wish.  It  is 
commonly  used  of  a  desire  which  is  not 
gratified  (vii.  44,  xvi.  19;  Mark  vi.  19,  48; 
Gal.  iv.  20,  -&c.Y  but  this  secondary  idea  does 
not  necessarily  lie  in  the  word.  Here  the  force 
of  the  tense  is  adequately  given  by  A.  V., 
though  in  Mark  vi.  48  the  same  word  is  used 
of  the  supposed  purpose  of  the  Lord  to  "  pass 
by"  the  disciples,  which  was  not  fulfilled. 
Comp.  Mark  xii.  38  ;  Luke  xii.  46.  Fear 
passed  into  joy.  Compare  Luke  xxiv.  37 
with  John  xx.  20. 

at  the  land]  The  original  phrase  (eVi  rf/s 
•yjyj)  may  mean  in  the  direction  of  the  land, 
that  is,  "moving  straight  towards  the  land;" 
but  it  more  probably  means  on  the  land,  being 
used  of  the  vessel  run  up  on  the  beach.  Comp. 
Ps.  cvii.  (cvi.)  30.  The  Synoptists  notice  that 
the  opposing  forces  were  removed  (Matt.  xiv. 
32  ;  Mark  vi.  51,  the  wind  ceased^  ;  St  John 
that  the  desired  end  was  gained.  Both  results 
followed  at  once  from  the  presence  of  Christ 
welcomed. 

went~\  The  original  word  (ynffyov)  is  some- 
what remarkable.  Comp.  "v.  67,  vii.  33,  note, 
xii.  ii,  xviii.  8.  The  idea  of  "withdrawing 
from,"  "leaving"  something,  seems  to  under- 
lie it. 


V.   22, 


ST.  JOHN.    VI. 


the  ship  was  at  the  land  whither  they 
went. 

22  IT  The  day  following,  when  the 
people  which  stood  on  the  other  side 
of  the  sea  saw  that  there  was  none 
other  boat  there,  save  that  one  where- 


into  his  disciples  were  entered,  and 
that  Jesus  went  not  with  his  disci- 
ples into  the  boat,  but  that  his  disci- 
ples were  gone  away  alone  ; 

23    (Howbeit    there    came    other 
boats   from  Tiberias  nigh   unto  the 


99 


It  will  be  obvious  that  these  two  "signs" 
are  introductory  to  the  discourse  which  fol- 
lows. Both  correct  limited  views  springing 
out  of  our  material  conceptions.  Effects  are 
produced  at  variance  with  our  ideas  of  quantity 
and  quality.  That  which  is  small  becomes 
great.  That  which  is  heavy  moves  on  the 
surface  of  the  water.  Contrary  elements  yield 
at  a  divine  presence.  Both  "signs,"  in  other 
words,  prepare  the  way  for  new  thoughts  of 
Christ,  of  His  sustaining,  preserving,  guiding 
power,  and  exclude  deductions  drawn  from 
corporeal  relations  only.  He  can  support  men, 
though  visible  means  fall  short.  He  is  with 
His  disciples,  though  they  do  not  recognise  or 
see  Him.  And  in  both  cases  also  the  powers 
and  action  of  men  are  needed.  They  receive 
and  assimilate  the  food  which  is  given  ;  they 
take  Christ  into  their  boat  before  they  reach 
their  haven. 

The  remarks  with  which  Augustine  opens 
his  explanation  of  the  narrative  are  of  perma- 
nent value.  "  Miracula  quse  fecit  Dominus 
noster  Jesus  Christus  sunt  quidem  divina 
opera  et  ad  intellegendum  Deum  de  visibilibus 
admonent  humanam  mentem  .  .  .  Nee  tamen 
sufficit  haec  intueri  in  miraculis  Christi.  In- 
terrogemus  ipsa  miracula,  quid  nobis  loquan- 
tur  de  Christo  :  habent  enim  si  intellegantur 
linguam  suam.  Nam  quia  ipse  Christus 
Verbum  Dei  est,  etiam  factum  Verbi  verbum 
nobis  est"  (August.  '  in  Johann.  Tract.'  xxiv. 


The  discounts  at  Capernaum  (22  —  59). 

The  discourses  which  followed  the  feeding 
of  the  five  thousand  serve  in  part  as  an  answer 
to  the  mistaken  expectations  of  the  multitude 
(vv.  14,  15),  while  they  unfold  those  views 
of  Christ's  Person  and  work  which  became  a 
decisive  trial  for  the  faith  of  the  disciples  who 
were  already  attached  to  Him.  The  short 
absence  had  been  sufficient  to  remove  the  fear 
of  immediate  violence  on  the  part  of  Herod  ; 
though  it  appears  that  the  Lord  withdrew  not 
long  afterwards  to  "  the  coasts  of  Tyre  and 
Sidon"  (Matt.  xv.  21  ff.). 

The  discourses  fall  into  three  groups  :  -w. 
26  —  40,  in;.  41  —  51,  iw.  52  —  58.  Each  group 
is  introduced  by  some  expression  of  feeling 
on  the  part  of  those  to  whom  the  words 
are  addressed,  a  simple  question  (i>.  25),  a 
murmuring  (v.  41),  a  contention  among  them- 
selves (v.  52).  The  thoughts  successively 
dealt  with  are  distinct  :  (i)  the  search  after 
New  Test.  —  VOL.  II. 


life,  (2)  the  relation  of  the  Son  to  God  and 
man,  (3)  the  appropriation  by  the  individual 
of  the  Incarnate  Son ;  and  it  appears  that  the 
audience  and  place  do  not  remain  the  same. 
There  are  evident  breaks  after  <v.  40,  and  i>. 

51.  The  "Jews"  are  introduced  in  -w.  41, 

52,  but  not  before.     The  last  words  were 
spoken  "in  synagogue"  (v.  59),   but  it  is 
scarcely   conceivable    that    the    conversation 
began  there. 

26 — 40.  The  first  part  of  the  discourses 
consists  of  answers  to  successive  questions  (jwv. 
25,  28,  30,  34).  The  conversation  is  natural 
and  rapid ;  and  deals  in  succession  with  the 
aim  of  religious  effort  (26,  27)  ;  the  method 
(28,  29)  ;  the  assurance  (30 — 33)  ;  the  fulfil- 
ment (34 — 40). 

22 — 24.  This  long  sentence  is  complicated 
and  irregular  in  construction.  The  irregularity 
is  due  to  the  mention  of  two  facts  which  are 
intercalated  between  the  beginning  and  end  of 
the  sentence.  The  narrative  would  naturally 
have  run:  The  day  following  the  multitude... 
when  they  saw  (v.  24)  that  Jesus  was  not 
there... took  shipping...;  but  St  John  has 
inserted  two  explanatory  clauses,  the  first  to 
explain  why  they  still  lingered  on  the  eastern 
shore  in  the  hope  of  finding  Jesus :  The  day 
following,  the  multitude. ..saw  (tlbov)  that 
there  was... save  one  (omit  whereinto  his  dis- 
ciples were  entered)  and  that  Jesus... but  that 
his  disciples  went  away  alone;  and  the  second 
to  explain  how  they  were  themselves  able  to 
cross  over  :  howbeit  there  came  boats  from 
Tiberias...  As  a  consequence  he  begins  the 
sentence  again  in  v.  24,  When  the  multitude 
therefore  saw...,  where  the  saw  is  not  a  simple 
resumption  of  the  saw  in  v.  22,  but  the  re- 
sult of  later  observation. 

22.  tlx  people  which  stood]    the  multi- 
tude...(and  so  in  v.  24),  some,  that  is,  who 
still  lingered  when  the  rest  were  dismissed 
(Matt  xiv.  23),  the  more  eager  zealots,  as  it 
seems,  who  wished  still  to  make  Christ  fulfil 
their  designs.  They  were  not  more  than  could 
cross  the  lake  in  the  boats  which  came  over 
(v.  23). 

23.  Howbeit  there  came  other  boats']  Omit 
other   (reading   aXXa    r/Xdfv    TrXota).    These 
boats,  perhaps,  were  driven  by  the  "contrary 
wind "  (Matt.  xiv.  24)  across  the  lake.  Their 
coming  probably  explains  the  reference  to  the 
"disciples"  in  -v.  24.     At  first  the  multitude 

H 


100 


ST.  JOHN.   VI. 


place  where  they  did  eat  bread,  after 
that  the  Lord  had  given  thanks :) 

24  When  the  people  therefore  saw 
that  Jesus  was  not  there,  neither  his 
disciples,  they  also  took  shipping,  and 
came  to  Capernaum,  seeking  for  Jesus. 

25  And  when  they  had  found  him 
on  the  other  side  of  the  sea,    they 
said  unto  him,  Rabbi,  when  earnest 
thou  hither  ? 

26  Jesus  answered  them  and  said, 
Verily,  verily,  I  say  unto  you,  Ye 


HOr, 
Work  not. 


seek  me,  not  because  ye  saw  the 
miracles,  but  because  ye  did  eat  of 
the  loaves,  and  were  filled. 

27  "Labour    not   for    the    meat 
which   perisheth,   but  for  that   meat 
which  endureth  unto  everlasting  life, 
which  the  Son  of  man  shall  give  unto 

you:  ^for  him  hath  God  the  Father  rf  Matt- 3- 
sealed. 

28  Then    said    they    unto    him, 
What  shall  we   do,  that  we  might 
work  the  works  of  God  ? 


might  have  supposed  that  they  had  returned 
in  one  of  them  from  some  brief  mission  to  the 
other  side. 

nigh  unto  the  place]  that  is,  to  some  un- 
frequented part  of  the  shore,  as  driven  by 
stress  of  weather. 

the  Lord]     Comp.  iv.  I,  xi.  a,  xxi.  7. 

24.  they  also]    they  themselves.      The 
force  of  the  word  is  that  they  also  did  what 
they  found  the  disciples  had  done. 

25.  (when  earnest...'}     The  idea  suggested 
by  when,  as  contrasted  with  the  more  natural 
bow,  is  that  of  the  separation  from  Christ ;  as 
if  the  people  had  pleaded,  "  We  sought  thee 
long  and  anxiously  on  the  other  side.     Could 
it  be  that  even  then  thou  hadst  left  us?"    If 
this  turn  is  given  to  the  words  the  connexion 
of  the  answer  is  obvious:    "It  is  not  me  ye 
seek,  but  my  gifts." 

26.  not  because  ye  saw  the  miracles...']  not 
because  ye  saw  signs...,   not  because  my 
works  of  healing  and  sustaining  led  you  to 
look  for  other  manifestations  of  spiritual  glory. 
That  one  last  miracle — a  speaking  sign — was 
to  you  a  gross  material  satisfaction,  and  not  a 
pledge,  a  parable  of  something  higher.     You 
failed  to  see  in  it  the  lesson  which  it  was 
designed  to  teach,  that  I  am  waiting  to  relieve 
the  hunger  of  the  soul. 

were  filled]  Literally,  "  were  satisfied  with 
food  as  animals  with  fodder"  (c'^oprao-^rjre, 
Vulg.  saturati  estis,  and  so  in  v.  12).  The 
original  word  is  different  from  that  used  in 
i>.  12.  It  is  however  used  in  connexion  with 
the  narrative  in  the  other  Gospels  (Matt.  xiv. 
20,  and  parallels)  without  any  disparaging 
sense ;  and  it  is  not  therefore  possible  to  press 
the  material  idea  which  predominates  in  it 
(Luke  xv.  16,  xvi.  21).  See  Matt.  v.  6  ;  Luke 
vi.  21. 

27.  Labour  not  for..."]    Work  not  for... 
The  verb  stands  emphatically  at  the  head  of 
the  sentence.     "  Work,  yea  win   by  work, 
not..."     Thus  perhaps   there  is  a  contrast 
between  "seeking"  and  "working."    Comp. 
Isai.  Iv.  i  ff. 


work.. .give']  The  contrast  of  these  verbs 
is  essential  to  the  sense  of  the  passage.  The 
believer's  work  does  not  earn  a  recompense  at 
the  last,  but  secures  a  gift.  Even  common 
work  may  bring  more  than  its  natural  result, 
"the  meat  which  perisheth."  And  no  work 
brings  more  than  the  possibility  of  blessings  to 
be  used.  Comp.  i.  12  f.,  note. 

the  meat  which  perisheth]  that  food  (jSpw- 
(ris)  which  belongs  to  our  material  life;  which 
supports  life  only  by  undergoing  change ;  for 
material  life  is  truly  a  process  of  death  (comp. 
i  Cor.  vi.  13).  It  is  possible  too  that  there 
may  be  even  at  this  point  a  reference  to  the 
manna:  Exod.  xvi.  20. 

that  (the)  meat  which  endureth  (abide th) 
unto  everlasting  (eternal)///*-]  that  food  which 
suffers  no  change,  but  remains  in  the  man  as 
a  principle  of  power  issuing  in  eternal  life. 
Comp.  iv.  14. 

the  Son  of  man]  This  title  suggests  the 
thought  which  underlies  the  whole  discourse. 
Christ  is  speaking  of  His  relation  to  men  in 
virtue  of  His  perfect  humanity.  He,  as  the 
absolute  representative  of  mankind,  will  give 
this  food  of  the  higher  life — the  life  also  being 
His  gift,  v.  25— for  Him  the  Father  (not 
my  Father,  v.  32),  His  Father  and  the  Father 
of  men,  sealed,  even  God  (ch.  x.  36.  See 
also  v.  36  ff.). 

shall  give']  as  the  issue  of  His  work  (v.  5 1) ; 
or  perhaps  as  the  crown  of  your  work  of  faith 
in  Him. 

God  the  Father]  the  Father.. .even  God. 
The  addition  of  the  divine  name  at  the  close 
of  the  sentence  emphasizes  the  identification 
of  God  with  "the  Father"  of  "the  Son  of 
man."  Comp.  viii.  19. 

sealed']  solemnly  set  apart  for  the  fulfilment 
of  this  charge  and  authenticated  by  intelligible 
signs.  Comp.  iii.  33,  note. 

28.  Then  said  they... What  shall  we  do,  that 
we  might...']  They  said  therefore. ..What 
must  we  do,  that  ivem&y...  The  questioners 
appear  to  admit  in  word  the  necessity  of  the 
higher  aim  of  work,  and  inquire  as  to  the 
method  of  reaching  it ;  but  the  phrase  work 
the  works  of  God  marks  the  external  concep- 


V.   2Q— 3 2- 


ST.  JOHN.   VI. 


101 


29  Jesus  answered  and  said   unto 
•  i  John  3.  them,   '  This  is  the  work   of  God, 

that  ye  believe  on  him  whom  he  hath 
sent. 

30  They  said  therefore  unto  him, 
What  sign  shewest  thou  then,  that 
we  may  see,  and  believe  thee  ?  what 
dost  thou  work  ? 


31  •'"Our  fathers  did  eat  manna  in/Exod.  u* 
the  desert ;  as  it  is  written,  *"He  gave  Numb.  n. 
them  bread  from  heaven  to  eat.  rPnL  7s 

32  Then  Jesus  said  unto  them, 25> 
Verily,  verily,  I  say  unto  you,  Moses 
gave  you  not  that  bread  from  heaven ; 
but  my  Father  giveth  you  the  true 
bread  from  heaven. 


tion  of  the  service  of  God  to  which  they  still 
clung.  The  works  of  God — works  which  He 
requires — are  assumed  to  be  the  one  condition 
oi"  obtaining  the  spiritual  food. 

29.  The  Lord  deals  with  the  error  and  the 
truth  in  the  question  which  was  put  to  Him. 
In  the  one  work  which  God  requires  of  man 
and  man  owes  to  God,  all  fragmentary  and 
partial  works  are  included.     It  is  a  true  work 
as  answering  to  man's  will,  but  it  issues  in 
that  which  is  not  a  work.     This  is  the  work 
of  God,  that  ye  believe  on...    Comp.  i  John  iii. 
43  (his  commandment). 

that  ye  believe  (Iva  iri(rr(\>rjTf)~\  The  phrase 
marks  not  only  the  simple  fact  of  believing  (TO 
triortvtiv'),  but  the  effort  directed  to  and  issu- 
ing in  this  belief.  Comp.  iv.  34,  note.  And 
again  it  expresses  not  the  single  decisive  act 
(iva  iri(rrtv(rT)Tt,  xiii.  19),  but  the  continuous 
state  of  faith. 

This  simple  formula  contains  the  complete 
solution  of  the  relation  of  faith  and  works. 
Faith  is  the  life  of  works;  works  are  the 
I  necessity  of  faith. 

30.  They  said  therefore..."]  as  recognising 
the  claim  which  Christ  preferred,  and  seeking 
an  authentication  of  it. 

What  sign  shewest  thou  (emphatic)  then...'] 
Literally,  What  then  doest  thou  as  a  sign... 
thou,  with  thy  commands  to  us,  peremptory 
as  a  second  Moses?  Christ  had  charged  the 
questioners  with  misunderstanding  His  signs 
before  (v.  26) ;  they  ask  therefore  for  some 
clear  attestation  of  His  claims.  And  in  this 
there  is  nothing  inconsistent  with  the  effect 
which  the  feeding  of  the  multitude  had  pro- 
duced on  some.  Great  as  that  work  was, 
their  history  taught  them  to  look  for  greater. 
They  ask,  as  in  the  Synoptists,  for  "a  sign 
from  heaven"  (Matt.  xvi.  i). 

that  we  may  see,  and  believe  thee]  In  these 
1  words  faith  is  reduced  to  simple  belief  in  the 
truth  of  a  message,  and  grounded  upon  the 
testimony  of  the  senses.  The  "  believing  on 
Christ"  (v.  29)  is  reduced  to  "believing 
Christ."  Comp.  viii.  30,  31,  note. 

what  dost  thou  work?]  The  words  take  up 
the  demand  made  on  themselves.  There  is  a 
work,  they  plead,  for  the  teacher  as  well  as 
for  the  hearer.  The  question  expresses  what 
was  suggested  by  the  emphatic  pronoun  (thou) 
just  before.  Words  must  be  justified  by 
works. 


31.  did    eat    manna]    the   manna^   [Ps. 
Ixxvii.  (Ixxviii.)  24].  The  miracle  which  Christ 
had  wrought  suggested  the  greater  miracle 
of  Moses,  by  which  the  people  were  sustained 
for  forty  years.  There  was  a  tradition  ('  Mid- 
rash  Koheleth,'  p.  73,  quoted  by  Lightfoot 
and   Wiinsche)  that  "as  the  first  Redeemer 
caused  the  manna  to  fall  from  heaven,  even  so 
should  the    second    Redeemer   (prlK  "?N1J) 
cause  the  manna  to  fall."     For  this  sign  then, 
or  one  like  this,  the  people  looked  from  Him 
whom  they  were  ready  to  regard  as  Messiah. 
Compare  Matt.  xvi.  i ;  Mark  viii.  n.     The 
manna  was  a  favourite  subject  with  Jewish 
expositors.    A  single  passage  from  Philo  ('  De 
profugis,'  §  15,  p.  566)  may  serve  as  an  example 
of  their  interpretations :  "  [When  the  people] 
sought  what  it  is  which  feeds  the  soul,  for 
they  did  not,  as  Moses  says,  know  what  it 
was,  they  discovered  by  learning  that  it  is  the 
utterance  (pij/xa)  of  God  and  the  divine  word 
(ddos  Xoyos)  from  which  all  forms  of  instruc- 
tion and  wisdom  flow  in  a  perennial  stream. 
And  this  is  the  heavenly  food  which  is  indi- 
cated in  the  sacred  records  under  the  Person 
of  the  First  Cause  (rov  amov)  saying,  Behold 
I  rain  on  you  bread  (aprovr)  out  of  heaven 
(Exod.  xvi.  4).    For  in  very  truth  God  distils 
from  above  the  supernal  wisdom  on  noble  and 
contemplative  minds ;  and  they  when  they  see 
and  taste,  in  great  joy,  know  what  they  ex- 
perience, but  do  not  know  the  Power  which 
dispenses  the  gift.    Wherefore  they  ask,  What 
is  this  which  is  sweeter  than  honey  and  whiter 
than  snow  ?     But  they  shall  be  taught  by  the 
prophet  that  this  is  the  bread  which  the  Lord 
gave  them  to  eat "  (Exod.  xvi.  15).     Comp. 
Siegfried,  '  Philo  v.  Alex.'  s.  229. 

from  heaven}  out  of  heaven  (and  so  through- 
out), which  came  out  of  the  heavenly  trea- 
sures, and  did  not  simply  descend  from  a 
higher  region. 

32.  Then  Jesus..."]  Jesus  therefore... 
Moses  gave... not  that  (the)  bread'}     There 

is  a  double  contrast.  It  was  not  Moses  but 
God  revealing  Himself  through  Moses  who 
gave  the  manna ;  and  again  the  manna — the 
perishable  bread — was  not  in  the  highest  sense 
"  bread  from  heaven,"  but  rather  the  symbol 
of  spiritual  food. 

gave  you]  The  people  are  identified  with 
their  ancestors.  If  the  reading  "  hath  given" 
(8fSa>Kfv)  be  adopted,  then  the  present  realisa- 

H2 


IO2 


ST.  JOHN.   VI. 


[v.  33—36. 


33  For   the   bread  of  God  is    he     am  the  bread  of  life :  he  that  cometh 


which    cometh    down    from    heaven, 
and  giveth  life  unto  the  world. 

.34  Then  said  they  unto  him,  Lord, 
evermore  give  us  this  bread. 


to  me  shall  never  hunger ;  and  he 
that  believeth  on  me  shall  never 
thirst. 

36  But  I  said  unto  you,  That  ye 


35    And  Jesus  said  unto  them,  I     also  have  seen  me,  and  believe  not. 


tion  of  what  Moses  gave  in  a  symbol  is  as- 
sumed. 

but  my  Father  giveth...]  not  in  one  miracu- 
lous act  only,  but  now  and  at  all  times. 

the  true  bread]  that  which  fulfils  absolutely, 
ideally,  the  highest  conception  of  sustaining 
food  (d\r)div6s).  Comp.  iv.  23,  note.  The 
exact  form  of  the  original  is  emphatic :  the 
bread  out  of  heaven,  the  true  bread  (rbv  a.  «K 
T.  ov.  TOV  d\.). 

33.  the  bread  of  God]  the  bread  which 
God  gives  directly ;    not  simply  that  which 
He  gives  by  the  hand  of  His  servants.  Comp. 
i.  29  (the  Lamb  of  God},  note. 

be  which  cometh  down..]  that  which 
cometh  down...  Christ  does  not  identify  Him- 
self with  "the  bread"  till  the  next  answer; 
and  the  request  of  the  Jews  which  follows 
shews  that  nothing  more  than  the  notion  of 
heavenly  bread  was  present  to  them  (comp. 
vv.  41,  50).  This  new  manna  was  distin- 
guished from  the  old  in  that  it  was  continuous 
in  its  descent  and  not  for  a  time ;  and  again  it 
was  not  confined  to  one  people,  but  was  for 
the  world. 

cometh  down]  The  phrase  prepares  the  way 
for  the  interpretation  which  follows,  vv.  38, 41. 

unto  the  'world']  Without  the  Word,  with- 
out Christ,  the  world  can  have  no  life.  He 
makes  the  blessing,  which  was  national,  uni- 
versal. 

34.  Then  said  they..]     They  said  there- 
fore...    The  Jews  see  in  the  words  of  Christ 
a  mysterious  promise  which  they  cannot  under- 
stand ;  but  they  interpret  it  according  to  their 
material  hopes.     Lord,  evermore,  not  on  one 
rare  occasion  but  always,  give  us  this  bread. 
They  acknowledge  that  the  gift  must  be  con- 
stant (i  Thess.  v.   15,  Trajrore),  though  its 
effects  are  lasting. 

35.  Jesus  (omit  and}  said...]     The  Jews 
asked  for  something  from  Christ:  He  offers 
them  Himself.    The  great  gift,  if  only  it  were 
rightly  perceived,  was  already  made. 

/  am  the...]  This  form  of  expression  is 
not  found  in  the  Synoptists.  It  occurs  not  un- 
frequently  in  St  John's  Gospel,  and  the  figures 
with  which  it  is  connected  furnish  a  complete 
study  of  the  Lord's  work.  Compare  vv.  41, 
48,  51,  viii.  12  (the  Light  of  the  world),  x.  7, 
9  (the  Door),  x.  n,  14  (the  good  Shepherd), 
xi.  25  (the  Resurrection  and  the  Life),  xiv.  6 
(the  Way,  the  Truth,  and  the  Life),  xv.  i,  5 
(the  true  Vine). 


the  bread  of  life]  the  food  which  supplies 
life:  of  which  life  is  not  a  quality  only  (v.  51, 
the  living  bread),  but  (so  to  speak)  an  en- 
dowment which  it  is  capable  of  communicat- 
ing. Compare  the  tree  of  life  (Gen.  ii.  9,  iii. 
22,  24;  Prov.  iii.  18,  xi.  30,  xiii.  12,  xv.  4; 
Rev.  ii.  7,  xxii.  2,  &c.) ;  the  water  of  life 
(Rev.  xxi.  6,  xxii.  i,  &c.  Comp.  Ps.  xxxvi. 
(xxxv.)  9;  Prov.  x.  ii,  xiii.  14,  xiv.  27, 
xvi.  22,  fountain  of  life).  The  phrases 
"  words  (distinct  utterances,  sayings,  p^/iara) 
of  life"  (v.  68),  and  "the  word  (the  whole 
revelation,  Xoyos)  of  life "  (i  John  i.  i)  are 
nearly  connected. 

cometh.. .believeth]  The.  first  word  presents 
faith  in  deed  as  active  and  outward ;  the  second 
presents  faith  in  thought  as  resting  and  inward. 
Each  element  is,  it  is  true,  implied  in  the 
other,  but  they  can  be  contemplated  apart. 
For  coming  to  me  see  v.  40,  *w.  (37),  44  f., 
65,  vii.  37. 

shall  never  hunger. .  .shall  never  thirst}  The 
double  image,  suggested  it  may  be  by  the 
thought  of  the  Passover,  extends  the  concep- 
tion of  the  heavenly  food,  and  prepares  the 
way  for  the  double  form  under  which  it  is 
finally  described  (v.  53).  The  gift  of  strength 
corresponds  with  the  effort  to  reach  to  Christ ; 
the  gift  of  joy  with  the  idea  of  repose  in 
Christ. 

shall  never  thirst]  The  exact  form  of  ex- 
pression in  the  original  is  remarkable  and  irre- 
gular (ov  /ui)  8iijrrjo-(i  TTWTrore.  Contrast  iv. 
14,  ov  fif/  Sct/rijcrft  fls  TOV  al<a>vd).  Perhaps  it 
suggests  the  image  of  Christ  present  in  all  time 
and  regarding  the  unfailing  satisfaction  of 
those  who  come  to  Him,  as  distinguished  from 
a  simple  future. 

36.  But..]  The  gift  was  indeed  made, 
but  the  presence  of  the  gift  was  unavailing, 
for  the  condition  required  of  those  who  should 
receive  it  was  unfulfilled. 

I  said  unto  you...]  The  thought  is  con- 
tained in  v.  26,  and  the  reference  may  be  to 
those  words ;  but  more  probably  the  reference 
is  to  other  words  like  them  spoken  at  some 
earlier  time. 

That  ye  (omit  also)  have  seen  me,  and. . .] 
The  first  conjunction  (ccai)  emphasizes  the  fact : 
that  ye  have  indeed  seen  and...  Comp.  ix.  37. 
The  Lord  returns  to  the  words  in  i;.  30  (see, 
believe),  now  that  the  question  in  v.  34  has 
been  answered.  He  Himself  was  the  sign 
which  the  Jews  could  not  read.  No  other 
more  convincing  could  be  given. 


v.  37—40-] 


ST.  JOHN.   VI. 


37  All  that  the  Father  giveth  me 
shall    come    to    me ;    and    him    that 
cometh  to  me  I  will  in  no  wise  cast  out. 

38  For  I  came  down  from  heaven, 
not  to  do  mine  own  will,  but  the  will 
of  him  that  sent  me. 

39  And  this  is  the  Father's  will 
which  hath  sent  me,  that  of  all  which 


he  hath  given  me  I  should  lose  no- 
thing, but  should  raise  it  up  again  at 
the  last  day. 

40  And  this  is  the  will  of  him  that 
sent  me,  that  every  one  which  seeth 
the  Son,  and  believeth  on  him,  may 
have  everlasting  life  :  and  I  will  raise 
him  up  at  the  last  day. 


I03 


37.  There  is  a    pause  in  the   discourse 
before  this  verse.     The  unbelief  of  the  people 
was  not  a  proof  that  the  purpose  of  God  had 
failed.     Rather  it  gave  occasion  for  declaring 
more  fully  how  certainly  the  Son  carried  out 
the  Fathers  will. 

All  that  (All  that  which)  the  Father... 
him  that  cometh..,~\  The  first  clause  is  a 
general  and  abstract  statement  (nav  o) ;  the 
second  gives  the  concrete  and  individual  reali- 
sation of  it  (rov  fpxoufvov).  Believers  are  first 
regarded  as  forming  a  whole  complete  in  its 
several  parts,  a  gift  of  the  Father ;  and  then 
each  separate  believer  is  regarded  in  his  personal 
relation  to  the  Son.  In  the  first  case  stress  is 
laid  upon  the  successful  issue  of  the  coming, 
the  arrival  (>j£ei,  shall  reach  me ;  comp.  Rev. 
iii.  3,  xv.  4,  xviii.  8);  in  the  second  case  on 
the  process  of  the  coming  (rov  tpxaptvov,  not 
rov  fKdavTo)  and  the  welcome. 

The  same  contrast  between  the  abstract 
conception  and  the  concrete  fulfilment  of  it  is 
found  in  w.  39  f.  and  xvii.  2.  Compare  also 
the  use  of  the  abstract  form,  i  John  v.  4 
contrasted  with  v.  5,  18 ;  and  ch.  iii.  6  con- 
trasted with  iii.  8. 

giveth']  Compare  xvii.  2,  6,  9,  iz,  24, 
xviii.  9. 

/  twill  in  no  wise. . .]  The  stern  words  to  the 
Galilzeans  might  have  seemed  to  be  a  casting 
out,  but  the  Lord  shews  that,  on  the  contrary, 
they  were  not  truly  coming  to  Him. 

cast  out]     Comp.  xii.  31,  ix.  34  f. 

38.  For...']     For  this  is  the  Father's  will, 
as  is  implied  in  the  gift  (v.  39),  and  I  am 
come  down... 

I  came  down]  lam  come  down.  Comp. 
iii.  13  ;  (Eph.  iv.  9  f.  ?).  With  these  excep- 
tions the  word  is  used  of  Christ's  descent 
only  in  this  discourse. 

from  heaven}  In  this  verse  the  original  pre- 
position (according  to  the  true  reading)  ex- 
presses the  idea  of  leaving  (ano),  in  v.  42  (as 
iii.  13)  of  proceeding  out  of  («K).  In  the  one 
case  the  thought  is  that  of  sacrifice;  in  the 
other  that  of  divinity. 

not... mine  own  will]     See  v.  19  ff. 

39.  this  is  the  Father's  will  which  hath...'] 
According  to  the  true  reading,  this  is  the 
will  of  him  that... 

that  of  all...']  The  construction  in  the 
original  is  broken :  "  that  as  for  all  that  which 


he  has  given  me  I  should  not  lose  of  /V..." 
Comp.  vii.  38,  (i  John  ii.  24,  27),  Luke 
xxi.  6. 

hath  given]  The  present  used  in  v.  37 
(giveth)  is  here  changed  into  the  past  when 
the  gift  is  looked  at  in  relation  to  the  will  of 
the  Father,  and  not  to  the  waiting  of  the  Son. 

should  lose  nothing,  but  should  raise  it  up] 
filled  with  a  new  life,  transfigured  and  glori- 
fied. This  is  the  issue  of  the  communication 
of  Christ  to  the  Church.  In  this  place  the 
effect  is  represented  as  dependent  on  the 
Father's  will ;  but  when  the  words  are  repeated 
(vv.  40,  44,  54) — once  in  each  great  division 
of  the  discourses — the  effect  is  referred  to  the 
will  of  the  Son  (and  I  twill  raise  him  up). 

at  the  last  day]  The  phrase  is  found  only 
in  St  John,  vv.  40,  44,  54,  xi.  24,  xii. 
48.  Comp.  i  John  ii.  18.  The  plural  occurs 
Acts  ii.  17  ;  James  v.  3  ;  2  Tim.  iii.  i. 

40.  And... the  twill  of  him  that  sent  me, 
that...']  TOT. ..the  will  of  my  Father,  that... 
The  general  fulfilment  of  the  will  of  the  Father 
passes  into  this  further  truth,  that  the  con- 
templation of  the  Son  and  belief  on  Him 
brings  with  it  eternal  life. 

seeth  (beholdeth)  the  Son]  Comp.  xii. 
45,  xiv.  19,  xvi.  10,  16,  19.  The  act  of  con- 
templation and  faith  is  not  momentary  or  past, 
but  continuous. 

have  everlasting  (eternal)  life]  not  as 
future,  but  as  present  already  as  a  divine 
power.  Comp.  v.  47,  xvii.  3. 

The  possession  of  eternal  life  is  followed  by 
the  crowning  action  of  the  Son:  and  I — I 
the  Incarnate  Son — will  raise  him  up.  Eternal 
life  is  consummated  in  the  restoration  to  the 
believer  of  a  transfigured  manhood.  So  far 
from  the  doctrine  of  the  Resurrection  being, 
as  has  been  asserted,  inconsistent  with  St 
John's  teaching  on  the  present  reality  of 
eternal  life,  it  would  be  rather  true  to  say 
that  this  doctrine  makes  the  necessity  of  the 
Resurrection  obvious.  He  who  feels  that  life 
is  now,  must  feel  that  after  death  all  that  be- 
longs to  the  essence  of  its  present  perfection 
must  be  restored,  however  much  ennobled 
under  new  conditions  of  manifestation. 

41 51.  The  second  part  of  the  discourses, 

which  deals  with  the  relation  of  Christ  to  God 
and  to  man,  is  directly  connected  both  with 
the  first  and  with  the  third  part:  with  the 


IO4 


ST.  JOHN.   VI. 


[v.  41—44. 


41  The  Jews  then  murmured  at 
him,  because  he  said,  I  am  the  bread 
which  came  down  from  heaven. 
*  Matt  13.  4.2  And  they  said,  Als  not  this 
Jesus,  the  son  of  Joseph,  whose 
father  and  mother  we  know  ?  how  is 


it  then  that  he  saith,  I  came  down 
from  heaven  ? 

43  Jesus  therefore  answered  and 
said  unto  them,  Murmur  not  among 
yourselves. 

44  No  man  can  come  to  me,  ex- 


first  by  the  reiteration  of  the  office  of  the  Son 
(v.  44),  and  with  the  third  by  the  reference 
to  Christ's  "flesh"  (v.  51).  It  touches  on 
the  greatest  mysteries  of  Christ's  life,  the  In- 
carnation and  the  Atonement  (vv.  42,  51), 
and  the  greatest  mysteries  of  man's  life,  the 
concurrence  of  the  divine  and  human  will, 
and  the  permanence  of  life  (vv.  44, 45,  37  ff.). 
It  is  briefly  an  answer  to  the  question,  How 
can  the  spring  and  support  of  life  be  in  Christ, 
who  is  truly  man  ? 

41.  This  verse  seems  to  mark  the  presence 
of  new  persons  and  a  new  scene,  as  well  as  a 
new  stage  in  the  history.     The  verses  37 — 40 
were  probably  addressed  specially  to  the  im- 
mediate circle  of  the  disciples.     Thus  we  can 
understand  how  the  Jews  dwelt  on  the  words 
in  which  Christ  identified  Himself  with  the 
true  spiritual  food  of  the  world,  while  they 
took    no   notice  of  the  loftier  prerogatives 
which  followed  from  this  truth,  since  the  ex- 
position of  these  was  not  directed  to  them. 

The  Jews  then]  The  Jews  therefore..., 
the  representatives  of  the  dominant  religious 
party,  full  of  the  teaching  of  the  schools. 

murmured  at  (concerning)  him]  half  in 
doubt  (vii.  32,  [12])  and  half  in  dissatisfaction 
(v.  61 ;  Luke  v.  30).  These  murmurings 
probably  found  expression  for  some  little  time 
before  they  were  answered.  .  There  is  nothing 
to  shew  that  they  were  first  uttered  in  Christ's 
presence. 

1  am  the  bread  <whicb  came  down  from 
heaven]  The  exact  phrase  does  not  occur  in 
the  previous  record  ;  but  it  is  a  fair  combina- 
tion of  the  three  phrases  in  which  the  Lord 
had  described  Himself:  the  bread  of  God  is 
that  which  comet h  down  from  heaven  (v.  33); 
/  am  the  bread  of  life  (y.  35) ;  /  have  come 
down  from  heaven  (v.  38). 

42.  Is  not  this..."]     There  is  perhaps  a 
tinge  of  contemptuous  surprise  in  the  pronoun 
(OVTOS)  as  in  v.  52,  vii.  15,  iii.  26,  though  it 
does  not  necessarily  lie  in  the  word,  iv.  14, 
ix.  33,  &c. 

the  son  of  Joseph]  ch.  i.  46.  Comp.  Luke 
iv.  22. 

we  know~\  The  pronoun  is  emphatic :  whose 
father,  we,  directly  in  the  way  of  our  ordinary 
life,  know...  There  was  (so  they  argue  from 
their  point  of  view)  no  room  for  mistake  upon 
the  matter.  The  word  know  expresses  simply 
acquaintance  with  the  fact  that  Joseph  was  in 
popular  esteem  the  father  of  Jesus  (comp.  vii. 


27),  and  not  personal  acquaintance  with  him 
as  still  living. 

how  is  it  then  that  he  saith]  how  doth  he 
now  say — now,  at  last,  when  for  so  long  he 
has  lived  as  one  of  ourselves  ? 

I  came  down  (am  come  down)  from 
heaven]  See  ^.38,  note. 

43.  Jesus    therefore  answered..."]    Jesus 
answered...     The    answer    corresponds  in 
some  way  with  that  given  to  Nicodemus  (iii. 
3).     The  false  claim  to  knowledge,  and  the 
assertion  of  unsubstantial  objections,  are  both 
met  in  the  same  manner.      The  Jews  were 
unable  to   understand  the  divine  descent  of 
the  Lord,  which  seemed  irreconcileable  with 
His  actual  circumstances.     He  replies  that  a 
spiritual  influence  is  necessary  before  His  true 
Nature  can  be  discerned,  and  that  such  influ- 
ence was  promised  by  the  prophets  as  one  of 
the  characteristic  blessings  of  the  Messianic  age. 

44.  No  man  can. ..draw  him]     Compare 
v.  40,  ye  will  not  come  to  me.    As  in  all  similar 
cases  this  "coming  to  Christ"  may  be  re- 
garded from  its  human  side,  as  dependent  on 
man's  will ;  or  from  its  divine  side,  as  de- 
pendent on  the  power  of  God.    So  St  Bernard 
remarks  in  connexion  with  these  words :  "nemo 
quippe  salvatur  invitus"  ('  De  grat.et  lib.  act.' 
XI.).     Yet  even  the  will  itself  comes  from  a 
divine  nature,  a  divine  gift  (chh.  i.  12  f.,  iii. 
7  flf.,  viii.  47,  vi.  65).    The  "  drawing"  of  the 
Father  is  best  illustrated  by  the  "  drawing  "  of 
the  Son,  xii.  32.    The  constraining  principle  is 
love  stirred  by  self-sacrifice,  a  love  which  calls 
out,  and  does  not  destroy,  man's  freedom  and 
issues  in  self-sacrifice.     The  mission  of  the 
Son  by  the  Father  (which  sent  [omit  hath'] 
me),  the  sovereign  act  of  love  (iii.  16),  is  thus 
brought  into  close  connexion  with  the  power 
exerted  by  the   Father  on  men.     Augustine 
(ad  loc.)   puts  the  thought    most    forcibly: 
"  'Trahit  sua  quemque  voluptas;'  non  trahit 
revelatus  Christus  a  Patre  ?    Quid  enim  fortius 
desiderat  anima  quam  veritatem?"      Comp. 
v.  68. 

No  man  can  come~\  This  divine  impossibility 
is  the  expression  of  a  moral  law.  It  is  not 
anything  arbitrary,  but  inherent  in  the  very 
nature  of  things ;  it  does  not  limit  but  it  de- 
fines the  nature  of  human  power.  Comp.  v. 
19  (note),  30  (of  the  Son),  xii.  39,  note. 

come]  Here  and  in  v.  65  the  "coming" 
(fXddv)  is  regarded  as  complete,  and  not  in 
progress  as  in  f.  37,  vii.  37  (tp^iadut). 


.  45—  5°-] 


ST.  JOHN.   VI. 


105 


cept  the  Father  which  hath  sent  me 
draw  him :  and  I  will  raise  him  up  at 
the  last  day. 

nsai.  54.        45  *'It  is  written  in  the  prophets, 
je'r.  3i.  34.  And  they  shall  be  all  taught  of  God. 
Every  man  therefore  that  hath  heard, 
and  hath  learned  of  the  Father,  com- 
eth  unto  me. 

46  Not  that  any   man  hath  seen 


the  Father,  *save  he  which  is  of  God,  *  Matt-  «• 

*    27, 

he  hath  seen  the  Father. 

47  Verily,  verily,  I  say  unto  you, 
He  that  believeth  on  me  hath  ever- 
lasting life. 

48  I  am  that  bread  of  life. 

49  Your  fathers  did  eat  manna  in 
the  wilderness,  and  are  dead. 

50  This  is  the  bread  which  com- 


draw  (e\jci5CT«)]  Comp.  Jer.  xxxviii.  (xxxi.) 
3  (LXX.). 

and  I. ..]  The  Son  takes  up  and  completes 
what  the  Father  has  begun.  The  change  in 
the  position  of  the  pronoun  slightly  modifies 
the  force  of  this  repeated  clause.  In  v.  40 
the  believer  and  Christ  are  placed  in  remark- 
able juxta-position  (ai/aorjjo-o)  avrov  cyw,  him, 
/)  ;  here  the  /  stands  first  with  a  reference  to 
the  whole  preceding  clause  (*a!  t'yci  ai/acmja-w 
O.VTQV). 

45.  The  "  drawing  "  of  the  Father  is  illus- 
trated by  a  prophetic  promise.  And  under 
this  new  image  of  "  teaching "  the  power  is 
seen  in  its  twofold  aspect;  the  divine  and 
human  elements  are  combined.  The  "  hear- 
ing "  brings  out  the  external  communication, 
the  learning  the  internal  understanding  of  it. 
"  Videte  quomodo  trahit  Pater:  docendo  de- 
lectat,  non  necessitatem  imponendo"  (Aug. 
ad  /or.). 

in  the  prophets]  i.e.  in  the  division  of  the 
Scriptures  which  is  so  called.  Compare  Acts 
xiii.  40,  vii.  42  (the  book  of  the  prophets)',  ch.  i. 
45,  note.  The  phrase  is  found  substantially 
in  Isai.  liv.  13  ;  and  the  central  idea  of  it  is 
the  promise  of  direct  divine  teaching.  Thus 
the  emphasis  lies  on  "taught  of  God"  and 
not  on  "  all."  This  teaching  lies  for  us  in  the 
Person  and  Work  of  Christ  interpreted  by 
the  Spirit 

taught  of  God  (StSa/CToi  Beou,  Vulg.  dacibiles 
Dei)~\  Comp.  i  Cor.  ii.  13 ;  i  Thess.  iv.  9 
(tifodiftaicroi).  The  phrase  describes  not  only 
one  divine  communication,  but  a  divine  rela- 
tionship. Believers  are  life-long  pupils  in  the 
school  of  God  ("H  HID1?,  Isaiah,  I.e.  Comp. 
Isai.  viii.  16). 

Every  man  therefore  that  hath  heard,  and 
hath  learned  of  the  Father ...]  Every  one 
that  heareth  from  the  Father  and 
learneth  (duotio-at  KOI  u.a6a»v)...  The  fulfil- 
ment of  the  promise  is  followed  by  its  proper 
consequence.  The  "hearing"  and  "  learning  " 
are  presented  as  single  events  corresponding  to 
a  definite  voice  and  revelation.  The  call  is 
obeyed  at  once,  though  it  may  be  fulfilled  gra- 
dually ;  the  fact  of  the  revelation  is  grasped 
at  once,  though  it  may  be  apprehended  in 
detail  little  by  little. 

from  the  Father]  the  message  which  comes 


from  the  Father  (aKovcras  irapa  T.  TT.).     Com- 
pare i.  40,  vii.  51,  viii.  26,  40,  xv.  15. 

46.  But  though  the  revelation   made  by 
the  Father  is  direct  in  one  sense,  yet  it  must 
not  be  understood  to  be  immediate.     "  Hear- 
ing" and   "learning"   fall  short  of  seeing. 
The  Father  is  seen  only  by  the  Son  (i.  18. 
Comp.  Matt.  xi.  27,  and  parallels).    He  alone 
who  is  truly  God  can  naturally  see  God.    The 
voice  of  God  came  to  men  under  the  old 
Covenant,  but  in  Christ  the  believer  can  now 
see  the  Father  (xiv.  9)  in  part,  and  will  here- 
after see  God  as  He  is  (i  John  iii.  2). 

he  which  is  of  (from,  irapa)...']  Comp. 
vii.  29,  ix.  1 6,  33.  The  phrase  implies  not 
only  mission  (xvi.  27  f.,  came  forth  from),  but 
also  a  present  relation  of  close  dependence. 

be  hath  seen]  when  He  was  "with  God" 
(i.  i)  before  He  "became  flesh."  The  words 
mark  emphatically  the  unchanged  personality 
of  Christ  before  and  after  the  Incarnation. 
The  substitution  God  for  the  Father  in  some 
early  texts  (N*D)  is  a  kind  of  gloss  which  is 
not  unfrequent  in  the  group. 

47.  At  this  point  the  discourse  takes  a 
fresh  start.     The  objection  of  the  Jews  has 
been  met,  and  the  Lord  goes  on  to  develope 
the  idea  set  forth  in  vv.  35,  36,  taking  up  the 
last  word :  He  that  believeth  (omit  en  me, 
the  phrase  stands  absolutely)   hath  eternal 
life.    The  actual  existence  of  true  faith  im- 
plies the  right  object  of  it.  Comp.  c.  iii.  3,  note. 

bath']     See  v.  40,  note. 

48 — 51.  There  is  a  close  parallelism  and 
contrast  between  vv.  48 — 50  and  51.  The 
bread  of  life :  the  living  bread — which  comet h 
down . . . that. . . :  which  came  down ;  if... may . . . 
not  die:  shall  live  for  ever.  In  the  first  case 
the  result  is  given  as  part  of  the  divine  counsel 
(that  cometb  down,  that  [<W]...);  in  the 
second  as  a  simple  historical  consequence 
(came  down. ..if  a  man...). 

48.  that  (the,  and  so  in  v.  58)  bread  of 
life]    See  v.  35,  note. 

49.  Tour  fathers  did  eat  manna  (ate  the 
manna)... and  are  dead  (died)]     The  words 
are  quoted  from  the  argument  of  the  Jews, 
v.   31.    The  heavenly  food    under  the  old 
Dispensation  could  not    avert  death.    This 


ST.  JOHN.    VI. 


!>•  S1— S3 


eth  down  from  heaven,  that  a  man     is  my  flesh,  which  I  will  give  for  the 

.1  r  l.l*  1  .*  f_    „  £"  ..  1 .  ~  —  1 J 


may  eat  thereof,  and  not  die. 

51  I  am  the  living  bread  which 
came  down  from  heaven  :  if  any  man 
eat  of  this  bread,  he  shall  live  for 
ever :  and  the  bread  that  I  will  give 


life  of  the  world. 

52  The  Jews  therefore  strove  a- 
mong  themselves,   saying,  How  can 
this  man  give  us  bis  flesh  to  eat  ? 

53  Then  Jesus  said  unto  them, 


then  was  not  bread  of  life,  even  in  the  sphere 
to  which  it  belonged.     Comp.  iv.  13. 

50.  This  is  the  bread  which  cometh. .  .that. . .} 
This  bread — the  true  manna — is  the  bread 
which  cometh.. .that...     It  is  best  to  take 
this  [bread~\  as  the  subject  (v.  48,  /  am  the 
bread  of  life,  further  defined  in  v.  51),  and  the 
bread  which  cometh  down  from  heaven  as  the 
predicate;  compare  vv.  33,  58.     The  inter- 
pretation which  makes  this  the  predicate  (the 
bread  which  cometh... is  this,  that  is,  is  of  such 
a  nature,  that...)  appears  to  destroy  the  con- 
nexion. 

not  die}     Comp.  viii.  51,  note. 

51.  /  am  the  living  bread}  able  to  com- 
municate the  life  which  I  possess.     He  there- 
fore who  receives  me  receives  a  principle  of 
life. 

eat  of  this  bread}  Some  ancient  authorities 
read  eat  of  my  bread. 

and  the  bread...}  yea  and  (and  in  fact)  the 
bread  (Kat...8e)...  Comp.  viii.  16  f.,  xv.  27  ; 
i  John  i.  3. 

the  bread... which  I  (fyw)  'will  give}  The 
pronoun  is  emphatic,  and  brings  out  the  con- 
trast between  Christ  and  Moses.  At  the  same 
time  a  passage  is  made  from  the  thought  of 
Christ  as  the  living  bread  (7  am..  )  to  the 
thought  of  the  participation  in  Him  (/  will 
give...).  This  participation  is  spoken  of  as 
still  future,  since  it  followed  in  its  fulness  on 
the  completed  work  of  Christ.  There  is  also 
a  difference  indicated  here  between  that  which 
Christ  is  and  that  which  He  offers.  He  is 
truly  God  and  truly  man  (e'yw) ;  He  offers 
His  "flesh,"  His  perfect  humanity,  for  the  life 
of  the  world. 

my  flesh}  "  Flesh  "  describes  human  nature 
in  its  totality  regarded  from  its  earthly  side. 
Comp.  i.  14.  See  also  i.  13,  iii.  6,  vi.  63,  viii. 
15,  xvii.  2 ;  i  John  ii.  16,  iv.  2 ;  2  John  7  ; 
Rom.  viii.  3  ;  i  Tim.  iii.  16  ;  Hebr.  v.  7.  The 
thought  of  death  lies  already  in  the  word,  but 
that  thought  is  not  as  yet  brought  out,  as 
afterwards  by  the  addition  of  blood.  Comp. 
Eph.  ii.  14  ff. ;  Col.  i.  22  ;  i  Pet.  iii.  18. 

The  life  of  the  world  in  the  highest  sense 
springs  from  the  Incarnation  and  Resurrection 
of  Christ.  By  His  Incarnation  and  Resurrec- 
tion the  ruin  and  death  which  sin  brought  in 
are  overcome.  The  thought  here  is  of  sup- 
port and  growth,  and  not  of  atonement  (/  lay 
flown  my  life  for..,  x.  ii,  15,  note).  The 
close  of  the  earthly  life,  the  end  of  the  life 
which  is,  in  one  aspect,  of  self  for  self,  opens 


wider  relations  of  life.  Comp.  xii.  24.  At 
this  point  no  more  than  the  general  truth  is 
stated.  It  is  not  yet  indicated  how  the  "  flesh" 
of  Christ,  the  virtue  of  His  humanity,  will  be 
communicated  to  and  made  effectual  for  man- 
kind or  men.  That  part  of  the  subject  is 
developed  in  the  last  division  of  the  whole 
argument. 

my  flesh,  'which  I  will  give  for  the  life...} 
The  true  text  gives  simply  my  flesh  for  the 
life...  For  this  shortened  form  compare  i  Cor. 
xi.  24.  The  omission  of  the  clause  which  I 
will  give  turns  the  attention  to  the  general 
action  of  Christ's  gift  rather  than  to  the  actual 
making  of  it.  The  special  reference  to  the 
future  Passion  would  distract  the  thought  at 
this  point,  where  it  is  concentrated  upon  the 
Incarnation  and  its  consequences  generally. 
See  Additional  Note. 

52 — 59.  This  last  section  of  the  teaching 
on  "  the  true  bread  from  heaven  "  carries  for- 
ward the  conceptions  given  in  vv.  41 — 51  to 
a  new  result.  The  question  before  was  as  to 
the  Person  of  the  Lord :  "Is  not  this  the  soti 
of  Joseph  ? "  The  question  now  is  as  to  the 
communication  of  that  which  He  gives : 
"  How  can  this  man  give  us  his  flesh  to  eat  ?  " 
How  can  one  truly  man  impart  to  others  his 
humanity,  so  that  they  may  take  it  to  them- 
selves and  assimilate  it  ?  The  answer  is  in  this 
case  also  not  direct  but  by  implication.  The 
fact,  and  the  necessity  of  the  fact,  dispense 
with  the  need  for  further  inquiry.  The  life 
is  a  reality. 

52.  The  Jews  (v.  41,  note)... strove  among 
themselves  (one  with  another,  Trpoe  dXXr;- 
Xow,  iv.  33,  xvi.  17)]  They  did  not  all  reject 
at  once  the  teaching  of  Christ.  There  were 
divisions  among  them ;  and  they  discussed 
from  opposite  sides  the  problem  raised  by  the 
last  mysterious  words  which  they  had  heard 
(comp.  vii.  12,  40  ff.,  x.  19  ff.).  It  is  import- 
ant to  notice  how  the  Evangelist  records  the 
varying  phases  of  contemporary  feeling.  "  The 
Jews  "  were  not  yet  all  of  one  mind. 

How  can...}  The  old  question  (iii.  4,  9), 
which  is  again  left  without  an  explicit  answer. 
The  simple  reassertion  of  the  fact  is  opposed 
both  in  a  negative  (v.  53)  and  in  a  positive 
statement  to  the  difficulty  as  to  the  manner. 

to  eat}  The  Jews  transfer  directly  to  "the 
flesh  "  what  hitherto,  as  far  as  our  record  goes, 
has  been  said  only  of  "  the  bread,''  now  identi- 
fied with  it.  There  is  no  gross  misunder- 
standing on  their  part,  but  a  clear  perception 


-  54—57-] 


ST.  JOHN.  VI. 


107 


Verily,  verily,  I  say  unto  you,  Ex- 
cept ye  eat  the  flesh  of  the  Son  of 
man,  and  drink  his  blood,  ye  have  no 
life  in  you. 

54  Whoso  eateth  my  flesh,  and 
drinketh  my  blood,  hath  eternal  life  ; 
and  I  will  raise  him  up  at  the  last  day. 


55  For  my  flesh  is  meat  indeed, 
and  my  blood  is  drink  indeed. 

56  He  that  eateth  my  flesh,  and 
drinketh  my  blood,  dwelleth  in  me, 
and  I  in  him. 

57  As  the  living  Father  hath  sent 
me,  and  I  live  by  the  Father  :  so  he 


of  the  claim  involved  in  the  Lord's  words. 
Comp.  iii.  4,  iv.  ij,viii.  33.  See  also  Num.  xi.  13. 

53.  The  thought  indicated  in  v.  51  is  now 
developed  in  detail.    The  "  flesh  "  is  presented 
in  its  twofold  aspect  as  "  flesh  "  and  l<  blood," 
and  by  this  separation  of  its  parts  the  idea  of 
a  violent  death  is  presupposed.     Further  "the 
flesh  "  and  "  the  blood  "  are  described  as  "  the 
flesh  "  and  "  the  blood"  "  of  the  Son  of  man," 
by  which  title  the  representative  character  of 
Christ  is  marked  in  regard  to  that  humanity 
which  He  imparts  to  the  believer.     And  once 
again  both  elements  are  to  be  appropriated 
individually  ("eat,"  "drink").  By  the  "flesh" 
in  this  narrower  sense  we  must  understand  the 
virtue  of  Christ's  humanity  as  living  for  us ; 
by  the  "  blood  "  the  virtue  of  His  humanity  as 
subjectto  death.     The  believer  must  be  made 
partaker  in  both.     The  Son  of  man  lived  for 
us  and  died  for  us,  and  communicates  to  us 
the  effects  of  His  life  and  death  as  perfect  man. 
•Without  this  communication  of  Christ  men 

can  have  "  no  life  in  themselves."  But  Christ's 
gift  of  Himself  to  a  man  becomes  in  the  reci- 
pient a  spring  of  life  within.  Comp.  iv.  14. 

Then  Jesus  said... ,]  Jesus  therefore  said.,. 
meeting  the  difficulty  which  was  raised  by  an 
appeal  to  what  is  really  a  fact  of  experience. 

eat. ..drink']  To  "eat"  and  to  "drink" 
is  to  take  to  oneself  by  a  voluntary  act  that 
which  is  without,  and  then  to  assimilate  it  and 
make  it  part  of  oneself.  It  is,  as  it  were,  faith 
regarded  in  its  converse  action.  Faith  throws 
the  believer  upon  and  into  its  object ;  this 
spiritual  eating  and  drinking  brings  the  object 
of  faith  into  the  believer. 

drink  bis  blood~\  The  phrase  is  unique  in 
the  New  Testament.  To  Jewish  ears  it  could 
not  but  be  full  of  startling  mystery.  The 
thought  is  that  of  the  appropriation  of  "  life 
sacrificed."  St  Bernard  expresses  part  of  it 
very  well  when  he  says . . .  hoc  est  si  compati- 
rriini  conregnabitis  ('De  Dil.  Deo,'  iv.). 
Compare  '  in  Psalm.'  m.  3,  "  Quid  autem  est 
manducare  eius  carnem  et  bibere  sanguinem 
nisi  communicare  passionibus  eius  et  earn  con- 
versationem  imitari  quam  habuit  in  carne  ? " 

inyou]  Literally,  in  yourselves.  Compare 
v.  26  ;  Matt.  xiii.  21.  Without  the  Son  men 
have  no  life ;  for  in  men  themselves  there  is  no 
spring  of  life.  Even  to  the  last  their  life  is 
"  in  Christ"  and  not  "  in  themselves." 

54.  Wt/oso  (He  that,  as  in  v.  56)  eatetb~] 
The  verb  used  here  (rpo>y«ii>)  expresses  not 


only  the  simple  fact  of  eating  but  the  process 
as  that  which  is  dwelt  upon  with  pleasure 
(Matt.  xxiv.  38.  Comp.  ch.  xiii.  18).  So 
also  the  tense  (o  rpu>ya>v,  contrast  •v.  45,  o 
aKova-as)  marks  an  action  which  must  be  con- 
tinuous and  not  completed  once  for  all. 
bath  eternal  life...'}  Compare  v.  40,  note. 

55.  For  my  flesh. . .]     The  possession  and 
the  highest  manifestation  of  life  follow  neces- 
sarily from  participation  in  Christ's  "  flesh  " 
and  "  blood :"  such  is  their  power. 

it  meat  indeed..."]  My  flesh  is  true  (aXr^'j, 
real)  meat...  It  stands  in  the  same  relation  to 
man's  whole  being,  as  food  does  to  his  physical 
being.  It  must  first  be  taken,  and  then  it 
must  be  assimilated. 

56.  The  truth  of  v.  54  is  traced  to  its 
necessary  foundation.     In  virtue  of  Christ's 
impartment  of  His  humanity  to  the  believer, 
the  believer  may  rightly  be  said  to  "  abide  in 
Christ "  and  Christ  to  "  abide  in  the  believer." 
The  believer  has  therefore  "eternal  life,"  and 
in  that,  the  certainty  of  a  resurrection,  a  re- 
storation in  glory  of  the  fulness  of  his  present 
powers. 

dwelletb]  abldeth,  as  the  word  is  com- 
monly rendered.  So  also  xiv.  10,  17  ;  i  John 
iii.  17,  24,  iv.  12,  13,  15,  16.  The  word  is 
singularly  frequent  in  St  John  (Gospel, 
Epistles),  and  the  phrases  "abide  in  {Christ"]  " 
and  the  like  are  peculiar  to  him  (yet  compare 
I  Tim.  ii.  15  ;  2  Tim.  iii.  14). 

in  me,  and  I  in  him...']  There  is,  so  to 
speak,  a  double  personality.  The  believer  is 
quickened  by  Christ's  presence,  and  he  is  him- 
self incorporated  in  Christ.  Compare  xv.  4, 
xvii.  23  ;  i  John  iii.  24,  iv.  15  f.  This  two- 
fold aspect  of  the  divine  connexion  is  illus- 
trated by  the  two  great  images  of  the  "  body" 
and  the  "  temple."  "  Manemus  in  illo  cum 
sumus  membra  eius:  manet  autem  ipse  in 
nobis  cum  sumus  templum  eius"  (Aug.  'in 
Joh.'  xxvn.  6). 

Some  early  authorities  (D,  &c.)  add  a  re- 
markable gloss  at  the  end  of  the  verse:  even 
as  the  Father  is  in  me  and  I  in  the  Father. 
Verily,  verily,  I  say  unto  you,  unless  ye  receive 
(\aprjre)  the  body  of  the  Son  of  man  as  the 
bread  of  life  ye  have  not  life  in  him. 

57.  As...so~\  The  same  combination  occurs 
xiii.  15  ;  i  John  ii.  6,  iv.  17. 

the  living  Father]  The  title  is  unique. 
Compare  the  phrase  the  living  God,  Matt.  xvi. 
16;  2  Cor  vi.  16;  Hebr.  vii.  25,  &c. 


loS 


ST.  JOHN.   VI. 

me,  even  he  shall    live 


[v.  58,  59- 


that  eateth 
by  me. 

58  This  is  that  bread  which  came 


he  that  eateth  of  this  bread  shall  live 
for  ever. 

59    These  things  said  he  in  the 


down  from  heaven :  not  as  your  fa-     synagogue,    as  he  taught  in  Caper- 
thers  did  eat  manna,  and  are  dead  :     naum. 


hath  sent  me  (sent  me)]  The  introduction 
of  these  words  marks  the  fact  that  Christ  speaks 
of  His  vital  fellowship  with  the  Father  not  as 
the  Word  only,  but  as  the  Son  Incarnate,  the 
Son  of  man.  Comp.  v.  23.  And  thus  the 
acceptance  of  the  divine  mission  by  the  Son, 
and  His  dependence  in  His  humanity  on  the 
Father,  are  placed  in  some  sense  in  correlation 
with  the  appropriation  of  the  Incarnate  Son 
(he  that  eateth  me)  by  the  Christian  ;  so  that 
the  relation  of  the  believer  to  Christ  is  pre- 
figured in  the  relation  of  the  Son  to  the  Father. 
Compare  x.  14,  15,  note. 

by  (because  of)  the  Father. .J>y  (because 
of)  me]  The  preposition  (Sta  TOV  Trare'pa, 
Vulg.  p ropier  pattern)  describes  the  ground  or 
object  (./or,  on  account  of),  and  not  the  in- 
strument or  agent  (by,  through,  8ta  row  jr.). 
Complete  devotion  to  the  Father  is  the  essence 
of  the  life  of  the  Son ;  and  so  complete  devo- 
tion to  the  Son  is  the  life  of  the  believer.  It 
seems  better  to  give  this  full  sense  to  the  word 
than  to  take  it  as  equivalent  to  by  reason  of; 
that  is,  "  I  live  because  the  Father  lives." 

the  Father]  not  "my  Father."  Emphasis 
is  laid  upon  the  universal  relationship.  Comp. 
iv.  21,  note. 

he  that  eateth  me]  In  this  phrase  we  reach 
the  climax  of  the  revelation.  The  words  eat 
of  the  bread  (w.  50,  51),  eat  the  flesh  of  the 
Son  of  man  and  drink  His  blood  (v.  53),  rise 
at  last  to  the  thought  of  eating  Christ.  The 
appropriation  of  the  food  which  Christ  gives, 
of  the  humanity  in  which  He  lived  and  died, 
issues  in  the  appropriation  of  Himself. 

even  he]  he  also.  The  insertion  of  the 
emphatic  pronoun  (Kaxtlvos)  immediately  after 
the  subject,  which  it  repeats  and  emphasizes, 
is  most  remarkable.  It  appears  to  lay  stress 
upon  that  relation  of  dependence  which  con- 
stitutes the  parallel  between  the  disciples  and 
the  Son.  Compare  xiv.  12. 

shall  live]  not  I'meth.  The  fulness  of  the 
life  was  consequent  upon  the  exaltation  of 
Christ.  Comp.  xiv.  19. 

58.  These  concluding  words  carry  back 
the  discourse  to  its  commencement  (w.  33, 
35).  The  fulfilment  of  the  type  of  the  manna 
in  Christ,  after  it  has  been  set  forth  in  its  com- 
plete form,  is  placed  in  direct  connexion  with 
the  earlier  event. 

This  is  that  (the)  bread  which  came...] 
This  bread,  this  heavenly  food,  which  has  been 
shewn  to  be  Christ  Himself,  and  His  "  flesh  " 
(o.  51),  is  the  bread  which  came...  Contrast 
v.  50  :  This  is  the  bread  which  cometh....  Both 


aspects  of  Christ's  work  must  be  kept  in  mind. 
He  came,  and  He  comes. 

not  as  your  fathers  did  eat  manna,  and  are 
dead']  not  as  the  fathers  did  eat  and 
died.  The  construction  is  irregular.  Natu- 
rally the  sentence  would  have  run :  This  is  the 
bread. .  .heaven :  he  that  eateth  this  bread. . . , 
but  the  parenthetical  clause  expresses  in  a  con- 
densed form  the  contrast  between  the  true  and 
the  typical  manna.  "The  fact  and  the  issue 
of  the  fact  is  not  as  the  fathers  ate  and  died." 
Comp.  i  John  iii.  12  (01)  Ka0d>s).  The  refe- 
rence to  the  "death"  of  "the  generation  in 
the  wilderness"  would  have  a  fuller  meaning 
if  the  tradition  were  already  current  that  this 
generation  "had  no  part  in  the  world  to 
come"  (quoted  by  Lightfoot  on  v.  39). 

the  fathers]  This  title,  as  distinguished 
from  the  common  text  jour 'fathers ,  recognises 
the  representative  position  which  the  early 
generation  occupied. 

the  fathers... he  that  eateth... ]  There  ap- 
pears to  be  significance  in  the  passage  from 
the  plural  to  the  singular.  Throughout  the 
discourses  the  believer  is  dealt  with  as  exercis- 
ing personal  faith  and  not  only  as  one  of  a 
society.  Compare  vv.  3.5,  3.7,  40,  45,  47,  5°» 
51.  54,  56- 

eateth  of...]  eatethr  as  in  irv.  54,  56.  The 
construction  in  vv.  26,  50,  51,  is  different 
((f>ayfli>  tic). 

59.  in  the  synagogue]  This  is  the  only 
notice  of  the  kind  in  St  John's  Gospel,  though 
the  general  custom  is  referred  to,  xviii.  20; 
The  absence  of  the  definite  article  in  the 
original  here  and  in  xviii.  20,  which  leads  to 
a  form  of  expression  (eV  crvvu>ya.yfj)  not  found 
elsewhere  in  the  New  Testament,  seems  to 
mark  the  character  of  the  assemblage  rather 
than  the  place  itself:  "when  people  were 
gathered  for  worship,"  "in  time  of  solemn 
assembly  "  (comp.  i  Mace.  xiv.  28).  It  is  a 
fact  of  great  interest  that  among  the  ruins 
which  mark  the  probable  site  of  Capernaum 
(Tell  Hum)  are  the  remains  of  a  handsome 
synagogue,  of  which  Wilson  says :  "On 
turning  over  a  large  block  [of  stone]  we  found 
the  pot  of  manna  engraved  on  its  face" 
(Warren's  'Recovery  of  Jerusalem,'  pp.  344 
ff.).  This  very  symbol  may  have  been  before 
the  eyes  of  those  who  heard  the  Lord's  words. 
It  may  be  added  that  the  history  of  the  manna 
(Exod.  xvi.  4 — 36)  is  appointed  to  be  read  in 
the  Synagogues  at  morning  service. 

as  he  taught]  The  phrase  gives  a  marked 
emphasis  to  the  words  which  have  gone  before. 


v.  60 — 63,] 


ST.  JOHN.   VI. 


109 


60  Many  therefore    of  his  disci- 
ples, when  they  had  heard  this,  said, 
This  is  an   hard  saying ;    who  can 
hear  it  ? 

6 1  When  Jesus  knew  in  himself 
that  his  disciples  murmured  at  it,  he 


said    unto    them,  Doth    this    offend 
you  ? 

62  '  What  and  if  ye  shall  see  the  l  <=Hap.  3 
Son  of  man  ascend  up  where  he  was  I3 
before  ? 

63  It  is  the  spirit  that  quickeneth ; 


The  crisis  corresponds  in  character  with  that 
at  Nazareth,  Luke  iv.  16  ff.  Comp.  Matt.  xi. 
23.  Some  early  authorities  add,  what  may  be 
a  true  traditional  gloss,  "  on  a  sabbath." 

The  Issue  (60 — 71). 

The  discourses  proved  a  trial  to  the  faith  of 
the  disciples.  The  immediate  effect  was  a 
"  murmuring "  among  them  which  led  to  a 
clear  affirmation  of  the  divine  conditions  of 
discipleship  (60 — 6.5).  And  this  was  followed 
by  a  separation  between  the  faithful  and  the 
unfaithful,  both  visibly  (66 — 69)  and  invisibly 
(70,  70- 

60.  Many  therefore}  not  only  of  the  mis- 
understanding multitude  (28  ff.)  and  of  the 
ill-disposed  Jews  (41  ff.),  but  of  the  disciples 
(v.  3)  who  had  hitherto  followed  Him,  when 
they  heard  (omit   had)   this,  found  the  new 
teaching  of  life  through  death  a  burden  too 
heavy  to  be  borne. 

hard  saying]  that  is,  difficult  to  receive, 
accept,  appropriate.  The  idea  is  not  that  of 
obscurity.  The  discourse  was  offensive,  and  not 
unintelligible.  It  made  claims  on  the  complete 
submission,  self-devotion,  self-surrender  of 
the  disciples.  It  pointed  significantly  to  death. 
The  same  word  (o-jcXiypop,  Vulg.  durus)  occurs 
Jude  15,  in  a  somewhat  similar  connexion. 
Compare  Gen.  xxi.  n,  xlii.  7  ;  i  K.  xii.  13 
(LXX.). 

saying}  or  rather,  speech,  discourse  (Xoyos, 
Vulg.  sermo).  The  English  representative  of 
the  original  ('word)  is  not  sufficiently  elastic  to 
give  its  sense  in  all  cases. 

bear  it]  Listen  to  it  (aKoiieiv  aurou)  with 
patience,  as  ready  to  admit  it.  See  vii.  40,  x. 
3,  16,  27,  xii.  47,  xviii.  37.  The  pronoun 
(avToC)  may  be  taken  as  personal :  <who  can 
bear  him  ?  but  this  is  an  unlikdy  rendering. 

61.  When   Jesus   knew  in   himself}     But 
when  Jesus...     See  ii.  24,  note. 

murmured]     Compare  v.  41,  note. 
offend  you]     Compare  xvi.  i,  note. 

62.  WlMt   and  if  ye  shall  see...']     What 
then  if  ye  should  behold...    This  incom- 
plete question,  which  seems  to  leave  open  in 
some  measure  the  altei  natives  of  greater  offence 
and  possible  victory,  has  been  interpreted  in  two 
very  different  ways,  by  supplying  in  one  case  a 
negative  answer :  "  Ye  will  not  then  be  offended 
any  more; "  and  in  the  other  a  positive:  "  Ye 
will  then  assuredly  be  still  more  offended." 
According    to    the    first    interpretation    the 


"  ascending  up  "  is  the  Ascension  as  the  final 
spiritualizing  of  the  Lord's  Person,  whereby 
the  offence  of  the  language  as  to  His  flesh 
would  be  removed  by  the  apprehension  of  the 
truth  as  to  His  spiritual  humanity.  In  the 
second  the  "  ascending  up  "  is  referred  to  the 
"elevation"  on  the  Cross,  and  the  offence 
caused  by  the  reference  to  the  death  of  Christ 
is  regarded  as  increased  by  the  death  itself  in 
its  actual  circumstances.  Each  of  these  two 
interpretations  appears  to  contain  elements  of 
the  full  meaning.  The  whole  context  shews ! 
distinctly  that  the  disciples  were  to  be  sub- 
jected to  some  severer  trial.  The  turn  of  the 
sentence  therefore  must  be :  "  If  then  ye  see 
the  Son  of  man  ascending. .  .ye  will  be,  accord- 
ing to  your  present  state,  more  grievously 
offended;  for  that  trial  you  must  still  be 
disciplined."  But,  on  the  other  hand,  the 
Crucifixion  alone  could  not  be  described  as 
an  "ascending  up  where  Christ  was  before;" 
yet  it  was  the  first  part  of  the  Ascension,  the 
absolute  sacrifice  of  self  which  issued  in  the 
absolute  triumph  over  the  limitations  of  earth- 
ly existence.  The  Passion,  the  Resurrection, 
the  Ascension,  were  steps  in  the  progress  of 
the  "ascending  up"  through  suffering,  which 
is  the  great  offence  of  the  Gospel.  The  diffi- 
culty of  accepting  this  completed  fact  is  (though 
greater)  of  the  same  kind  as  the  difficulty  of 
accepting  life  only  through  the  communicated 
humanity  of  the  Incarnate  Son. 

the  Son  of  man  ascend  up  (ascending) 
where  he  was  before]  Compare  viii.  58,  xvii. 
5,  24;  Col.  i.  17.  No  phrase  could  shew  more 
clearly  the  unchanged  personality  of  Christ. 
As  "  the  Son  of  man  "  He  speaks  of  His  being 
in  heaven  before  the  Incarnation.  "  Filius 
Dei  et  filius  hominis  unus  Christus...  Filius 
Dei  in  terra  suscepta  carne,  filius  hominis  in 
cselo  in  imitate  personae"  (Aug.  ad  toe.). 

63.  the  spirit. ..the flesh..}  The  same  con- 
trast occurs  in  iii.  6  (see  note),  i  Pet.  iii.  18. 
lust  as  in  man  the  spirit  is  that  part  of  his 
nature  by  which  he  holds  fellowship  with  the 
unseen  eternal  order,  and  the  flesh  that  part  of 
it  by  which  he  holds  fellowship  with  the  seen 
temporal  order,  so  the  two  words  are  applied 
to  the  working  of  Christ.  Nothing  can  carry 
us  beyond  the  limits  of  its  own  realm.  The 
new  life  must  come  from  that  which  belongs 
properly  to  the  sphere  in  which  it  moves. 
Compare  i  Cor.  xv.  45,  (*  Cor.  iii.  6).  The 
truth  is  expressed  in  its  most  general  form, 
and  is  not  to  be  limited  to  the  spiritual  and 


1  10 


ST.  JOHN.    VI. 


[v.  64—68. 


the  flesh  profiteth  nothing :  the  words 
that  I  speak  unto  you,  they  are  spirit, 
and  they  are  life. 

64  But   there   are   some    of  you 
that  believe  not.     For  Jesus    knew 
from  the  beginning  who   they  were 
that  believed  not,    and   who    should 
betray  him. 

65  And  he  said,  Therefore  said  I 


unto  you,  that  no  man  can  come 
unto  me,  except  it  were  given  unto 
him  of  my  Father. 

66  11  From  that  time  many  of  his 
disciples  went  back,  and  walked  no 
more  with  him. 

67  Then   said    Jesus    unto    the 
twelve,  Will  ye  also  go  away  ? 

68  Then   Simon   Peter  answered 


carnal  apprehension  of  Christ's  Person  ;  or  to 
the  spiritual  and  external  participation  in  the 
Holy  Communion;  or  even  to  the  spiritual 
and  historical  manifestation  of  Christ.  Each 
of  these  partial  thoughts  has  its  place  in  the 
whole  conception.  Compare  2  Cor.  v.  16. 

the  words]  Here  the  definite  utterances  (p?f- 
paTa,  Vulg.  verba,  v.  68)  and  not  the  whole 
revelation  (\6yos,  Vulg.  sermo,  v.  60).  The 
reference  is  to  the  clear  unfolding  of  the  com- 
plete relation  of  man  and  humanity  to  the 
Incarnate  Saviour.  Hence  a  marked  emphasis 
is  laid  on  the  pronoun  /:  the  words  that  I 
and  no  prophet,  not  even  Moses  (v.  32)  before 
me ;  and  on  the  tense  :  the  words  that  /have 
spoken  (AfAaXrjKa,  according  to  the  true 
reading),  and  not  generally  speak,  though  in 
some  sense  all  Christ's  words  are  life-giving, 
as  conveying  something  of  this  central  truth. 

For  the  exact  sense  of  "the  words"  (ra 
prffiaTa)  see  iii.  34,  viii.  47,  xvii.  8. 

are  spirit,  and  they  are  life]  that  is,  belong 
essentially  to  the  region  of  eternal  being,  and 
so  are  capable  of  conveying  that  which  they 
essentially  are.  Compare  v.  68. 

64.  But]  even  so,  in  the  closest  circle  of 
my  disciples  there  are  some  to  whom  they 
convey  no  vivifying  influence,  because  the 
human  condition  is  unfulfilled :  there  are  of 
you  (e'£  v/i<5i>)  some  who  believe  not.  For 
the  order  compare  v.  70  (of  you  one). 

For  Jesus  knew]     Compare  ii.  24,  note. 

from  the  beginning]  Compare  xvi.  4,  (xv. 
27).  From  the  first  moment  when  the  public 
work  of  Christ  began  (i  John  ii.  7,  24,  iii.  n ; 
Luke  i.  2).  The  phrase  must  always  be  rela- 
tive to  the  point  present  to  the  mind  of  the 
writer  or  speaker ;  and  here  that  seems  to  be 
fixed  by  v.  70. 

who  should  (who  it  was  that  should) 
betray  him]  This  first  allusion  to  the  sin  of 
Judas  evidently  stands  in  a  significant  con- 
nexion with  the  first  unveiling  of  the  Lord's 
Passion.  The  word  rendered  betray  (TrapaSt- 
dofat)  means  strictly  deliver  up,  to  give  into 
the  hands  of  another  to  deal  with  as  he  pleases 
(ch.  xviii.  30,  35  f.,  xix.  16 ;  Matt.  v.  25,  &c.). 
The  title  of  "  traitor  "  is  only  once  applied  to 
Judas  in  the  New  Testament:  Luke  vi.  16 
(TrpoSonjf).  In  other  words  his  act  is  regarded 
in  relation  to  the  Lord's  Passion,  and  not  to 
his  sin. 


65.  Therefore  said  /...]  For  this  cause 
have  I  said...     The  divine  condition  of  dis- 
cipleship  was  clearly  stated,  because  the  dis- 
ciples would  have  to  bear  the  trial  of  treachery 
revealed  in  their  midst,  which  might  seem  to 
be  inconsistent  with  Christ's  claims,  and  with 
what  they  thought  that  they  had  found  in 
Him.  His  choice  even  of  Judas  was  not  made 
without  full  knowledge  (xiii.  18). 

come  unto  me]  Judas  then,  though  "chosen 
out "  (v.  70)  and  called,  had  not  come  to 
Christ  (v.  37).  He  remained  still  in  himself; 
and  now  at  this  crisis  he  can  keep  silence. 

were  given  unto  him  of  my  Father]  have 
been  (or  be)  given  unto  him  of  the  Father. 
Comp.  iii.  27.  There  is  a  sense  in  which  all 
life  is  the  unfolding  of  the  timeless  divine  will. 
The  Father  (not  my  Father)  here  is  looked 
upon  as  the  source  (ei<)  from  whom  all  flows. 
Comp.  x.  32  ;  i  Cor.  vii.  7  ;  (2  Cor.  ii.  2).  It 
must  be  noticed  likewise  how  here  the  divine 
and  human  elements  are  placed  in  close  juxta- 
position, given,  come.  The  mystery  must  be 
left  with  the  assertion  of  both  the  concurrent 
parts,  the  will  of  God  and  the  will  of  man. 

66  flF.  The  "murmuring"  issued  in  separa- 
tion. This  separation  was  partly  open  and  partly 
secret.  The  same  teaching  which  led  some 
disciples  to  desert  Christ,  appears  to  have 
called  out  in  Judas  that  deeper  antagonism  of 
spirit  which  was  shewn  at  last  in  the  betrayal. 

66.  From  that  time]   Upon  this  (compare 
xix.  12),  with  the  notion  of  dependence  on 
what  had  now  happened.    The  phrase  is  not 
simply  temporal  (ch.  ix.  i  ;  Luke  x.  20 ;  Acts 
ix.  33,  xxiv.  10,  xxvi.  4),  nor  simply  causal 
(Rom.  i.  4 ;  Rev.  xvi.  21,  viii.  13). 

went  back  (a.Tr^\6ov  fls  TO.  6irt(ro),  Vulg. 
abierunt  retro}]  They  not  only  left  Christ, 
but  gave  up  what  they  had  gained  with  Him, 
and,  so  far  as  they  could,  reoccupied  their  old 
places,  Phil.  iii.  13. 

walked  no  more  (with  him]  Compare  vii.  i, 
xi.  54.  The  phrase  gives  a  vivid  portraiture 
of  the  Lord's  life. 

67.  Then  said  Jesus...]     Jejus  therefore 
said...   The  test  had  been  applied  to  the  mass, 
and  it  was  now  necessarily  applied  to  the 
innermost  circle  of  disciples. 

the  twelve]  These  are  spoken  of  as  known, 
though  they  have  not  been  mentioned  before. 


v.  69,  7°-l 


ST.  JOHN.  VI. 


i  ii 


•  Matt.  16. 


him,  Lord,  to  whom  shall  we  go  ? 
thou  hast  the  words  of  eternal  life. 
69  ""And  we  believe  and  are  sure 


that  thou  art  that  Christ,  the  Son  of 
the  living  God. 

70  Jesus  answered  them,  Have  not 


The  number  is  implied  in  v.  13.  In  the 
earlier  part  of  the  record  (chh.  i.  —  iv.)  no  such 
chosen  company  is  noticed,  a  fact  which  is  a 
slight  sign  of  the  distinctness  with  which  the 
course  of  the  work  of  Christ  was  impressed 
on  the  apostle's  mind.  He  does  not  record 
the  call  of  the  twelve,  yet  it  lies  hidden  and 
implied  in  his  narrative.  From  another  side 
the  reference  shews  that  St  John  assumes  that 
his  readers  are  familiar  with  the  main  facts  of 
the  history. 

Will  ye  also...']  The  form  of  the  question 
0^7  6i\(Tf,  Vulg.  numquid  vultii  .*)  implies  that 
such  desertion  is  incredible  and  yet  to  be 
feared  ;  but  here  the  negation  is  virtually  as- 
sumed. Compare  vii.  47,  52,  xviii.  17,  25. 

go  away...  go  (v.  68)...]  Perhaps  more 
exactly,  go  (ynaytiv,  v.  21)  ...  go  away 
(dn(\ddv,  -v.  22)...  The  first  word  suggests 
the  notion  of  the  personal  act  in  itself;  the 
second  that  of  separation.  See  vii.  33,  note. 

68.  Then  Simon  Peter  (omit  Then)...] 
St  Peter  occupies  the  same  representative 
place  in  St  John's  narrative  as  in  the  others. 
Comp.  xiii.  6  ff.,  24,  36,  xviii.  10,  xx.  2, 
i  xxi.  3.  His  reply  is  the  strong  confession  that 
the  apostles  have  found  in  Christ  all  that 
they  could  seek.  The  thought  is  of  what 
Christ  has,  as  they  have  known,  and  not 
of  Himself:  thou  (unemphatic)  hast  in  thy 
spiritual  treasury  ready  to  be  brought  forth 
according  to  our  powers  and  necessities  (Matt. 
xiii.  52)  the  words,  or  rather  words  of 
eternal  life.  This  phrase  may  mean  either  (  i  ) 
words  —  utterances  (v.  63)  —  concerning  eternal 
life  ;  or  (2)  words  bringing,  issuing  in,  eternal 
life  (i  John  i.  i).  The  usage  of  St  John  is  on 
the  whole  decidedly  in  favour  of  the  second 
interpretation.  Thus  we  find  the  bread  of  life 
(w.  35,  &c.),  the  light  of  life  (viii.  12),  the 
(water  of  life  (Rev.  xxi.  6,  xxii.  I,  17),  the  tree 
of  life  (Rev.  ii.  7,  xxii.  2,  14).  St  Peter  does 
not  speak  of  the  completed  Gospel  ("the 
word  "),  but  of  specific  sayings  (p^ara,  not 
ra  prmara)  which  had  been  felt  to  carry  life 
with  them.  He  had  recognised  the  truth  of 
what  the  Lord  had  said  v,  63  (ra  prjf 


69.  And  we]  The  pronoun  is  emphatic  ; 
we  who  are  nearest  to  Thee  and  have  listened 
to  Thee  most  devoutly. 

believe  and  are  sure]  have  believed  and 
know  (or  rather,  have  come  to  know). 
The  vital  faith  which  grasps  the  new  data  of 
the  higher  life  precedes  the  conscious  intellec- 
tual appreciation  of  them.  "  Non  cognovimus 
et  credidimus...Credidimus  enim  ut  cogno- 
sceremus  ;  nam  si  prius  cognoscere  et  deinde 
credere  vellemus,  nee  cognoscere  nee  credere 


valeremus"  (Aug.  ad  !oc.~).  Comp.  ch.  x.  38  ; 
*  Pet.  i.  5. 

In  i  John  iv.  16  the  words  stand  in  the 
inverted  order,  but  it  will  be  noticed  from  the 
construction  there  that  the  words  have  believed 
qualify  and  explain,  so  to  speak,  have  come  to 
know  (know),  but  do  not  go  closely  with  the 
love  that  God  hath  to  us,  which  depends  directly 
on  know. 

that  Christ,  the  Son  of  the  living  God]  Ac- 
cording to  the  true  reading  (see  additional 
note),  the  Holy  One  of  God.  Mark  i.  24  ; 
Luke  iv.  34.  The  knowledge  of  the  demoniacs 
reached  to  the  essential  nature  of  the  Lord. 
Comp.  Rev.  iii.  7  ;  i  John  ii.  20.  See  also 
ch.  x.  36,  and  v.  27  of  this  chapter. 

With  this  confession  of  St  Peter  that  which 
is  recorded  in  Matt.  xvi.  16,  which  belongs  to 
the  same  period  but  to  different  circumstances, 
must  be  compared.  Here  the  confession  points 
to  the  inward  character  in  which  the  Apostles 
found  the  assurance  of  life ;  there  the  confes- 
sion was  of  the  public  office  and  theocratic 
Person  of  the  Lord.  To  suppose  that  the  one 
confession  is  simply  an  imperfect  representa- 
tion of  the  other  is  to  deny  the  fulness  of  the 
life  which  lies  behind  both.  This  confession 
must  be  compared  with  the  confessions  in  ch.  i. 
Here  the  confession  is  made  after  the  dis- 
appointment of  the  popular  hope,  and  reaches 
to  the  recognition  of  that  absolute  character 
of  Christ  which  the  demoniacs  tried  to  reveal 
prematurely. 

70.  Even  in  those  who  still  clung  to  Christ 
there  was  an  element  of  unfaithfulness.  Comp. 
xiii.  10  f. 

Jesus  answered...]  The  reply  is  to  the 
confident  affirmation  of  St  Peter,  who  rested 
his  profession  of  the  abiding  faithfulness  of  the 
apostles  upon  their  perception  of  the  Lord's 
nature.  So  far  was  this  from  leaving  no  ground 
for  doubt  that  the  Lord  shews  that  even  His 
own  choice  (Did  not  I— even  I— choose)  left 
room  for  a  traitor  among  those  whom  He  had 
chosen. 

them]  St  Peter  spoke  for  all,  and  the  Lord 
still  speaks  to  the  twelve  and  not  to  their  re- 
presentative only. 

Have  not  I  chosen  you  twelve  ?]  Did  not  I 
choose  you  the  twelve?  you  the  marked 
representatives  of  the  new  Israel,  the  patriarchs 
of  a  divine  people.  The  reference  is  not  to 
the  number  of  the  apostles,  but  to  their  special 
position  (yuM$  rovs  Sa>8«/ca :  comp.  xx.  24). 

choose:  xiii.  18,  xv.  16  f.  Compare 
Luke  vi.  13;  Acts  L  2,  24;  i  Cor.  i.  27  f . ; 
Eph.  i.  4.  On  the  choice  of  Judas  see  xm. 
18,  note.  .n 

and  one  of  you  (of  you  one)  is  a  devil] 


112 


ST.  JOHN.   VI. 


[v.  71. 


I  chosen  you  twelve,  and  one  of  you 
is  a  devii  ? 

71  He  spake  of  Judas  Iscariot  the 


son  of  Simon :  for  he  it  was  that 
should  betray  him,  being  one  of  the 
twelve. 


Even  out  of  this  chosen  body  (V£  vp£v)  one 
is  faithless.  There  is  a  tragic  pathos  in  the 
original  order. 

a  devil]  viii.  44,  xiii.  2 ;  i  John  iii.  8,  10 ; 
Rev.  xii.  9,  xx.  2.  The  fundamental  idea 
seems  to  be  that  of  turning  good  into  evil 
(8(aj3dXXeti/).  The  two  great  temptations  are 
the  characteristic  works  of  "the  devil."  Hence 
Judas,  by  regarding  Christ  in  the  light  of  his 
own  selfish  views,  and  claiming  to  use  His 
power  for  the  accomplishment  of  that  which 
he  had  proposed  as  Messiah's  work,  partook 
of  that  which  is  essential  to  the  devil's  nature. 
"With  this  term  applied  to  Judas  we  must 
compare  that  of  Satan  applied  at  no  long 
interval  to  St  Peter  (Matt.  xvi.  23).  Judas 
wished  to  pervert  the  divine  power  which  he 
saw  to  his  own  ends ;  St  Peter  strove  to  avert 
what  he  feared  in  erring  zeal  for  his  Lord. 

71.     He  spake... .]  Now  he  spake... 

Judas  Iscariot  the  son  of  Simon]  Judas  the 


son  of  Simon  Iscariot.  The  true  reading 
here  marks  Iscariot  as  certainly  a  local  name : 
a  man  of  Keriotb  (Karioth).  The  place  is 
commonly  identified  with  Keriotb,  a  town  of 
Judah  (Josh.  xv.  25),  according  to  the  A.  V., 
so  that  Judas  alone  was  strictly  a  Judasan. 
But  it  appears  that  the  rendering  there  is  in- 
correct, and  that  Kerioth  ought  to  be  joined 
with  Hezron  (Kerioth-Hezron).  May  not 
the  town  be  identified  with  the  Kerioth 
(Kapico0)  of  Moab  mentioned  in  Jer.  xlviii. 
24? 

he  it  iv as  that  should']  it  was  he  that  was 
about  to  (ffj.f\\€v  irapa8i86vat)...  Compare 
xii.  4  ;  Luke  xxii.  23.  The  phrase  in  v.  64  is 
different  (o  jrapaSeocrtaj'). 

being  one  of  the  twelve]  The  phrase  (eff 
(K  r.  8.)  is  slightly  different  from  that  in  Matt. 
xxvi.  14,  47  and  parallels  (fly  T.  8.),  and 
seems  to  mark  the  unity  of  the  body  to  which 
the  unfaithful  member  belonged.  Compare 
xx.  24. 


ADDITIONAL  NOTES  on  CHAP.  vi. 


26 — 58.  A  brief  summary  of  the  argument 
of  the  three  discourses  furnishes  the  best  clue 
to  their  general  interpretation  in  view  of  the 
controversies  which  have  attached  to  parts  of 
them.  Their  central  subject  is  Christ,  truly 
man,  the  source  and  the  support  of  life.  They 
deal,  as  we  have  seen,  with  three  questions  in 
succession.  How  can  man  gain  fellowship 
with  God  ?  How  can  one  who  is  man  be  the 
source  and  support  of  life?  How  can  the 
virtue  of  Christ's  humanity  be  imparted  to 
and  appropriated  by  others  ?  Or,  putting  the 
two  last  questions  in  their  final  form :  Can  the 
Incarnation  be  a  fact?  Can  the  Incarnate 
Son  of  God  communicate  Himself  to  men? 
They  are,  it  is  evident,  questions  of  universal 
moment,  which  go  to  the  very  heart  of  faith  ; 
and  according  as  they  are  answered  bring 
separation  or  closer  union  at  all  times  between 
Christ  and  His  disciples. 

I.  The  source  of  life. 

Man's  effort  is  combined  and  contrasted 
with  God's  gift  (26,  27). 

The  divine  work  of  man  is  faith  in  a  Person 
(»8,  29). 

The  attestation  of  the  gift  which  He  brings 
lies  in  the  gift  itself  (30 — 33). 

He  is  Himself  the  gift ;  and  even  through 
apparent  failure  He  fulfils  His  work  (34 — 38). 

Belief  in  the  Son  is  life  now,  and  will  be 
followed  by  resurrection  (39,  40). 

a.  But  how  can  One  who  is  man  thus  unite 
earth  and  heaven  ? 


The  answer  requires  a  spiritual  preparation 
in  the  hearer  (43,  44). 

But  in  part  it  is  answered  in  the  promises 
of  the  Old  Testament  (45,  46). 

In  part  too  the  believer  must  himself  co- 
operate (47 — 50). 

Christ  gives  what  He  is :  the  fulness  of  His 
humanity  (51). 

3.  How  again  can  men  partake  in  the  virtues 

of  another's  being  ? 

The  answer  lies  deep  in  the  perception  of 
the  divine  nature  of  the  Son  of  man. 

Man  lives  only  by  the  participation  in  the 
virtues  of  His  life  and  death  (53 — 55). 

This  participation  brings  with  it  a  personal 
union  between  the  believer  and  Christ  (56), 

Which  is  the  fulness  of  divine  life  (57,  58). 

From  first  to  last  the  gift  to  men  on  the 
part  of  God  is  set  forth  as  Christ  "  the  Son  of 
man  ;  "  and  the  power  by  which  man  makes 
the  gift  his  own  is  active  "  faith."  The  repe- 
tition of  the  title  "the  Son  of  man"  three 
times  in  most  significant  connexions  brings 
out  very  clearly  the  aspect  of  Christ's  Person 
to  which  the  teaching  specially  points  (vv. 
27>  53>  62).  So  also  the  stress  laid  on  believ- 
ing (Triovevfiv  «r,  -w.  29,  35,  40,  47)  keeps 
in  prominence  the  requirement  from  man. 
In  the  last  section  (52 — 58)  "believing"  is 
not  mentioned,  but  the  same  effect  is  attri- 
buted to  "eating  the  flesh  and  drinking  the 
blood"  of  Christ  as  before  to  "believing" 
absolutely  (vv.  47,  54,  e^ 


ST.  JOHN.   VI. 


Here  then  the  activity  of  faith  is  presented  in 
its  completes!  energy  in  connexion  with  the 
fullest  description  of  the  divine  gift.  The 
fundamental  antithesis  of  the  human  and 
divine,  which  appears  at  the  opening  of  the 
discourses,  is  thus  distinctly  expressed  at  the 
close. 

It  must  not  however  be  concluded  that 
"  eating  the  flesh  of  the  Son  of  man  and  drink- 
ing His  blood  "  is  simply  a  metaphorical  ex- 
pression for  "believing  on  Christ,"  or  more 
specifically  for  "  believing  on  Christ  as  having 
lived  and  died  for  men."  It  is  quite  un- 
natural to  suppose  that  the  earlier  and  plain 
words  are  involved  in  dark  figures  by  the  later 
phrases.  On  the  contrary,  these  figures  indi- 
cate the  effective  action  and  issue  of  faith, 
while  they  preserve  and  recognise  the  meeting 
together  of  the  human  and  divine  in  the  highest 
consummation  of  the  destiny  of  man. 

The  progress  which  underlies  the  apparent 
monotony  of  the  discourses  is  most  conspicu- 
ously marked  by  the  comparison  of  the  cor- 
responding phrases  "believing  on  the  Son  of 
man,"  and  "eating"  the  Son  of  man,  and  is 
indicated  also  in  the  recurrent  forms  of  ex- 
pression which  seem  at  first  sight  to  be 
identical.  Thus  w.  33,  50,  58,  which  in 
their  general  structure  and  elements  are  closely 
connected,  are  yet  found  upon  examination  to 
be  clearly  distinguished : 

•v.  33.  The  bread  of  God  is  that  which 
cometh  down  from  heaven,  and  givetb  (8»3oi!j) 
life  to  the  world. 

•v.  50.  This  (bread)  [v.  48,  I  am  the 
bread  of  life]  is  the  bread  which  cometh  down 
from  heaven  that  a  man  may  eat  of  it  («'£  auroG 
<£ayr/)  and  not  die. 

v.  58.  This  (bread)  [i.e.  I  (v.  57)]  is  the 
bread  which  came  down  from  heaven  :  be  that 
eateth  (rptoyuv)  this  bread  shall  live  for  ever. 

The  general  divine  fact  is  stated  first ;  next 
the  divine  purpose  in  connexion  with  man  ; 
and  then  last  the  historic  fact  as  it  is  appro- 
priated by  individual  men. 

From  what  has  been  said  it  will  be  seen 
that  the  discourses  spring  naturally  out  of  the 
position  in  which  the  Lord  stood  at  a  critical 
moment  towards  His  disciples  and  the  people, 
and  are  perfectly  intelligible  as  an  answer  to 
the  questionings  among  them  conveyed  in  such 
a  parabolic  form  (Matt.  xiii.  34)  as  was  sug- 
gested partly  by  the  miracle  of  feeding,  and 
partly  by  the  memories  of  the  passover.  That 
which  is  outward  is  made  the  figure  of  the 
inward,  and  then,  when  the  spiritual  concep- 
tion is  fully  developed,  the  outward  imagery 
is  again  adopted  in  order  to  indicate  fresn 
forms  of  the  truth.  The  people  had  "  eaten 
of  the  loaves"  (v.  16);  that  which  it  was 
their  highest  blessing  to  do  was  to  eat  the  Son 
of  man  (v.  57).  This  "eating"  is  essential 
for  all,  inasmuch  as  without  it  there  is  no  life 
and  no  resurrection  (v.  53).  And  further, 
this  "eating"  leads  necessarily  to  life  in  the 


highest  sense ;  it  has  no  qualification  (such  as 
eating  "  worthily  ")  ;  it  is  operative  for  good 
absolutely. 

It  follows  that  what  is  spoken  of  "  eating 
<£ayel»>)  of  the  bread  which  cometh  down 
from  heaven"  (v.  51),  "eating  ($aye~iv)  the 
flesh  of  the  Son  of  man"  (ju.  53),  "eating 
(rpoiyt  iv)  His  flesh,  and  drinking  His  blood  " 
(vv.54, 56),  "  eating  (rpwy^v)  Him"  (v.  57), 
"  eating  (rpiaytiv)  the  bread  which  came  down 
from  heaven"  (v.  58) — the  succession  ot 
phrases  is  most  remarkable — cannot  refer 
primarily  to  the  Holy  Communion ;  nor  again 
can  it  be  simply  prophetic  of  that  Sacra- 
ment. The  teaching  has  a  full  and  consistent 
meaning  in  connexion  with  the  actual  cir- 
cumstances, and  it  treats  essentially  of  spiritual 
realities  with  which  no  external  act,  as  such, 
can  be  co-extensive.  The  well-known  words 
of  Augustine,  crede  et  manducasti,  "  believe 
and  thou  hast  eaten,"  give  the  sum  of  the 
thoughts  in  a  luminous  and  pregnant  sentence. 

But,  on  the  other  hand,  there  can  be  no 
doubt  that  the  truth  which  is  presented  in  its 
absolute  form  in  these  discourses  is  presented 
in  a  specific  act  and  in  a  concrete  form  in  the 
Holy  Communion ;  and  yet  further  that  the 
Holy  Communion  is  the  divinely  appointed 
means  whereby  men  may  realise  the  truth. 
Nor  can  there  be  a  difficulty  to  any  one  who 
acknowledges  a  divine  fitness  in  the  ordinances 
of  the  Church,  an  eternal  correspondence  in 
the  parts  of  the  one  counsel  of  God,  in  believ- 
ing that  the  Lord,  while  speaking  intelligibly 
to  those  who  heard  Him  at  the  time,  gave  by 
anticipation  a  commentary,  so  to  speak,  on 
the  Sacrament  which  He  afterwards  instituted. 
But  that  which  He  deals  with  is  not  the  out- 
ward rite,  but  the  spiritual  fact  which  under- 
lies it.  To  attempt  to  transfer  the  words  of 
the  discourse  with  their  consequences  to  the 
Sacrament  is  not  only  to  involve  the  history 
in  hopeless  confusion  but  to  introduce  over- 
whelming difficulties  into  their  interpretation, 
which  can  only  be  removed  by  the  arbitrary 
and  untenable  interpolation  of  qualifying  sen- 
tences. 

In  this  connexion  two  points  require  care- 
ful consideration.  The  words  used  here  of 
the  Lord's  humanity  are  "  flesh  "  and  "  blood," 
and  not  as  in  every  case  where  the  Sacrament 
is  spoken  of  in  Scripture  "body  "and  "  blood." 
And  again  St  John  nowhere  refers  directly  to 
the  Sacraments  of  Baptism  and  Holy  Com- 
munion as  outward  rites. 

The  second  point  need  not  cause  any  sur- 
prise. St  John  living  in  the  centre  of  Christian 
society  does  not  notice  the  institution  of 
services  which  were  parts  of  the  settled  ex- 
perience of  Church  life.  He  presupposes  them ; 
and  at  the  same  time  records  the  discourses 
in  which  the  ideas  clothed  for  us  and  brought 
near  to  us  in  the  two  Sacraments  were  set 
forth.  He  guards  the  Sacraments  in  this  way 
from  being  regarded  either  as  ends  in  them- 


1 14 


ST.  JOHN.   VI. 


selves  or  as  mere  symbols.  He  enables  us  to 
see  how  they  correspond  with  fundamental 
views  of  the  relations  of  man  to  God ;  how 
they  are  included  in  one  sense  in  the  first 
teaching  of  the  Gospel ;  how  Christianity  is 
essentially  sacramental  as  Judaism  is  essen- 
tially typical;  how,  through  the  Incarnation, 
the  relations  between  things  outward  and  in- 
ward, things  seen  and  unseen,  are  revealed  to 
us  as  real  and  eternal,  and  not  superficial  and 
transitory. 

The  first  point  is  evidently  of  critical  im- 
portance for  the  understanding  of  the  relation 
between  the  discourses  and  the  Sacrament. 
The  "  flesh"  is  (so  to  speak)  the  constituent 
element  of  the  human  organization ;  the 
"  body "  is  the  organization  itself.  That 
which  the  believer  must  appropriate  is,  as  we 
have  seen,  the  virtue  of  Christ's  humanity; 
through  this,  in  the  unity  of  His  Person, 
Christ  unites  him  to  God.  That  which  Christ 
presents  to  His  Church  in  the  institution  of 
Holy  Communion  is  His  "  Body."  The  term 
"flesh"  marks  that  which  must  be  assimilated, 
and  suggests  the  due  co-operation  of  the  indi- 
vidual recipient  for  an  effect  which  is  absolute. 
The  term  "body"  answers  to  the  outward 
rite,  which  is  primarily  social  (i  Cor.  x.  16  f.). 
Or,  to  put  the  idea  in  a  somewhat  different 
light,  the  "  flesh"  expresses  that  which  charac- 
terizes the  essential  limitation  of  that  humanity 
which  "the  Word  became,"  capable  of  an 
indefinite  variety  of  manifestations,  while  the 
' '  body  "  is  a  specific  manifestation.  The  one 
suggests  the  conception  of  the  principle  of 
human  life ;  the  other  the  unity  of  a  particular 
form  of  human  life.  (The  gloss  in  D  on 
11.  56  shews  how  soon  the  distinction  was 
neglected.) 

Among  early  writers  Augustine  has  ex- 
pressed very  clearly  the  relation  of  the  dis- 
course to  the  Sacrament,  though  he  does  not 
dwell  on  the  difference  of  "  flesh  "  and  "body." 
"This  food  and  drink,"  he  writes,  "Christ 
wishes  to  be  understood  as  fellowship  with 
His  Body  and  members...  The  Sacrament  of 
this  thing,  that  is,  of  the  unity  of  the  Body 
and  Blood  of  Christ,  is  prepared  on  the  Lord's 
table  (in  dominica  mensd)  in  some  places  daily, 
in  other  places  at  stated  intervals,  and  is  taken 
from  the  Lord's  table,  for  some  to  life,  for 
some  to  destruction  (ad  exitium) ;  the  thing 
itself  however  of  which  [that  rite]  is  a  sacra- 
ment, is  for  every  man  to  life,  to  none  to 
destruction,  whoever  partakes  of  it  ('  Tract,  in 
Joh.'  xxvi.  15)... This  is  therefore  to  eat  that 
food  (escam)  and  to  drink  that  blood,  to  abide 
in  Christ  and  to  have  Him  abiding  in  oneself. 
And  through  this,  he  who  does  not  abide  in 
Christ  and  in  whom  Christ  does  not  abide, 
doubtless  does  not  eat  His  flesh  (procul  dubio 
nee  manducat  carnem  eius,  the  addition  spiritu- 
aliter  is  a  false  gloss),  nor  drink  His  blood, 
although  he  eats  and  drinks  the  Sacrament  of 
so  great  a  thing  to  his  own  judgment"  (Id. 


§  1  8,  etiamsi  tantte  ret  sacramentum  ad  jud't- 
cium  sibi  manducet  et  blbat  according  to  the 
MSS.  The  text  as  it  is  quoted  in  Art.  xxix. 
has  been  interpolated  from  the  commentary 
of  Bede). 

NOTE  ON  READINGS  IN  CHAP.  vi. 

There  are  several  readings  of  considerable 
interest  in  ch.  vi.  which  require  notice  as  illus- 
trating the  history  of  the  text. 

9.  The  common  text  reads  jratbapiov  fv. 
This  is  supported  by  A,  the  mass  of  later 
uncial  and  cursive  MSS.,  some  copies  of  -vt. 
Lot.,  Vulg,,  the  Syriac  versions  (except  Syr. 
•vt.},  &c. 

On  the  other  hand,  eo  is  omitted  by  KBDL 
and  a  fair  number  of  later  copies,  including 
some  very  important  cursives,  the  most  im- 
portant copies  of  Lat.  vt.,  Syr.  -vt.,  Origen, 
Cyril  Alex.,  Chrysostom,  &c.  (C  is  defective). 
Here  it  will  be  observed  that  the  oldest  repre- 
sentatives of  each  class  of  authorities  omit  the 
word  in  dispute,  the  oldest  Greek  MSS.,  the 
oldest  forms  of  the  oldest  versions,  and  the 
oldest  father  who  quotes  the  passage. 

There  can  then  be  no  doubt  that  T 
alone  should  be  read. 

15.  In  this  verse  N  has  one  of  those  para- 
phrastic glosses  which  are  characteristic  of 
ND,  "vt.  Lat.  and  -vt.  Syr.  In  place  of  tva 
irotrja-wa-iv  [mJroi/]  £ao-tX<?a,  which  is  read  by 
all  other  authorities  with  one  questionable  ex- 
ception, it  reads  KOL  dvaofi<vvvai  /3a<rtXe'a.  This 
phrase  is  followed  by  (pevyfi  for  dff^prja-ev. 
This  reading  <t>(vy{i  is  supported  by  other 
authorities  of  the  same  group,  -vt.  Lat.,  Vulg., 
Syr.  iit.  ;  but  such  evidence  only  shews  the 
wide  extension  of  the  gloss  at  a  very  early 
time. 

Other  examples  of  similar  paraphrases  in 
members  of  the  same  group  occur  in  -v.  17, 
Kare'XajSei'  8f  CLVTOVS  rf  trKoria  (for  KOI  (TKoria 
TJdr)  tyeyovfi)  ^D  ;  46,  fcapaicfv  TOV  6f6v  (for 
e.  rov  Trarepa)  $*Dabe...  51,  fit  TOV  cpov 
apron  (for  fK  TOVTOV  TOV  aprov)  Rae...  57, 
\(ip.!3dvo)i>  (for  Tpcoytov)  D. 

51.  The  last  clause  of  this  verse  is  found 
in  three  forms  : 


TJjy  TOV  Koo-fjiov  fafjs,  BCDLT,  Latt.,  Syr.  -vt., 
Theb.,  (Orig.),  &c. 

(l)...ov  fy<a  8a>cra>  vnep  TTJS  TOV  Kocr/iou 
^atrjs  rj  crap£  pov  fcrriv,  K,  (*»). 

(3).--of  €ya>  Sooero)  ff  tr<ip£  /nou  eo~Tiv  fjv  e'-yco 
Sa)(ra>  vnfp  TTJS  TOV  KOV/JLOV  fafjs.  The  mass 
of  later  MSS.  (A  is  defective),  Syr.  Pesb. 
and  Hcl.,  Memph.,  Clem.  Al. 

The  insertion  of  the  clause  TJV  eyw  8wVa>  in 
(3)  is  evidently  an  attempt  to  remove  the 
harshness  of  the  construction  in  (i),  which  is 
removed  in  (a)  by  a  transposition.  But  the 
addition  of  such  a  clause  as  vntp  T.  T.  K.  f  .  to 
a  sentence  already  grammatically  complete  in 


ST.  JOHN.  VII. 


order  to  bring  out  a  wider  thought  is  com- 
pletely in  St  John's  style. 

63.  The  common  reading  XaXw  is  sup- 
ported by  the  great  mass  of  later  MSS.,  but 
by  no  early  evidence  whatever ;  all  the  oldest 
MSS.,  versions,  and  fathers  reading  AeXdArjica, 
which  at  first  sight  seems  to  limit  the  state- 
ment unduly. 

69.  The  words  of  St  Peter's  confession 
offer  a  most  instructive  example  of  the  manner 
in  which  a  (supposed)  parallel  influences  a 
reading. 

The  words  are  given  in  different  authorities 
in  the  following  forms :  a-i>  d 

(i)  o  ayios  TOV  6eov  NBC*DL  (A  and  T 
are  defective). 

(a)  o  XPlOT°s>  o  ayios  TOV  $eov,  Mempb., 
Theb. 

(3)  o  vlbs  TOV  dfov,  17,  b,  Syr.  vt. 

(4)  o  xptordf,  o  vios  TOV  dtov,  Latt. 

(5)  o  XPiTofi   °  v'los  T°v  6tov  TOV  fairo?, 
the  mass  of  MSS.  and  Syr.  (except  Sjr.  -vt.). 

The  last  form  (5)  is  identical  with  that  in 
Matt.  xvi.  1 6,  in  which  the  authorities  (prac- 
tically) do  not  vary.  It  is  then  scarcely  to 


be  questioned  that  the  language  in  St  John 
has  been  brought  into  accord  with  St  Matthew 
and  not  changed  from  it.  The  stages  of  the 
assimilation  are  preserved  in  (2),  (3),  (4). 
Two  changes  were  made  separately  at  a  very 
early  time,  the  addition  of  o  Yp«m5y  (Egyp- 
tian versions)  and  the  substitution  of  V'i6s  for 
ayios.  These  two  changes  were  then  com- 
bined, and  this  is  the  reading  preserved  in  the 
mass  of  Latin  copies.  And  finally  the  com- 
plete phrase  of  St  Matthew  was  introduced 
by  the  addition  of  TOV  (atvrot. 

71.  The  mass  of  later  copies,  with  the 
Gothic  and  the  later  copies  of  the  Vulgate, 
give  the  title  Iscariot  ('l<rKapi(OTT)i>)  to  Judas, 
but  the  earlier  MSS.  (XCBC  with  some  others) 
and  the  best  copies  of  the  Vulgate  connect  it 
with  Simon  ('lo-Kapiwrou).  In  D  and  some 
early  Latin  copies  the  reading  is  simply  2«i- 
piu>d  (cariotti),  for  which  N*  and  four  other 
early  authorities  read  (as  D  reads  xii.  4,  xiii. 
2,  26,  xiv.  22)  djro  KapviaTov.  In  xii.  4,  xiv. 
22,  the  title  undoubtedly  belongs  to  Judas. 
Here  and  in  xiii.  2,  26  it  appears  scarcely  less 
certainly  to  belong  to  his  father  Simon.  The 
natural  conclusion  is  that  it  was  a  local  name 
borne  by  father  and  son  alike. 


CHAPTER  VII. 

I  Jesus  reproveth  the  ambition  and  boldness  of 
his  kinsmen :  i  o  goeth  up  from  Galilee  to 
the  feast  of  tabernacles:  14  teacheth  in  the 


temple.  40  Divers  opinions  of  him  among 
the  people.  45  T!ie  Pharisees  are  angry  that 
their  officers  took  him  not,  and  chide  with 
Nicodemus  for  taking  his  part. 


II.  THE  GREAT  CONTROVERSY  (vii. — xii.). 
The  record  of  the  great  controversy  at  Jeru- 
salem, during  which  faith  and  unbelief  were 
fully  revealed,  falls  into  two  parts.  The  first 
part  (vii. — x.)  contains  the  outline  of  the  suc- 
cessive stages  of  the  controversy  itself;  the 
second  the  decisive  judgment  (xi.,  xii.). 

i.   THE  REVELATION  OF  FAITH  AND  UN- 
BELIEF AT  JERUSALEM  (vii. — x.). 

This  central  section  of  the  whole  Gospel 
contains  events  and  discourses  connected  with 
two  national  festivals,  the  Feast  of  Tabernacles 
and  the  Feast  of  Dedication,  which  commemo- 
rated the  first  possession  of  Canaan  and  the 
great  recovery  of  religious  independence.  Thus 
the  festivals  nad  a  most  marked  meaning  in 
regard  to  the  life  of  the  Jews,  and  this,  as  will 
be  seen,  influenced  the  form  of  the  Lord's 
teaching. 

There  is  a  clear  progress  in  the  history. 
The  discussions  at  the  Feast  of  Tabernacles 
(vii.,  viii.)  are  characterized  by  waverings  and 
questionings  among  the  people.  The  discus- 
sions at  the  Feast  of  Dedication  shew  the 
separation  already  consummated  (ix.,  x.). 

(i)  The  Feast  of  Tabernacles  (vii.,  viii.). 
No  section  in  the  Gospel  is  more  evidently 
New  Test. — VOL.  II. 


a  transcript  from  life  than  this.  It  reflects  a 
complex  and  animated  variety  of  characters 
and  feelings.  Jerusalem  is  seen  crowded  at 
the  most  popular  feast  with  men  widely  differ- 
ing in  hope  and  position :  some  eager  in 
expectation,  some  immovable  in  prejudice. 
There  is  nothing  of  the  calm  solemnity  of  the 
private  discourse,  or  of  the  full  exposition  of 
doctrine  before  a  dignified  body,  such  as  has 
been  given  before.  All  is  direct,  personal 
encounter.  The  "brethren"  of  the  Lord 
(vii.  3  ff.),  "the  Jews"  (vii.  i,  u,  13,  15,  35, 
viii.  22,  48,  52,  57),  "the  multitudes"  (vii. 
12  f.),  "the  multitude"  (vii.  12,  20,  31  f., 
40  f.,  43,  49),  "the  people  of  Jerusalem" 
(vii.  45),  "the  Pharisees"  (vii.  32,  47,  viii. 
13),  "the  chief-priests  (i.e.  the  Sadducean 
hierarchy)  and  Pharisees"  (vii.  32,  45 1  f°r  tne 
first  time),  Nicodemus  (vii.  50),  "the  Jews 
who  believed  him"  (viii.  31),  appear  in  suc- 
cession in  the  narrative,  and  all  with  clearly 
marked  individuality.  Impatient  promptings 
to  action  (vii.  3  ff.),  vague  inquiries  (vii.  n), 
debatings  (vii.  12,  40  ff.),  fear  on  this  side  and 
that  (vii.  13,  30,  44),  wonder  (vii.  15,  46), 
perplexity  (vii.  25  ff.),  belief  (vii.  31,  viii.  30), 
open  hostility  (vii.  32),  unfriendly  criticism 
(vii.  23  ff,  viii.  48  ff.),  selfish  belief  in  Christ's 
Messianic  dignity  (viii.  31  ff.),  follow  in  rapid 
alternation.  All  is  full  of  movement,  of  local 


ST.  JOHN.   VII. 


[v. 


A 


these  things  Jesus  walked 
in  Galilee  :   for  he  would  not 
walk   in   Jewry,  because   the   Jews 
sought  to  kill  him. 

•  Lev.  »3.       2  "Now  the  Jews'  feast  of  taberna- 
cles was  at  hand. 

3  His  brethren  therefore  said  unto 
him,  Depart  hence,  and  go  into  Ju- 
daea, that  thy  disciples  also  may  see 
the  works  that  thou  doest. 


34- 


4  For  there  is  no  man  that  doeth 
any  thing  in  secret,  and  he  himself 
seeketh   to   be   known    openly.      If 
thou  do  these  things,  shew  thyself  to 
the  world. 

5  For  neither  did  his  brethren  be- 
lieve in  him. 

6  Then  Jesus  said  unto  them,  My 
time  is  not  yet  come  :  but  your  time 
is  alway  ready. 


colour,  of  vivid  traits  of  conflicting  classes  and 
tendencies. 

The  section  is  naturally  divided  into  several 
distinct  scenes.  The  circumstances  of  the 
visit  (vii.  i — 13).  The  discussions  at  "themidst 
of  the  feast"  (14 — 36).  The  discussions  on 
the  last  day  (37 — 52).  The  after-teaching 
(viii.  12 — ao).  The  trial  of  true  and  false 
faith 


la — ao). 
(ai— 59). 


I.    The  circumstances  of  the  •visit  to  the  Feast 
of  Tabernacles  (vii.  i — 13). 

CHAP.  VII.  1 — 13.  In  these  verses  there 
is  a  lively  picture  of  the  position  which  the 
Lord  held  at  the  time.  Continued  teaching 
in  Judasa  had  become  impossible  (v.  i).  His 
brethren  impatiently  pressed  for  some  more 
decisive  public  manifestation  of  His  power 
(w.  3 — 9).  The  multitudes  gathered  at  Jeru- 
salem were  divided  between  faith  and  distrust 
(•w.  n,  i  a).  But  the  dominant  party  kept 
down  all  open  discussion  of  His  claims  (v.  13). 
The  description  brings  out  distinctly  various 
aspects  of  a  work  and  a  Person  not  yet  fully 
revealed. 

1.  After    these    things']    And    after  these 
things,  that  is,  the  whole  crisis  brought  about 
by  the  miracle  of  feeding. 

walked]  ch.  vi.  66,  note. 

•would  not  walk  in  Jewry  (Judsea,  as  v.  3)] 
The  words  imply  a  previous  work  in  Judasa 
corresponding  to  that  now  accomplished  in 
Galilee. 

to  kill  him]     Seev.  18. 

2.  the  Jews'1  feast  of  tabernacles]  the  feast 
of  the  Jews,  the  feast  of  Tabernacles. 
This  feast  was  pre-eminent  among  the  festivals 
"as  the  holiest  and  greatest"  (Jos. '  Ant.'  vm. 
4.  i).     It  fell  on  15 — »a  Tisri  (September, 
October),  and  thus  there  is  an  interval  of  six 
months  after  the  events  of  ch.  vi.,  of  which 
the  Evangelist  records  nothing.     The  record 
of  some  details  of  this  period  is  given  in  Matt. 
xii. — xvii.,  xxi. 

3.  His  brethren]   See  Lightfoot,  Excursus 
II.  on  '  Gal.it ians.'     Perhaps  we  may  conclude 
even  from  this  notice,  compared  with  Mark  iii. 
ai,  31,  that  the  brethren  were  elder  brethren 


(i.e.  sons  of  Joseph  by  a  former  marriage)  who 
might  from  their  age  seek  to  direct  the  Lord. 

therefore']  since  Jesus  had  not  gone  up  to 
the  last  Passover. 

thy  disciples  also  may  see  (behold)...]  not 
only  those  disciples  who  would  be  gathered 
from  all  parts  to  Jerusalem,  but  specially 
those  who  had  been  gained  by  earlier  teaching 
in  Judaea  and  Jerusalem,  and  who  still  re- 
mained there.  From  this  notice  it  appears 
that  miracles  were  wrought  chiefly  among 
strangers  to  arrest  attention ;  and  also  that  the 
Lord  was  accompanied  only  by  a  small  group 
of  followers  in  His  Galilaean  circuits. 

4.  For  there  is  no  man  that  (no  man) 
doeth  any  thing  in  secret]  as  Christ  did,  for 
His  works  in  Galilee  and  even  beyond  the 
borders  of  Galilee  were  practically  withdrawn 
(such  is  the  argument)  from  the  observation 
of  those  who  could  best  judge  of  their  worth. 

and  he. ..seeketh  (and  seeketh)  to  be 
known  openly]  Literally,  "to  be  in  boldness" 
(eV  irapprjo-ia  tlvai,  Vulg.  in  pa/am  esse),  to 
stand  forth  boldly  as  one  urging  his*  claims 
before  the  world  without  reserve  or  fear. 
Comp.  Wisd.  v.  i ;  Col.  ii.  15.  The  words 
refer  to  the  position  claimed  and  not  to  the 
position  gained  ("to  be  publicly  known''). 
The  phrase  however  (fcODrpQS)  is  not  unfre- 
quent  in  Rabbinic  writers  in  the  sense  of  "in 
public "  as  opposed  to  "  in  secret,"  see  Bux- 
torf,  '  Lex.'  s.  v. 

If  thou  do  (doest)...]  The  words  do  not 
carry  with  them  any  definite  denial  of  the  fact 
(v.  3),  but  simply  place  the  fact  as  the  basis 
for  the  conclusion. 

shew  thyself]  manifest  thyself.  The  word 
(0arepoft>)  is  characteristic  of  St  John.  Comp. 
xxi.  i,  note,  i.  31,  ix.  3,  xvii.  6. 

to  the  world]  viii.  a6.     Comp.  xiv.  aa. 

5.  For  neither  (not  even)  did  his  brethren 
believe  in  him]  The  phrase  need  not  mean 
more  than  that  they  did  not  sacrifice  to  abso- 
lute trust  in  Him  all  the  fancies  and  prejudices 
which  they  cherished  as  to  Messiah's  office. 
Thus  their  belief  could  not  be  a  constant 
power  (OVK  (trlo-Ttvov)  influencing  their  whole 
mode  of  thinking.  They  ventured  to  advise 
and  urge  when  Faith  would  have  been  content 
to  wait. 


v.    —i 


ST.  JOHN.   VII. 


117 


7  The   world  cannot  hate  you ; 
but  me  it  hateth,  because  I  testify  of 
it,  that  the  works  thereof  are  evil. 

8  Go  ye  up  unto  this  feast :   I  go 
» chap.  s.   not  up  yet  unto  this  feast ;  *for  my 

time  is  not  yet  full  come. 

9  When  he  had  said  these  words 
unto  them,  he  abode  still  in  Galilee. 

10  11  But  when  his  brethren  were 


gone  up,  then  went  he  also  up  unto 
the  feast,  not  openly,  but  as  it  were 
in  secret. 

1 1  Then  the  Jews  sought  him  at 
the  feast,  and  said,  Where  is  he  ? 

12  And  there  was  much  murmur- 
ing among  the  people  concerning  him: 
for  some  said,  He  is  a  good  man :  others 
said,  Nay ;  but  he  deceiveth  the  people. 


believe  in  him]     Compare  viii.  30,  note. 

6.  Then  Jesus  said... ~\     Therefore  Jesus 
saith... 

My  time]  the  seasonable  moment  for  the 
revelation  of  myself  (<j  tempos  6  f>6s).  The 
word  ("  season,"  «a«pof)  occurs  in  St  John's 
Gospel  only  in  this  passage  [v.  4  is  a  gloss].  As 
compared  with  "hour"  (vni.  20,  note)  "sea- 
son ''  appears  to  mark  the  fitness  of  time  in 
regard  to  the  course  of  human  events,  while 
" the  hour"  has  reference  to  the  divine  plan. 

your  time  (»ca«poj)  is  alway  ready]  Christ's 
brethren  had  no  new  thoughts  to  make  known. 
What  they  had  to  say  was  in  harmony  with 
what  others  were  feeling.  Their  time  was 
always  ready.  They  were  in  sympathy  with 
the  world;  while  Christ  was  in  antagonism 
with  the  world.  They  risked  nothing  by  join- 
ing in  the  festival  pilgrimage ;  He  kept  back 
not  only  from  the  danger  of  open  hostility,  but 
also  from  the  violence  of  mistaken  zeal,  lest 
some  should  "make  Him  a  king"  (vi.  15). 
The  thought  which  underlies  the  verse  corres- 
ponds with  that  in  <v.  1 7. 

7.  cannot  hate  you]     This  "  cannot "  an- 
swers to  the  law  of  moral  correspondence.     It 
is  of  frequent  occurrence  in  St  John's  Gospel 
and  in  different  relations.     Thus  it  is  used  of 
the  relation  of  "the  Jews"  to  Christ  (vii.  34, 
36,  viii.   ai  f.,  43  f.,  xii.  39),  and  of  "the 
world"  to  the  Paraclete  (xiv.  17);    and  in 
another  aspect  of  the  relation  of  the  believer 
to  Christ,  in  his  first  approach  (vi.  44,  65,  Hi. 
3,  5),  and  in  his  later  progress  (xiii.  33,  36, 
xvi.  12)  ;  and  yet  again  of  the  relation  of  the 
Son  to  the  Father  (v.  19,  note).     In  each  case 
the  impossibility  lies  in  the  true  nature  of 
things,  and  is  the  other  side,  of  the  divine 
"must"  (xx.  9,  note). 

8.  Go  ye  up  unto  this  feast   (the  feast')'] 
The  pronoun  is  emphatic :  Do  ye,  with  your 
thoughts  and  hopes,  go  up  (v/icir  a.va^r\ri). 

I  go  not  up  yet  unto  this  feast]  The  sense 
may  be  "  I  go  not  up  with  the  great  train  of 
worshippers."  Nor  indeed  did  Christ  go  to  the 
feast  as  one  who  kept  it.  He  appeared  during 
the  feast  (v.  14),  but  then  as  a  prophet  sud- 
denly in  the  temple.  Perhaps  however  it  is 
better  to  give  a  fuller  force  to  the  "going  up" 
and  to  suppose  that  the  thought  of  the  next 
paschal  journey,  when  "  the  time  was  fulfilled," 


already  shapes  the  words.  The  true  reading 
"not  yet"  (followed  by  A.  V.)  and  also  the 
exact  phrase  "this  feast"  give  force  to  this 
interpretation.  The  Feast  of  Tabernacles  was 
a  festival  of  peculiar  joy  for  work  accom- 
plished. At  such  a  feast  Christ  had  now  no 
place. 

is  not  yet  full  come]  Literally,  is  not  yet 
fulfilled  (OVTTW  TreTrXjJpwreu).  Comp.  Luke 
xxi.  24  ;  Acts  vii.  23  (fjrXrjpovTo) ;  Eph.  i. 
10 ;  Gal.  iv.  4. 

9.  When  he  had  said...']     And  having 
said... 

10.  But  when... were  gone  tip,  then  went  he 
also  up  unto  the  feast]     But  when... were  gone 
up  to  the  feast,  then  went  he  also  up. 

but  as  it  were  in  secret]  hidden  as  one  soli- 
tary stranger  and  not  the  centre  of  an  expect- 
ant band.  Contrast  the  visit  in  ii.  13  (in 
power),  v.  i  (as  a  pilgrim),  and  here,  when 
Christ  was  withdrawn  from  the  pilgrim-com- 
pany, with  the  final  visit  in  triumph,  xii.  12  f. 

11.  Then  the  Jews  (The  Jews  therefore) 
sought  him]  in  the  parties  of  Galilsean  worship- 
pers, asking  of  them  Where  is  he  1  that  famous 
teacher  (cxelpof )  whom  we  saw,  and  of  whom 
we  have  since  heard  (ix.  12)  ?    The  question 
was  asked  half  perhaps  in  ill-will  and  half  in 
curiosity. 

12.  murmuring']  Or  perhaps  here  muttering 
(yoyyvtruos,  Vulg.  murmur),  as  of  men  who 
did  not  dare  to  speak  plainly  and  loudly  what 
they  felt.     Comp.  v.  32. 

among  the  people]  among  themultltudes, 
that  is,  among  the  different  groups  of  strangers 
who  had  come  up  to  the  festival,  and  such  as 
consorted  with  them.  This  confluence  and 
separation  will  explain  the  occurrence  of  the 
plural  (fV  rols  fyXotr)  which  is  found  here  only 
in  St  John,  as  it  occurs  also  once  only  in  St 
Mark. 

for  some  said]  some  said.  The  omission 
of  the  particle  gives  vividness  to  the  descrip- 
tion. 

a  good  man]  unselfish  and  true.  Compare 
Mark  x.  17. 

deceiveth  the  people]  leadeth  the  multi- 
tude astray  (77X01-9,  Vulg.  seducit).  Comp. 
•v.  47.  The  thought  is  of  practical  and  not  of 
intellectual  error. 

12 


nS 


ST.  JOHN.  VII. 


v.  13—18. 


13  Howbeit  no  man  spake  openly 
of  him  for  fear  of  the  Jews. 

14  11  Now  about  the  midst  of  the 
feast  Jesus  went  up  into  the  temple, 
and  taught. 

15  And  the  Jews  marvelled,  say- 
"Or« .       ing,  How  knoweth  this  man  '  letters, 

learning.     ,    °'.  ,  ,  , 

having  never  learned  ? 

1 6  Jesus  answered  them,  and  said, 


My  doctrine  is  not  mine,  but  his  that 
sent  me. 

17  If  any  man  will  do  his  will,  he 
shall  know  of  the  doctrine,  whether 
it  be  of  God,  or  whether  I  speak  of 
myself. 

1 8  He   that   speaketh   of  himself 
seeketh  his  own  glory :  but  he  that 
seeketh  his  glory  that  sent  him,  the 


13.  no  man]  whether  he  thought  well  or 
ill  of  Christ,  spake  openly  (boldly)  of  him  for 
fear — an  all-pervading  fear  (8ia  TOP  <f>6fiov) — 
of  the  Jews,  the  leaders  or  the   "national" 
party,  who  had  as  yet  not  pronounced  judg- 
ment openly  though  their  inclination  was  plain. 

openly]  boldly.  The  original  word  (irap- 
pr]<ria)  has  a  double  sense.  It  may  mean  either 
without  reserve  or  veil,  giving  free  utterance  to 
every  thought  plainly  (x.  24,  xi.  14,  xvi.  25, 
29,  xviii.  20),  or  without  fear  (xi.  54).  Here, 
and  so  probably  in  -z>.  26,  it  is  used  in  the 
latter  sense. 

2.    The  discussions  at  the  midst  of  the  Feast 
(wv.  14 — 36). 

14 — 36.  The  discussions  at  "the  midst  of 
the  feast "  lay  open  thoughts  of  three  groups 
of  men:  "the  Jews"  (14 — 24),  "some  of  the 
inhabitants  of  Jerusalem"  (25 — 31"),  the  envoys 
of  "  the  chief  priests  and  the  Pharisees"  (32 — 
36).  Each  discussion  constitutes  a  separate 
scene.  "The  multitude"  is  swayed  to  and 
fro  by  conflicting  fears  and  hopes  (20,  31  f.). 
In  dealing  with  the  successive  questioners  the 
Lord  indicates  the  authority  of  His  teaching, 
His  connexion  with  the  old  dispensation,  the 
brief  space  of  the  people's  trial. 

14 — 24.  In  the  first  scene  in  the  temple 
Christ  shews  the  source  and  the  test  of  His 
teaching  (16 — 18)  as  against  the  false  inter- 
pretations of  the  Law  (v.  19),  which  were 
against  the  spirit  and  history  of  the  Law  itself 
(20—24). 

14.  the  midst  of  the  feast}     The  feast  pro- 
perly lasted  seven  days,  but  to  these  an  eighth 
day  was  added  as  "the  last  day"  of  the  feast 
(v.  37),  Lev.  xxiii.  36 ;  2  Mace.  x.  6. 

into  the  temple,  and  taught]  This  is  the  first 
mention  of  the  appearance  of  the  Lord  as  a 
public  teacher  at  Jerusalem.  Compare  vi. 
59,  vii.  28,  viii.  20  (the  case  is  different  in  x. 
23),  xviii.  zo. 

15.  And  the  Jews']    The  Jews  therefore, 
v.  10.    Introd.  p.  ix. 

marvelled']  Matt.  xxii.  22 ;  Luke  iv.  22. 

knowetb... letters]  Compare  Acts  xxvi.  24. 
The  marvel  was  that  Jesus  shewed  Himself 
familiar  with  the  literary  methods  of  the  time, 
which  were  supposed  to  be  confined  to  the 
scholars  of  the  popular  teachers. 


having  never  learned']  though  He  has  never 
studied  in  one  of  the  great  schools  (fj.fi  /^a- 
6r]K(os).  Christ  was  in  the  eyes  of  the  Jews 
a  merely  self-taught  enthusiast.  They  mar- 
velled at  His  strange  success,  while  they  did 
not  admit  His  irregular  claims. 

16.  Jesus  answered"]  Jesus  therefore 
answered.  The  Lord's  reply  meets  the  diffi- 
culty of  the  questioners.  His  teaching  was 
not  self-originated  (My  doctrine  (teaching)  is 
not  mine),  but  derived  from  a  divine  Master; 
infinitely  greater  than  the  popular  Rabbis. 
And  it  had  a  twofold  attestation  —  an  inward 
criterion  and  an  outward  criterion  ;  the  first 
from  its  essential  character,  and  the  second 
from  the  character  of  Him  who  delivered  it. 
He  whose  will  was  in  harmony  with  the  will 
of  God  could  not  but  recognise  the  source  of 
the  teaching.  And  again,  the  absolute  devo- 
tion of  Christ  to  Him  who  sent  Him  was  a 
sign  of  His  truth. 


17.  If  any  man  will  do  (6t\rj  TO 
Trotetj/,  Vulg.  si  qitis  voluerit  voluntatem  fa- 
cere')...']  i.e.  If  it  'be  any  man's  will  to  do  His 
will.     The  force  of  the  argument  lies  in  the 
moral  harmony  of  the  man's  purpose  with  the 
divine  law  so  far  as  this  law  is  known  or  felt. 
If  there  be  no  sympathy  there  can  be  no  un- 
derstanding.    Religion  is  a  matter  of  life  and 
not  of  thought  only.   The  principle  is  universal 
in  its  application.    The  will  of  God  is  not  to 
be  limited  to  the  Old  Testament  revelation, 
or  to  the  claims  of  Christ,  but  includes  every 
manifestation  of  the  purpose  of  God.     A  fine 
saying  is  attributed  to  "  Rabban  Gamaliel,  the 
son  of  R.  Jehudah  ha-Nasi:"  "Do  His  will 
as  if  it  were  thy  will,  that  He  may  do  thy 
will  as  if  it  were  His  will  "  ('  A  both,'  II.  4). 

speak  of  myself]  Compare  v.  30  note,  xv. 
4,  note. 

18.  his  own  glory]     Compare  v.  30,  41  ff. 
but  he  that  seeketh...  ,]     The  second  part  of 

the  sentence  is  changed  in  form  so  as  to  take  a 
positive  shape,  wrought  out  both  in  relation  to 
thought  absolutely  (is  true,  d\n0rjs,  Vulg. 
verax)  and  action  relating  to  others  (there 
is  no  unrighteousness  in  him). 

For  the  connexion  of  "falsehood"  and 
"unrighteousness"  see  Rom.  ii.  8;  i  Cor. 
xiii.  6  ;  2  Thess.  ii.  12.  Injustice  is  falsehood 
in  deed. 


v.  i9— 23-] 


ST.  JOHN.   VII. 


119 


same  is  true,  and  no  unrighteousness 

is  in  him. 
«Exod.24.      10,  *Did  not  Moses  give  you  the 

law,  and  yet  none  of  you  keepeth  the 
*chap.  5.  law  ?  rfWhy  go  ye  about  to  kill  me  ? 

20  The  people  answered  and  said, 
Thou  hast  a  devil :  who  goeth  about 
to  kill  thee  ? 

21  Jesus  answered  and  said   unto 


18. 


them,  I  have  done  one  work,  and  ye 
all  marvel. 

22  'Moses  therefore  gave  unto  you  <Lev.ia.3. 
circumcision ;    (not  because  it  is  of 
Moses,  -^but  of  the  fathers ; )  and  ye  •'Gen.  17. 
on  the  sabbath  day  circumcise  a  man.  *° 

23  If  a  man  on  the  sabbath  day'Or.^wVA- 

•  •  ••  ni  11  o  itt  break* 

receive  circumcision,   •  that   the  law  ing  the 
of  Moses  should  not  be  broken  ;  are  %%£ 


19.  The  principle  laid  down  is  applied  to 
the  condemnation  of  the  Jews.     They  pro- 
fessed unbounded  devotion  to  Moses,  and  yet 
they  broke  the  Law  because  they  were  es- 
tranged from  its  spirit.     Their  ignorance  of 
the  Law  had  at  last  grown  so  great  that  they 
were  prepared  to  murder  Him  who  came  to 
fulfil  the  Law. 

Did  not... the  law,  and  yet  none.,. the  la<wf\ 
Did  not.. .the  law?  and  none. ..the  law. 
The  question  is  an  appeal  to  their  own  proud 
boast.  Then  follows  their  condemnation  by 
the  Lord. 

Why  go  ye  about  (seek  ye,  and  so  v.  20)  to 
kill  mef]  v.  i. 

20.  The  people]    The  multitude,  made 
up  chiefly  of  pilgrims,  and  therefore  unac- 
quainted with  the  full  designs  of  the  hierarchy. 
Omit  and  said. 

Thou  hast  a  devif]  Compare  Matt.  xi.  18  ; 
Luke  vii.  33,  where  the  same  phrase  is  used  of 
John  the  Baptist,  as  one  who  sternly  and,  in 
men's  judgment,  gloomily  and  morosely  with- 
drew himself  from  the  cheerfulness  of  social 
life.  So  here  perhaps  the  words  mean  no 
more  than  "thou  art  possessed  with  strange 
and  melancholy  fancies ;  thou  yieldest  to  idle 
fears."  In  a  different  context  they  assume  a 
more  sinister  force,  viii.  48  f.,  52,  x.  20.  Yet 
even  in  these  cases  the  sense  does  not  go 
beyond  that  of  irrationality. 

21.  Jesus  answered... ~\     The  point  of  the 
answer  lies  in  the  indication  of  the  ground  of 
the  hostility  which  ended  in  murderous  de- 
signs.    All    alike — "the    Jews"    and    "the 
multitude" — marvelled  at  that  which  should 
have  been   an  intelligible  illustration  of  the 
Law.    This  wonder  contained  the  germ  of 
open  misunderstanding  and  opposition  which, 
if  followed  to  its  legitimate  development,  could 
not  but  end  in  deadly  enmity.     If  men  failed 
to  see  the  inner  significance  of  the  Law  they 
must  persecute  Christ  who  came  to  interpret 
it  and  offer  its  fulfilment  in  the  Gospel. 

/  have  done  (did)  one  work]  ch.  v.  i  ff. 
This  special  healing  on  the  Sabbath  is  singled 
out  of  the  many  which  Christ  wrought  (ii. 
23,  iv.  45)  from  its  exceptional  circumstances. 

marvel]  Yet  even  wonder  may  be  a  first 
step  towards  a  truer  apprehension  of  the 
divine  lesson.  Compare  v.  20. 


22.  Moses  therefore  gave  unto  you.. .]    For 
this  cause  Moses  hath  given  you,  as  an 
abiding  ordinance...    The  cause  referred  to  is 
the  typical    realisation  of  the  lesson  which 
underlies  the  restoration  of  the  impotent  man, 
as  it  is  brought  out  in  v.  23.'    The  words  for 
this  cause  certainly  commence  a  new  sentence, 
and  do  not  close  i>.  21.     In  this  respect  the 
usage  of  St  John  is  decisive,  vi.  65,  viii.  47. 

not  because  (that)  it  is... but...]  The  words 
are  parenthetical.  The  case  was  not  simply  a 
conflict  of  two  Mosaic  precepts.  The  law  of 
circumcision  was  not  in  origin  Mosaic ;  and 
thus  in  itself  it  carried  men's  thoughts  back 
to  the  great  ideas  which  the  Mosaic  Law  was 
designed  to  embody.  The  Mosaic  Law  of  the 
Sabbath  was,  on  the  other  hand,  new. 

The  connexion  of  for  this  cause  with  not 
because  (that)  appears  to  be  against  the  usage 
of  the  language  (vi.  46) ;  2  Cor.  i.  24,  iii.  5 ; 
Phil.  iv.  17  ;  2  Thess.  iii.  9  :  /  do  not  mean 
that... but... ;  yet  see  xii.  6  (where  ort  is  re- 
peated); and  against  the  argument,  for  the 
point  in  question  was  not  the  origin  of  cir- 
cumcision, though  this  furnished  a  subsidiary 
thought,  but  the  fact  of  conflicting  enactments 
in  the  Law  which  were  adjusted  in  a  particu- 
lar manner. 

on  the  (a)  sabbath]  if  that  happened  to  be 
the  eighth  day.  The  principle  is  distinctly 
recognised  in  the  Mishna,  'Sabb.'  xix.  i. 
R.  Akiva  said:  "Every  work  which  can  be 
done  on  the  eve  of  the  Sabbath  does  not  set 
aside  the  Sabbath ;  but  circumcision,  which 
cannot  be  done  on  the  eve  of  the  Sabbath 
[if  the  eve  be  the  seventh  day],  sets  aside  the 
Sabbath."  Compare  Lightfoot  and  Wetstein, 
ad  loc, 

23.  should  not  be  broken]  by  the  violation 
of  the  commandment  which  enjoined  circum- 
cision on  the  eighth  day.    Comp.  x.  35,  v.  18, 
note. 

are  ye  angry... because  I  have  made  (I 
made)...]  The  contrast  is  between  the  effect 
of  circumcision  which  made  (as  it  were)  one 
member  sound,  and  that  of  the  miracle  which 
made  the  whole  paralysed  man  sound.  If 
then  the  Law  itself  ratified  the  precedence  of 
this  act  of  partial  healing  over  the  ceremonial 
observance  of  the  Sabbath,  how  much  more 
lawful  was  the  complete  healing. 


12O 


ST.  JOHN.   VII. 


[v.  24 — 28. 


16. 


ye  angry  at  me,  because  I  have  made 
a  man  e"ery  whit  whole  on  the  sab- 
bath day  ? 

*•  Deue.  x.  24  *  Judge  not  according  to  the 
appearance,  but  judge  righteous  judg- 
ment. 

25  Then  said  some  of  them  of  Je- 
rusalem, Is  not  this  he,  whom  they 
seek  to  kill  ? 

26  But,   lo,  he  speaketh   boldly, 


and  they  say  nothing  unto  him.  Do 
the  rulers  know  indeed  that  this  is 
the  very  Christ  ? 

27  Howbeit  we  know  this  man 
whence    he    is :    but    when    Christ 
cometh,   no    man  knoweth   whence 
he  is. 

28  Then  cried  Jesus  in  the  tem- 
ple as  he  taught,  saying,    Ye   both 
know  me,  and  ye  know  whence  I 


I have  made... on  the  sabbath...']  I  made... 
on  a  sabbath. 

a  man  every  whit  whole... ,]  More  exactly, 
a  whole  man  sound  (o\ov  avdpunrov  vyifj,  Vulg. 
totum  hominem  sanuni).  A  whole  man  re- 
garded from  the  physical  side,  and  not  with 
the  subordinate  distinction  of  "soul  and  body." 
Comp.  v.  14. 

24.  Judge  not  according  to  the  appearance] 
superficially,  by  the  external  aspect,  as  the 
matter  first  presents  itself  (/car'  S^tv,  Vulg. 
secundum  faciem) . 

righteous  judgment}  Or  rather,  the  righteous 
judgment ;  give  the  one  true  and  complete 
decision  of  which  the  case  admits.  The  truth 
is  one. 

25 — 31.  In  the  second  scene,  which  is 
still  in  the  temple  (v.  28),  the  Lord  meets 
the  popular  objection  which  was  urged  against 
the  belief  that  He  was  the  Christ  (vv.  25 — 27). 
He  had  perfect  authority  for  His  work,  from 
Him  whom  the  Jews  "  knew  not"  (v.  28  f.). 
So  the  people  were  divided  by  His  words  and 
works  (v.  31). 

25.  Then  said  some... Jerusalem.., ,]    Some 
therefore  of  them  of  Jerusalem  said,  who 
were  acquainted    with    the    designs    of   the 
hierarchy,  and  yet  not  committed  to  them. 
Hence  they  are  described  by  the  local  name 
('ifpoffoXu/itrcu,  Vulg.  (inexactly)  quidam_  ex 
Hierosolymis),  which  occurs  elsewhere  in  New 
Testament  only  in  St  Mark  i.  5  (Vulg.  Hiero- 
solymitx).     The  chain  of  sequence  (there- 
fore)  is  that  the  Lord  had  taken  up  the 
position  of  accuser  when  He  was  Himself 
accused. 

26.  But   (And),   lo,    be    speaketh   boldly} 
Comp.  -v.  13. 

Do  the... know.., the  very  Christ?"]  Can  it 
be  that  the  rulers  indeed  know  (/i^Vorf 
?yj/(oo-aj/)...the  Christ  ?  Can  it  be  that  they 
have  learnt,  come  to  know...  ?  The  words 
seem  to  mark  some  point  of  transition,  as  if  a 
change  might  have  passed  over  the  Sanhedrin. 
Possibly  (so  the  people  argue)  they  have  ex- 
amined the  matter,  and  found  reason  to  decide 
in  favour  of  Him  whom  they  before  opposed. 
Perhaps  there  is  a  reference  to  the  examination 
in  ch.  v.  19  if. 


27.  Howbeit  (dXXd)...J    The  suspicion  is 
at  once  set  aside  as  impossible:  we  know.. .no 
man  knoweth.  The  two  words  know,  knoweth 
(oiSa/aei/,  yivwKti)  offer  a  contrast  between 
the  knowledge  which  is  full  and  abiding,  and 
that  which  comes  by  progress  and  observation. 
Compare  xiv.  7,  ii.  24,  note. 

whence  he  is"]  i.e.  we  know  His  family  and 
His  home.  Yet  even  so  they  thought  of  Naza- 
reth and  not  of  Bethlehem,  David's  city,  v.  42. 
Compare  Matt.  xiii.  54  f.  It  seems  to  have 
been  expected  that  Messiah  would  appear 
suddenly  (perhaps  from  Dan.  vii.  13,  or  from 
Isai.  liii.  8),  no  one  knew  whence,  while  Christ 
had  lived  long  among  His  countrymen  in  ob- 
scurity and  yet  known  to  them.  According 
to  a  Jewish  saying  ('Sanhedr.'  97  a)  "three 
things  come  wholly  unexpected,  Messiah,  a 
god-send  and  a  scorpion."  According  to  ano- 
ther tradition,  Messiah  would  not  even  know 
his  own  mission  till  he  was  anointed  by  Elijah. 
Just.  M.  '  Dial.'  §  8,  p.  226  B. 

when  Christ  (the  Christ)  cometh]  The 
exact  expression  (Zrav  cp^i/rat  contrasted  with 
orav  (\6r),  •*>•  31)  marks  the  actual  moment 
when  the'  coming  is  realised.  The  appearance 
is  a  surprise. 

28.  Then  cried  Jesus.. .as  he  taught,  saying] 
Jesus  therefore,  as  being  acquainted  with 
their  partial  knowledge  and  the  conclusions 
which  they  drew  from  it,  cried  aloud  (e«pa- 
£tv)  in  the  temple,  teaching  and  saying. 
The  testimony  is  given  publicly  and   with 
solemn  emphasis.    Comp.  v.  37,  xii.  44,  i.  15. 
The  original  word   (Kpdfw)  occurs  only  in 
these  places  in  the  Gospel  (xii.  13,  xix.  12,  are 
false  readings). 

The  repetition  of  the  words  in  the  temple 
(comp.  v.  14)  seems  to  indicate  a  break  be- 
tween this  scene  and  the  last. 

Te  both  know  met  and  ye  know  (and 
k  n  o  w} . . .]  The  claim  of  the  people  of  Jeru- 
salem is  drawn  out  at  length  (me,  and  whence 
I  am),  and  its  superficial  truth  is  conceded. 
So  far  as  mere  outward  experience  goes,  Christ 
answers,  Ye  do  know  me  and  my  origin ;  but 
that  is  not  all.  /  am  not  come  of  myself,  self- 
commissioned,  dependent  on  no  other  authority, 
but  He  that  sent  me  is  true,  is  one  who  com- 
pletely satisfies  the  conception  of  a  sender 


v.  29—33-1 


ST.  JOHN.   VII. 


121 


am :  and  I  am  not  come  of  myself, 
but  he  that  sent  me  is  true,  whom  ye 
know  not. 

29  But  I   know  him :   for  I    am 
from  him,  and  he  hath  sent  me. 

30  Then  they  sought  to  take  him : 
but  no  man  laid  hands  on  him,  be- 
cause his  hour  was  not  yet  come. 

31  And  many  of  the  people  be- 


lieved on  him,  and  said,  When  Christ 
cometh,  will  he  do  more  miracles 
than  these  which  this  man  hath  done  ? 

32  *(\    The    Pharisees   heard  that 
the    people   murmured    such    things 
concerning  him ;   and  the  Pharisees 
and  the  chief  priests  sent  officers  to 
take  him. 

33  Then  said  Jesus   unto  them, 


(dA»70iKor);  it  is  on  Him  I  rely,  and  from 
Him  I  draw  my  strength ;  and  Him  ye  (em- 
phatic) know  not. 

and  I  am  not. . .]  The  facts  which  the  people 
knew  and  the  facts  which  they  did  not  know 
are  simply  set  side  by  side.  Comp.  v.  30, 
viii.  ao,  ix.  30;  Mark  xii.  12. 

of  myself  ~\     Compare  v.  30,  note. 

it  true]  The  word  rendered  true  (aXndtvos, 
compare  iv.  23)  retains  its  proper  meaning. 
God  is  described  as  true  not  merely  in  so  far 
as  He  gave  a  true  message,  but  as  one  who 
really  sent  a  messenger;  a  real  Father,  as  it 
were,  sending  a  real  Son.  The  question  was 
as  to  the  authority  of  Christ. 

ye  know  nof\  Comp.  iv.  22.  This  fatal 
want  of  knowledge  made  their  boast  of  know- 
ledge vain.  The  words  are  a  sad  echo  of 
the  opening  words.  As  they  thought  they 
knew  Christ  so  they  thought  they  knew 
God. 

29.  /  (omit  But) — as  opposed  to  you — 
know  him,  for  (because)  /  am  from  him~\ 
Now  as  always  I  rest  upon   Him,   deriving 
my  whole  being  from  Him,  and  he  bath  tent 
(sent)  me.    The  continuance  of  being  and 
the  historic  mission  are  set  side  by  side ;  and 
both  are  referred  to  God. 

30.  Then  they  sought...']  They  sought  there- 
fore— because  of  His  claim  to  be  sent  from 
God — to  take  him.    The  subject  is  taken  from 
"some  of  them  of  Jerusalem"  (v.  25),  those 
among  them  who  are  specially  called  "  Jews." 
Compare  <w.  32,  44,  (viii.  20,  59),  (x.  31), 
x.  39,  xi.  57- 

but  no  man...'}  and  no  man...     Compare 
•v.  28,  note. 
his  hour}     Compare  xiiL  i,  note. 

31.  And  many  of  the  people... ~\    But   of 
the  multitude — in  contrast  with  the  leaders 
of  Jerusalem — many  believed  on  bim,  not  only 
gave  credence  to  what   He  said   ("believed 
Him"),   but  surrendered  themselves  to  His 
guidance.     It  does  not  appear  that  they  yet 
definitely  recognised  Him  as  Messiah,  because 
He  had  not  yet  openly  asserted  His  claim  to 
the  title  (x.  24),  though  they  were  prepared  to 
do  so. 

When  Christ  cometh,  will  be...}  Will  the 
Christ  when  He  cometh...     The  question 


(^17,  Vulg.  num  quid)  suggests  the  inference 
that  Jesus  must  be  the  Christ,  though  the 
inference  is  not  drawn. 

this  man  hath  done}  this  man  did.  They 
look  back  upon  the  "signs"  which  Christ  had 
wrought  as  a  whole,  now  seen  dispassionately 
far  off. 

32 — 36.  These  verses  describe  the  third 
scene  in  the  controversy.  The  wishes  of 
Christ's  enemies  (v.  30)  soon  found  active 
expression.  The  Sanhedrin  sent  public  officers 
to  seize  Him ;  and  in  their  presence  for  the 
first  time  He  announces  His  speedy  and  irre- 
vocable departure  from  "the  Jews"  (<w.  33  f.), 
to  their  bewilderment  (yv.  35  f.). 

32.     The  Pharisees}     Comp.  iv.  i. 

heard  that  the  people  murmured  such  things'} 
heard  the  multitude  murmuring  these 
things,  as  being  inwardly  dissatisfied  and  irre- 
solute. 

the  Pharisees  and  the  chief  priests'}  the 
chief  priests  and  Pharisees.  The  com- 
bination occurs  also  in  St  Matthew:  Matt. 
xxi.  45,  xxvii.  62.  The  phrase  probably 
describes  the  Sanhedrin  under  the  form  of  its 
constituent  classes.  Comp.  v.  45,  note,  xi. 
47,  57,  xviii.  3. 

chief  priests]  The  title  appears  to  be  given 
not  only  to  those  who  had  held  the  office  of 
high-priest,  like  Annas  (see  ch.  xviii.  13, 
note),  and  his  son  Eleazar,  and  Simon  the  son 
of  Kamhit,  and  Ishmael  the  son  of  Phabi,  who 
may  all  have  been  alive  at  the  time,  but  also 
to  members  of  the  hierarchical  families  which 
were  represented  by  these  men,  alike  infamous 
in  Jewish  tradition.  Comp.  Derenbourg, 
'Histoire  de  Palestine,'  pp.  230  ff.  Thus 
the  title  describes  rather  a  political  faction 
than  a  definite  office.  Comp.  Acts  iv.  6  (as 
many  as  were  of  the  kindred  of  the  high  priest). 
See  v.  45,  xi.  47,  57,  xii-  Io>  xviii-  3,  (35), 
xix.  6,  15,  21. 

Compare  also  Matt,  xxvii.  i,  note. 

officers  (vnnperas)}  clothed  with  legal  autho- 
rity and  obeying  the  instructions  of  the 
Council.  Comp.  w.  45  £»  xviii.  3,  12,  18, 
22,  xix.  6 ;  Acts  v.  22,  26. 

33.  Then  said  Jesus  unto  them}  Jesus 
therefore  said.  The  words  have  a  wider 
application  than  to  the  officers. 


122 


ST.  JOHN.  VII. 


-  34—36. 


h  chap.  13. 
S3- 


Yet  a  little  while  am  I  with  you,  arid 
then  I  go  unto  him  that  sent  me. 

34  AYe  shall  seek  me,  and  shall 
not  find  me :  and  where  I  am,  thither 
ye  cannot  come. 

35  Then   said  the   Jews    among 
themselves,  Whither  will  he  go,  that 


we 


shall  not  find  him  ?  will  he  go 
unto  the  dispersed  among;  the'  tQen-  'Or«, 

•i  i  I       i       s^<         •• i       •«  Greeks. 

tiles,  and  teach  the  Gentiles  ? 

36  What  manner  of  saying  is  this 
that  he  said,  Ye  shall  seek  me,  and 
shall  not  find  me:  and  where  I 
thither  ye  cannot  come  ? 


am, 


a  little  Awhile]  It  was  about  six  months  to 
the  Last  Passover. 

with  you]  The  "multitude,"  the  "Jews," 
the  "  officers,"  are  all  grouped  together  in  one 
body. 

I  go...']  Three  Greek  words  are  thus  trans- 
lated in  St  John,  and  two  of  them  in  similar 
connexions.  Each  word  expresses  a  distinct 
aspect  of  departure,  and  its  special  force  must 
be  taken  into  account  in  the  interpretation  of 
the  passage  in  which  it  is  found.  The  first 
word  (vTrayo)),  which  is  used  here,  emphasizes 
the  personal  act  of  going  in  itself,  as  a  with- 
drawal (viii.  14,  ai  f.,  xiii.  3,  33,  36,  xiv.  4  f., 
38,  xvi.  5,  10,  16  f.). 

The  second  word  (iropevopai)  marks  the 
going  as  connected  with  a  purpose,  a  mission, 
an  end  to  be  gained,  a  work  to  be  done  (v  . 
35,  xiv.  3,  ia,  28,  xvi.  7,  38). 

The  third  word  (airfpxopcu)  expresses 
simple  separation,  the  point  left  (vi.  68,  xvi.  7, 
go  away). 

Their  differences  are  very  clearly  seen  in  a 
comparison  of  xvi.  10  (vndy<a)  with  xiv.  a  8 
(n-opewo/iat),  and  the  succession  of  words  in 
xvi.  7  —  10  (iropfvdvt,  aTre\6a>,  virdyca). 

unto  him  that  sent  me]  During  the  dis- 
courses in  this  chapter  the  reference  is  to  the 
authority  of  mission  (him  that  sent  me)  and 
not  of  nature  (the  Father).  The  thought  of 
the  Father  is  added  in  ch.  viii.  16,  18.  These 
words  themselves  leave  a  riddle  unsolved. 

34.  Ye  shall  seek  me..."]  not  in  penitence 
nor  yet  in  anger,  but  simply  in  distress.  You 
shall  recall  my  words  and  works,  and  wish 
once  again  to  see  if  it  might  be  that  in  me 
there  were  deliverance.  The  thought  is  not 
of  the  Christ  generally,  but  of  the  Lord  Him- 
self, whose  power  and  love  they  had  experi- 
enced. Comp.  Luke  xvii.  aa.  Contrast  this 
ineffectual  seeking  with  Matt.  vii.  7. 

and  where  I  am...']  The  fact  of  failure  is 
referred  to  the  cause  of  failure.  Christ  is 
essentially  there  whither  He  goes.  The  stress 
in  this  place  is  laid  upon  the  difference  of 
character  (/  am)  which  involves  separation, 
and  not  upon  the  simple  historical  separation. 
Comp.  viii.  ai,  xiii.  33  (I  go).  The  pronouns 
in  the  original  are  placed  in  emphatic  juxta- 
position («/u  ryw,  v/ 


35.     Then   said    the    Jews...]      The    Jews 
therefore  said...    Those  who  claimed  the 


monopoly  of  religious  privileges  are  separated 
from  the  rest.  Hence  we  have  among  them- 
selves (xii.  19)  and  not  one  to  another. 

will  he  go~]  will  this  man  go,  this  strange 
pretender  (ovros).  The  pronoun  here  carries 
an  accent  of  surprise  and  contempt.  Comp. 
vi.  5 a. 

that  we  shall  not..."]  that  we  (iJ/Kfts)  who 
stand  in  the  closest  connexion  with  all  the 
people  of  God. 

the  dispersed  among  the  Gentiles']  the  dis- 
persion among  the  Greeks  (ij  diaa-nopa 
TU>V  'EXXj^coi/,  Vulg.  dispersio  gentium),  the 
Jews,  that  is,  who  are  scattered  among  the 
heathen  Greek-speaking  nations.  The  Jews 
who  were  still  separated  from  their  own  land 
after  the  Return  were  called  by  two  strikingly 

significant  terms:  the  "Captivity"  (HvJ  from 

n?J,  he  made  bare,  twoi/an,  fji(ToiK«riai  at 
Xwo-t'a),  and  the  "Dispersion"  (Si 
which  has  no  distinct  Hebrew  correlative. 
The  first  marks  their  relation  to  their  own 
land;  the  second  their  relation  to  the  lands 
which  they  occupied.  Their  own  land  was 
stripped  of  them,  and  they  were  separated 
from  their  national  privileges.  On  the  other 
hand,  they  were  so  scattered  among  the 
nations  as  to  become  the  seed  of  a  future 
harvest.  This  thought  is  recognised  in  a 
striking  comment  on  Hos.  ii.  34,  quoted  by 
Wlinsche:  R.  Eliezer  said  the  Eternal  has 
therefore  scattered  the  Israelites  among  other 
nations  that  the  heathen  may  attach  themselves 
to  them  ('Pesach.'  87  b).  Diaspora  first  oc- 
curs Deut.  xxviii.  35.  Comp.  Isai.  xlix.  6 ; 
Jer.  xv.  7 ;  a  Mace.  i.  37 ;  i  Pet.  i.  i ; 
James  i.  i.  For  the  genitive  see  i  Pet.  i.  i. 
This  usage  seems  to  be  quite  decisive  against 
the  interpretation  "the  dispersed  Greeks." 

and  teach  the  Gentiles  (Greeks)]  make 
these  isolated  groups  of  Jews  the  starting- 
point  (as  the  apostles  actually  did)  of  teach- 
ing among  the  Gentiles.  This  is  the  climax 
of  irrationality.  No  true  Messiah,  no  one 
seriously  claiming  the  title,  could  (it  is  argued) 
entertain  such  a  plan. 

36.  What  manner  of  saying  is  this..."] 
What  Is  this  word...  In  spite  of  all,  Christ's 
words  cannot  be  shaken  off.  They  are  not  to 
be  explained  away.  A  vague  sense  remains 
that  there  is  in  them  some  unfathomed  mean- 
ing. 


37—39-1 


ST.  JOHN.  VII. 


123 


'Lev. 23.  ^y  'In  the  last  day,  that  great  day 
of  the*  feast,  Jesus  stood  and  cried, 
saying,  If  any  man  thirst,  let  him 
come  unto  me,  and  drink. 


*  Deut.  18. 
"5- 


the  scripture  hath  said,   out   of  his 
belly  shall  flow  rivers  of  living  water. 

39  ('But  this  spake  he  of  the  Spirit,  /Isa>-44.3. 
which  they  that  believe  on  him  should       *' 


38   *He  that  believeth  on  me,  as     receive :  for  the  Holy  Ghost  was  not 


3.     The   discussions    on   the  last  day   of  the 
Feast  (vv.  37 — 52). 

The  record  of  the  circumstances  of  the 
last  day  of  the  Feast  consists  of  a  fragmentary 
utterance  containing  a  most  significant  pro- 
mise (37 — 39),  together  with  its  effect  upon 
the  multitude  (40 — 44);  and  then  more  re- 
motely upon  the  Sanhedrin  (45 — 52). 

37.  la  the .  .  .  the  feast}  Now  on  the  last 
day,  the  great  day  of  the  feast.  The  pecu- 
liar greatness  of  the  eighth  day  lay  in  the 
fact  that  it  was  the  close  of  the  whole  festival 
and  kept  as  a  Sabbath  (Lev.  xxiii.  36).  It 
has  been  conjectured  that  it  was  observed  in 
memory  of  the  entrance  into  Canaan.  At 
present  it  is  treated  as  a  separate  Festival. 
Compare  Lightfoot,  ad  loc. 

stood}  The  original  (tiorquti)  is  sin- 
gularly vivid:  Jesus  was  standing,  watch- 
ing, as  it  might  be,  the  procession  of  the 
people  from  their  booths  to  the  temple, 
and  then,  moved  by  some  occasion,  he  cried... 
Comp.  i.  35,  note,  xviii.  5,  note. 

If  any  man  thirst]  The  image  appears  to 
have  been  occasioned  by  the  libations  of  water 
brought  in  a  golden  vessel  from  Siloam  which 
were  made  at  the  time  of  the  morning  sacn- 
fice  on  each  of  the  seven  days  of  the  feast 
while  Isai.  xii.  3  was  sung.  It  is  uncertain 
whether  the  libations  were  made  on  the  eighth 
day.  If  they  were  not  made,  the  significant 
cessation  of  the  striking  rite  on  this  one  day 
of  the  feast  would  give  a  still  more  fitting 
occasion  for  the  words. 

unto  me}  The  satisfaction  lies  in  the  access 
to  Christ.  Comp.  vi.  35. 

The  pouring  out  of  the  water  (like 
the  use  of  the  great  lights,  viii.  12),  was  a 
commemoration  of  one  conspicuous  detail  of 
the  life  in  the  wilderness  typified  by  the  fes- 
tival. The  water  brought  from  the  rock 
supplied  an  image  of  future  blessing  to  the 
prophets:  Ezek.  xlvii.  i,  12;  Joel  iii.  18. 
And  that  gift  is  definitely  connected  with  the 
Lord  by  St  Paul :  i  Cor.  x.  4. 

Christ  therefore  shews  how  the  promise 
of  that  early  miracle  was  completely  fulfilled 
in  Himself  in  a  higher  form.  He  who  drank 
of  that  water  thirsted  again ;  but  the  water 
which  He  gave  became  a  spring  of  water 
within.  As  in  iv.  14  the  thought  passes  at  once 
from  the  satisfaction  of  personal  wants  to 
the  satisfaction  of  the  wants  of  others  which 
follows  on  this. 

Nothing  can  prove  more  clearly  the  intimate 
relation  between  -the  teaching  recorded  by 


St  John  and  the  Old  Testament,  than  the 
manner  in  which  Christ  is  shewn  to  transfer 
to  Himself  the  figures  of  the  Exodus  (the 
brazen  serpent,  the  manna,  the  water,  the 
fiery  pillar). 

38.  The  connexion  of  the  phrase  he  that 
believeth  on  me,  either  with  the  words  which 
precede  (let  him  that  believeth  on  me  come  to  me 
and  drink),  or  with  those  which  follow  (he  that 
believeth  on  me  as  the  Scripture  hath  said,  i.e. 
truly,  in  accordance  with  the  divine  word), 
is  obviously  against  the  spirit  of  the  whole 
passage.    The  words  are  out  of  strict  con- 
struction.   Comp.  vi.  39;   (Rev.  ii.  26,  iii.  12, 
txV. 

The  sense  of  thirst  —  personal  want  —  comes 
first;  then  with  the  satisfaction  of  this,  the 
fulness  of  faith;  and  then,  the  refreshing  en- 
ergies of  faith. 

as  the  scripture  hath  said  (said)]  The 
reference  is  not  to  any  one  isolated  passage, 
but  to  the  general  tenour  of  such  passages 
as  Isai.  Iviii.  1  1  ;  Zech.  xiv.  8,  taken  in  con- 
nexion with  the  original  image  (Exod.  xvii.  6  ; 
Num.  xx.  n). 

shall  flow  rivers}  The  reception  of  the 
blessing  leads  at  once  to  the  distribution  of 
it  in  fuller  measure.  Compare  the  thought  in 
iv.  14,  vi.  57,  v.  26.  He  who  drinks  of  the 
Spiritual  Rock  becomes  in  turn  himself  a 
rock  from  within  which  the  waters  flow  to 
slake  the  thirst  of  others. 

There  is  a  fine  passage  in  Augustine's  Com- 
mentary on  this  passage  as  to  the  character  of 
Christ's  gifts  :  '  in  Job.  Tract.'  xxxn.  9. 

39.  But  this  spake  he}  The  inspired  ac- 
tivity of   the   apostles    did    not    commence 
till  after  Pentecost.     Comp.  Luke  xxiv.  49. 

they  that  believe  on  him  should  receive}  they 
that  believed  on  him  were  about  to  re- 
ceive (were  to  receive)  .  .  .  The  thought  of  the 
Evangelist  goes  back  to  the  definite  group  of 
the  first  disciples  (reading  ot  iriorevo-avTes  not 


the  Holy  Ghost  (the  Spirit)  was  not  yet 
given]  The  addition  of  the  word  given 
expresses  the  true  form  of  the  original,  in 
which  Spirit  is  without  the  article  (ovirco  T^v 
irvevfjia).  When  the  term  occurs  in  this  form, 
it  marks  an  operation,  or  manifestation,  or 
gift  of  the  Spirit,  and  not  the  personal  Spirit. 
Compare  i.  33,  xx.  22;  Matt.  i.  18,  20,  iii.  n, 
xii.  28;  Luke  i.  15,  35,  41,  67,  ii.  25,  iv.  i. 

because  that}  Comp.  xvi.  7,  note,  xx.  17. 
The  necessary  limitations  of  Christ's  historical 
presence  with  the  disciples  excluded  that  reali- 


124 


ST.  JOHN.   VII. 


[v.  40—47. 


yet  given ;  because  that  Jesus  was  not 
yet  glorified.) 

40  H  Many  of  the  people  there- 
fore, when  they  heard  this  saying, 
said,   Of  a   truth    this    is   the    Pro- 
phet. 

41  Others  said,  This  is  the  Christ. 
But  some  said,  Shall  Christ  come  out 
of  Galilee  ? 

»"Matt2.  42  "*Hath  not  the  scripture  said, 
That  Christ  cometh  of  the  seed  of 
David,  and  out  of  the  town  of  Beth- 
lehem, where  David  was  ? 


43  So  there  was  a  division  among 
the  people  because  of  him. 

44  And  some  of  them  would  have 
taken  him  j  but  no  man  laid  hands 
on  him. 

45  11  Then  came  the  officers   to 
the  chief  priests  and  Pharisees ;  and 
they  said  unto  them,  Why  have  ye 
not  brought  him  ? 

46  The  officers  answered,  Never 
man  spake  like  this  man. 

47  Then  answered  them  the  Pha- 
risees, Are  ye  also  deceived  ? 


sation  of  His  abiding  presence  which  followed 
on  the  Resurrection. 

It  is  impossible  not  to  contrast  the  myste- 
riousness  of  this  utterance  with  the  clear 
teaching  of  St  John  himself  on  the  "  unction  " 
(ypi'oyxa)  of  believers  (i  John  ii.  20  ff.),  which 
forms  a  commentary,  gained  by  later  experi- 
ence, upon  the  words  of  the  Lord. 

glorified]  This  is  the  first  distinct  re- 
ference to  the  Lord's  "  glorification."  The 
conception  is  characteristic  of  St  John's  Gos- 
pel (compare  i.  14,  ii.  n;  Introd.  p.  xlvii.), 
and  includes  in  one  complex  whole  the 
Passion  with  the  Triumph  which  followed. 
Thus  St  John  regards  Christ's  death  as  a 
Victory  (compare  xii.  32  f.  note,  xi.  4,  40), 
following  the  words  of  the  Lord  who  identi- 
fied the  hour  of  His  death  with  the  hour  of 
His  glorification  (xii.  23  f.).  In  accordance 
with  the  same  thought  Christ  spoke  of  Him- 
self as  already  "  glorified  "  when  Judas  had 
gone  forth  to  his  work  (xiii.  31,  note);  and 
so  He  had  already  received  His  glory  by 
the  faith  of  His  disciples  before  He  suffered 
(xvii.  10,  note).  In  another  aspect  His  glory 
followed  after  His  withdrawal  from  earth 
(xvii.  5,  xvi.  14).  By  this  use  of  the  phrase 
the  Evangelist  brings  out  clearly  the  absolute 
divine  unity  of  the  work  of  Christ  in  His 
whole  "manifestation  "  (i  John  iii.  5,  8,  i.  a), 
which  he  does  not  (as  St  Paul)  regard  in 
distinct  stages  as  humiliation  and  exaltation. 

40.  Many   of  the  people  therefore  . . .  this 
saying]     Some  therefore  of  the  multi- 
tude ...  these   words  (Xoyovs,  Vulg.  ser- 
mones,  discourses),  that  is,  as  it  appears,  all 
the  discourses  at  the  festival,  and  not  those  on 
the  last  day  only.     Probably  this  judgment 
marks  the  general  opinion. 

said]  The  original  verb  in  this  verse  and 
the  next  (eA«yoi>,  Vulg.  dicebant)  describes 
vividly  a  repeated  expression  of  opinion. 

the  Prophet]   Comp.  i.  ar,  (Deut.  xviii.  15). 

41.  Shall  Christ  come]     Why,  doth  the 
Christ  come  (^  yap)... 

42.  That  Christ]  That  the  Christ. 


out  of  the  town  of  Bethlehem,  where  . . .] 
From  Bethlehem  the  village  where... 
Comp.  Isai.  xi.  i ;  Jer.  xxiii.  5 ;  Mic.  v.  a. 
It  seems  strange  that  anyone  should  have 
argued  from  this  passage  that  the  writer  of 
the  Gospel  was  unacquainted  with  Christ's 
birth  at  Bethlehem.  He  simply  relates  the 
words  of  the  multitude  who  were  unac- 
quainted with  it  (comp.  Luke  iv.  a3) ;  and 
there  is  a  tragic  irony  in  the  fact  that  the 
condition  which  the  objectors  ignorantly  as- 
sumed to  be  unsatisfied  was  actually  satisfied. 

43.  among  the  people]  In  the  multitude. 

44.  some  of  them]  of  the  multitude.    Part 
of  "the  common  people"    were  now    dis- 
satisfied with  Christ,  and  would  have  taken 
Him,   as  the  people    of  Jerusalem  (v.  30) 
and  the  Pharisees  (v.  32)  before. 

45.  Then ...  officers]    The  officers  there- 
fore came,  because  they  had  found  no  oppor- 
tunity for  fulfilling  their  mission. 

the  chief  priests  and  Pharisees]  Regarded 
now  as  one  body  (npos  rovs  a.  «cat  *.)'  tne 
Sanhedrin,  and  not  as  the  separate  classes 
composing  it,  as  in  v.  32  (01  a.  KOI  ol  <t>.). 
The  day  was  a  Sabbath  and  yet  the  council 
was  gathered. 

they  said  .  .  .  Why  have  ye  not  brought  f 
(Why  did  ye  not  bring?)]  The  pronoun 
(eKeti/ot)  used  in  the  first  clause  (they  said)  is 
that  which  generally  marks  the  more  remote 
subject  (comp.  Acts  iii.  13).  In  the  thought 
of  the  apostle  these  enemies  of  Christ  fill  up, 
as  it  were,  the  dark  background  of  his  narra- 
tive, ever  present  in  the  distance. 

46.  Never  man  spake  like  this  man]  Never 
man  so  spake,  according  to  the  true  reading. 

47.  Then  . . .  the  Pharisees]    The  Pharisees 
therefore  specially  standing  out  from  the 
whole  body  answered  them.     The  hostility  of 
opinion  is  stronger  than  that  of  office. 

Are. .  .deceived?]  Are  ye  also — whose  simple 
duty  it  is  to  execute  our  orders — led  astray 
(v.  i  a)  ?  Their  fault  was  in  action  (led  astray) 
rather  than  in  thought  (deceived). 


.  48—53-] 


ST.  JOHN.    VII. 


125 


48  Have   any  of  the  rulers  or  of 
the  Pharisees  believed  on  him  ? 

49  But  this  people  who  knoweth 
not  the  law  are  cursed. 

50  Nicodemus   saith   unto  them, 
•  chap.  3.   («ne  that  came  to   Jesus   by  night, 
»Deut.i7,  being  one  of  them,) 

&i9?"is.         51  "Doth  our  law  judge  any  man, 


before  it  hear  him,  and  know  what 
he  doeth  ? 

52  They  answered  and  said  unto 
him,  Art  thou  also  of  Galilee?  Search, 
and  look :  for  out  of  Galilee  ariseth 
no  prophet. 

53  And  every  man  went  unto  his 
own  house. 


48.  of  the  rulers]  of  the  members  of  the 
Sanhedrin  (cf.  v.  z6,  iii.  i,  xii.  41),  whom  you 
are  bound  to  obey,  or  of  the  Pharisees  whose 
opinions    you    are    bound  to    accept.    The 
original  form  is  significant:   Hath  any  one 
(/*»}  rig)  of  the  rulers  believed  on  htm ;  or,  to 
take  a  wider  range,  of  the  Pharisees  t 

49.  this  people]  this  multitude  of  whom 
we  hear,  and  by  whose  opinion  you  are  influ- 
enced, are  cursed.     As  knowing  not  the  law, 
they  were  in  the  opinion  of  the  wise  "  a  people 
of  the  earth,"  such  that  he  who  gave  them 
a  morsel  merited  divine  chastisement    A  say- 
ing is  given  in  '  Aboth '  n.  6,  "  No  brutish 
man  is  sin  fearing,  nor  is  one  of  the  people  of 
the  earth  pious."     Compare  Wetstein,  ad  loc. 
Men  were  divided  into  "  people  of  the  earth" 
and  "fellows"  (Dnan),  i.e.  educated  men. 

60.  that  came  to  Jesus  by  night}  that  came 
to  him  before,  according  to  the  true  reading. 

being  one  of  them]  and  therefore  able  to 
speak  from  a  position  of  equality.  So  the 
question  of  -v.  48  was  answered. 

51.  Doth  our  law. ..hear  him]    Those  who 
pleaded  for   the  law  really  broke  the  law. 
Compare  Deut.  i.  16;  Exod.  xxiii.  i. 

any  man]  a  man;  literally,  "  the  man" 
(TOI>  d.)  in  each  case  which  comes  before 
them.  Cf.  ii.  25. 

before  it  bear  him]  Literally,  except  It  first 
hear  from  himself,  i.e.  "hear  what  he  has 
to  urge  on  his  own  side."  The  Law  is  per- 
sonified. The  true  Judge  is  a  living  law. 

52.  Art  thau  also  of  Galilee?']  and  there- 
fore moved  by  local  feeling.     At  the  same 
time  by  the  choice  of  this  term  to  characterize 
Christ's    followers,    the  questioners  contrast 
them  contemptuously  with  the  true  Jews. 

Search,  and  look:  for..."]  Search,  and 
see  that...  The  particle  (on)  is  ambiguous; 
but  it  seems  on  the  whole  better  to  give  to  it 
the  sense  "  that "  than  "  for." 

arisetb    (eyctpcrat,    not    eyTj'ytprat)]     The 


reference  appears  to  be  not  so  much  to  the 
past  as  to  the  future.  Galilee  is  not  the 
true  country  of  the  prophets;  we  cannot 
look  then  for  Messiah  to  come  thence.  The 
words  have  that  semblance  of  general  truth 
which  makes  them  quite  natural  in  this  con- 
nexion, though  Jonah,  Hoshea,  Nahum,  and 
perhaps  Elijah,  Elisha  and  Amos  were  of 
Galilee.  Thus  it  was  said  by  R.  Jehuda  in 
the  name  of  Rab  that  "  the  law  was  maintain- 
ed by  the  dwellers  in  Judsea  "  ('  Eruv.'  53,  as 
quoted  by  Wlinsche).  Comp.  Neubauer,  '  La 
Geogr.  du  Talmud,'  pp.  183  f. 

The  episode  of  the  woman  taken   in   adultery 
(vii.  53 — viii.  n). 

This  account  of  a  most  characteristic  in- 
cident in  the  Lord's  life  is  certainly  not  a  part 
of  St  John's  narrative.  The  evidence  against 
its  genuineness,  as  an  original  piece  of  the 
Gospel,  both  external  and  internal,  is  over- 
whelming (see  Additional  Note) ;  but  on  the 
other  hand  it  is  beyond  doubt  an  authentic 
fragment  of  apostolic  tradition.  Probably  its 
preservation  was  due  to  Papias.  The  incident 
seems  to  belong  to  the  last  visit  to  Jerusalem; 
and  it  is  placed  in  this  connexion  in  some 
MSS.  of  St  Luke  (after  Luke  xxi.). 

The  special  importance  of  the  narrative  lies 
in  the  fact  that  it  records  the  single  case  in 
which  the  Lord  deals  with  a  specific  sinful 
act.  And  this  He  does  (i)  by  referring  the 
act  to  the  inward  spring  of  action,  and  (a)  by 
declining  to  treat  the  legal  penalty  as  that 
which  corresponds  to  the  real  guilt.  So  there 
is  opened  to  us  a  glimpse  of  a  tribunal  more 
searching,  and  yet  more  tender,  than  the 
tribunals  of  men. 

53.  every  man  went]  More  closely,  they 
went  every  man. . .  but  Jesus  (viii.  i)  . . . 
Thus  the  contrast  between  the  whole  gather- 
ing in  the  temple  (not  the  members  of  the 
Sanhedrin  only)  and  Christ  is  made  more 
complete. 


ADDITIONAL  NOTE  on  CHAP.  vii.  39- 

There  is  a  singular  and  interesting  variety     tian  Versions  represent   the    same   reading, 
of  readings  in  the  phrase  which  describes  the     though  Memph.  adds  the  article  in  its  render- 
gift  of  the  Holy  Spirit  as  yet  future,  though     ing.  ^         T  ,,    ,, 
the  sense  is  not  materially  affected  by  them.              (a)     OVTTO>  yap  ijv  irvevpa  aywv,  LX,  Mass 
(i)    o07T«  yap  fr  7rm>,Mi,  NT.    The  Egyp-     of  authorities.    (A  is  defective.) 


126 


ST.  JOHN.   VIII. 


[v.  i — 6. 


(3)  ovTTQ)    yap    ijv   TO    irvfvfjia   ayiov   eV 
avrois,  D,  (y). 

(4)  OVTTU>  yap  fjv  irvfvfta.  ayiov  SeSo/ieVof, 
Be. 

All  the  readings  have  early  authority.  But 
while  (i)  explains  the  others,  it  is  not  easy  to 
see  how  it  could  have  been  derived  from  them. 


The  simple  addition  of  ayiov  in  (a)  was  a 
natural  assimilation  with  xx.  22 ;  and  the 
glosses  (3)  and  (4)  which  appear  to  be  of 
equal  antiquity  express  the  sense  truly,  which 
might  easily  appear  to  be  obscure  in  the  bare 
(and  original)  text.  The  ungrammatical  form 
in  D  marks  the  process  of  corruption. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

I  Christ  delivereth  the  -woman  taken  in  adul- 
tery. 11  He  preacheth  himself  the  light 
of  the  -world,  and  justifieth  his  doctrine : 
33  answereth  the  Jews  that  boasted  of 
Abraham,  59  and  conveyeth  himself  from 
their  cruelty, 

JESUS  went  unto  the  mount  of 
Olives. 
2    And  early  in  the  morning  he 
came  again  into  the  temple,  and  all 
the  people  came  unto  him ;  and  he 
sat  down,  and  taught  them. 


3  And  the  scribes  and   Pharisees 
brought  unto  him  a  woman  taken  in 
adultery  ;  and  when  they  had  set  her 
in  the  midst, 

4  They   say   unto   him,    Master, 
this  woman  was  taken  in  adultery,  in 
the  very  act. 

5  *  Now  Moses  in  the  law  com-  *  Lev.  20 
manded   us,    that    such    should    be I0 
stoned :  but  what  sayest  thou  ? 

6  This  they   said,  tempting  him, 
that  they  might  have  to  accuse  him. 


CHAP.  VIII.  1.  the  mount  of  Olives]  The 
Mount  of  Olives  is  nowhere  mentioned  by  name 
in  St  John's  Gospel.  It  is  mentioned  several 
times  in  each  of  the  other  Gospels  in  con- 
nexion with  the  last  scenes  of  the  Life  of  the 
Lord. 

2.  early  in  the  morning  (op#pou)]  Compare 
Luke  xxi.  38  (tfp4jpt(n>). 

he  sat  down]  assumed  the  position  ot  the 
authoritative  teacher.  Compare  Matt.  v.  i, 
xxiii.  a;  Mark  ix.  35. 

3.  the  scribes  and  the  Pharisees']  This  is  a 
common  title  in  the  Synoptists  for  the  body 
summarily  described  by  St  John  as  the  Jews. 
Compare  Luke  v.  30,  vi.  7,  xi.  53,  xv.  a. 
St  John  never  names  "the  scribes." 

brought  (bring)  unto  him]  We  may  sup- 
pose that  the  guilty  woman  had  been  brought 
first  to  them  as  a  preparatory  step  to  her 
trial. 

4.  was  taken]    hath  been  taken.    The 
original    (KaretXqTn-at)    brings    the    present 
reality    of   guilt    vividly  before    the    reader 
(Vulg.  modo  deprehensa  esf). 

5.  Now  Moses  in  the  law  .  .  .  that  such 
should  be  stoned  (to  stone  such)]  Deut.  xxii. 
43  f.  The  punishment  of  stoning  was  specified 
in  the  case  of  a  betrothed  bride.    The  form 
of  death  in  other  cases  was  not  laid  down, 
and  according  to  Talmudic  tradition  it  was 
strangulation.     It  seems  better  therefore  to 
suppose  that  this  exact  crime  had  been  com- 
mitted than  to  suppose  any  inaccuracy  in  the 
statement.     It   is   said  also   that  a    priest's 
daughter  was  stoned  if  she  committed  adultery ; 
but  this  was  not  a  provision  of  the  Law. 
Compare  Lightfoot,  ad  loc. 


but  what]  what  therefore. ..  Assuming 
this  enactment  as  explicit,  what  conclusion 
canst  thou  draw  for  the  guidance  of  our 
action  in  the  present  case  ?  Thou  claimest  to 
speak  with  authority  and  to  fulfil  the  Law  : 
solve  our  difficulty  now. 

6.  This  (And  (S<)  this)  .  . .  tempting  him] 
Compare  Matt.  xxii.  18.  The  dilemma  cor- 
responds to  that  in  the  question  as  to  the 
tribute  money.  To  affirm  the  binding  validity 
of  the  Mosaic  judgment  would  be  to  counsel 
action  contrary  to  the  Roman  law.  To  set 
the  Mosaic  judgment  aside  would  be  to  give 
up  the  claim  to  fulfil  the  Law.  In  either 
case  there  was  material  for  accusation,  prac* 
tically  fatal  to  the  assumption  of  the  Messiah- 
ship  to  which  the  Lord's  teaching  evidently 
pointed.  He  might  be  carried  away  into  a 
premature  declaration  of  His  claims,  and 
fall  under  the  civil  power;  or  he  might 
disparage  Moses,  and  lose  the  favour  of  the 
people.  The  "temptation"  lay  in  the  design 
to  lead  the  Lord  to  one  of  these  two 
answers. 

wrote]  Both  here  (Karfypafav),  and  in 
•v.  8  (eypatjxv),  the  tense  in  the  original 
presents  the  action  as  going  on  before  the 
witnesses.  It  is  quite  vain  to  conjecture  what 
was  written,  if  indeed  we  are  to  understand 
anything  more  than  the  mere  mechanical 
action  of  writing.  The  attitude  represents 
one  who  follows  out  his  own  thoughts  and 
is  unwilling  to  give  heed  to  those  who  ques- 
tion him.  The  very  strangeness  of  the 
action  marks  the  authenticity  of  the  detail. 
The  words  added  in  italics  in  A.  V.  represent 
a  gloss  found  in  many  MSS.  (ji^  Trpoa-iroiov- 


v.  7—i 


ST.  JOHN.   VIII. 


127 


But  Jesus  stooped  down,  and  with 
his  finger  wrote  on  the  ground,  as 
though  he  heard  them  not. 

7  So  when  they  continued  asking 
him,  he  lifted  up  himself,  and  said 

*Deut-'7- unto  them,  5He  that  is  without  sin 
among  you,  let  him  first  cast  a  stone 
at  her. 

8  And  again  he  stooped  down,  and 
wrote  on  the  ground. 

9  And  they  which  heard  /V,  being 
convicted  by    their  own   conscience, 
went  out  one  by  one,  beginning  at 


the  eldest,  even  unto  the  last:  and 
Jesus  was  left  alone,  and  the  woman 
standing  in  the  midst. 

10  When  Jesus  had  lifted  up  him- 
self, and  saw  none  but  the  woman, 
he  said  unto  her,  Woman,  where  are 
those  thine  accusers?  hath  no  man 
condemned  thee  ? 

1  1  She  said,  No  man,  Lord.  And 
Jesus  said  unto  her,  Neither  do  I 
condemn  thee  :  go,  and  sin  no  more. 

12  1T  Then  spake  Jesus  again  un- 
to them,  saying,  cl  am  the  light  of  the 


I'St 


7.  So 'when...']  But  when.., 

He  that  is  without  sin...']  The  colour  of 
the  word  "sinless"  is  caught  from  the  con- 
text. Though  it  would  be  unnatural  to 
assume  that  all  in  the  group  of  accusers  were 
actually  guilty  of  adultery,  there  is  nothing 
unnatural  in  supposing  that  each  could  feel 
in  himself  the  sinful  inclination  which  had 
here  issued  in  the  sinful  act.  In  this  way 
the  words  of  the  Lord  revealed  to  the  men 
the  depths  of  their  own  natures,  and  they 
shrank  in  that  Presence  from  claiming  the 
prerogative  of  innocence.  At  the  same  time 
the  question  as  to  the  woman's  offence  was 
raised  at  once  from  a  legal  to  a  spiritual 
level.  The  judges  were  made  to  feel  that 
freedom  from  outward  guilt  is  no  claim  to 
sinlessness.  And  the  offender  in  her  turn  was 
led  to  see  that  flagrant  guilt  does  not  bar 
hope.  The  Law  as  in  a  figure  dealt  with 
that  which  is  visible;  the  Gospel  penetrates 
to  the  inmost  soul. 

Jirst]  taking,  as  it  were,  the  place  of  the 
witness ;  Deut.  xvii.  7.  For  here  the  guiltless 
was  required  to  take  the  place  of  a  witness  in 
a  higher  sense.  There  is  nothing  in  the  words 
which  disparages  legal  punishment.  These  men 
were  not  the  appointed  instruments  of  the  law. 

8.  again  he  stooped  down... and  with  his 
finger  wrote...'}  as  unwilling  to  speak  more. 

9.  And  they  which  heard. .  .conscience,  went 
out  one  by  one]  And  they  when  they  heard 
went  out  one  by  one,  as  they  felt  the  power 
of  Christ's  sentence.    The  interpolated  clause 
(being  convicted  by  their  own  conscience)  is  a 
true  explanation  of  the  sense. 

beginning  at  the  eldest ...  (the  elders)] 
whose  sorrowful  experience  of  life  was  the 
fullest.  The  word  is  not  a  title  of  office, 
but  simply  of  age. 

the  woman  standing  (being)  in  the  midst] 
She  still  remained  bound  as  it  were  by  her 
sin  in  the  presence  of  Christ.  "  Two  persons 
were  left,"  Augustine  says  (ad  loc.~),  "  the 
unhappy  woman  and  Compassion  Incarnate  " 
(Rflicti  sunt  duo,  misera  et  mtserioordia). 


10.  When  Jesus  had... unto  her]  And  Jesus 
lifting  himself  up  said  unto  her. 

Woman  ...  thine  accusers?  hath  ...  tbeef] 
Woman,  where  are  they?  Did  no  one 
condemn  thee  ?  The  question  marks  the 
interval  during  which  the  Lord  had  waited 
for  the  effect  of  His  words. 

11.  She  said ...  And  Jesus  said  unto   her] 
And  she  said ...  And  Jesus  said. 

Neither  do  I  condemn  thee]  though  I  am 
truly  sinless.  The  words  are  not  words  of 
forgiveness  (Luke  vii.  48),  but  simply  of  one 
who  gives  no  sentence  (comp.  Luke  xii.  14). 
The  condemnation  has  reference  to  the  out- 
ward punishment  and  not  to  the  moral  guilt : 
that  is  dealt  with  in  the  words  which  follow. 
"  Ergo  et  Dominus  damnavit,  sed  peccatum 
non  hominem  "  (Aug.  ad  loc.). 

go,  and  sin  no  more]  go  thy  way:  from 
henceforth  sin  no  more.  Comp.  v.  14. 

4.     The  after  teaching  (viii.  ia — 20). 

The  Lord  had  applied  to  Himself  one  of 
the  typical  miracles  of  the  Exodus  (vii.  37  ff.): 
in  this  section  He  seems  to  apply  to  Himself 
that  of  the  fiery  pillar.  As  "  the  light  of  the 
world"  He  is  self-attested  (v.  ia  f.).  But 
for  the  apprehension  of  His  nature  sympathy 
is  needed  (14,  15).  At  the  same  time  even  as 
the  Lord's  judgment  was  an  expression  of 
the  divine  will,  so  His  witness  included  that 
of  the  Father  (irv.  16 — 18),  who  could  be 
recognised  by  those  who  truly  knew  Christ 
(v.  19). 

12.  Then   spake   Jesus   again...']     Jesus 
there fo re  again  spake. . .  The  opinions  about 
Jesus  were  divided.    The  rulers  were  blinded 
by  their  prejudices.     Jesus  therefore  traces 
back  doubt  and  unbelief  to  want  of  inner 
sympathy  with  Himself.     At  the  same  time 
(again,  vii.  37)   the  second  symbol  of  the 
festival  was  interpreted. 

spake~]  This  word  compared  with  cried 
(vii.  37)  suggests  an  occasion  of  less  solemnity, 
probably  after  the  Feast,  but  the  time  cannot 
be  certainly  determined. 


128 


ST.  JOHN.   VIII. 


[v.  13,  14. 


world :  he  that  followeth  me  shall  not         14  Jesus  answered  and  said  unto 

walk  in  darkness,  but  shall  have  the    them,  ^Though  I  bear  record  of  my-  d  chaP-  *• 

1*1.  /•    1  •  /•  If  1       •          .  f  T     «  3*« 


light  of  life. 

13  The  Pharisees  therefore  said 
unto  him,  Thou  bearest  record  of 
thyself  j  thy  record  is  not  true. 


self,  yet  my  record  is  true  :  for  I  know 
whence  I  came,  and  whither  I  go ; 
but  ye  cannot  tell  whence  I  come, 
and  whither  I  go. 


unto  theni\  Not  to  the  multitude  of  the 
pilgrims,  but  rather  to  the  representatives  of 
the  Jewish  party  at  Jerusalem  (the  Pharisees, 
<v.  13;  the  Jews,  w,  22,  31).  The  words 
refer  back  to  the  subject  of  vii.  52.  The 
"multitude"  (vii.  20,  31,  32,  40,  43>  49)^ 
which  figures  throughout  the  last  chapter, 
does  not  appear  again  till  xi.  41. 

/  am  the  light  of  the  (world]  In  the  court 
of  the  women,  where  this  discourse  was  held 
(see  -v.  20),  were  great  golden  candelabra 
which  were  lighted  on  the  first  night  of  the 
Feast  of  Tabernacles,  and  perhaps  on  the 
other  nights.  The  sight  of  these  and  the 
remembrance  of  the  light  which  they  had  cast 
over  the  otherwise  unbroken  gloom  of  the  city 
seems  to  have  suggested  the  figure.  But  the 
lamps  themselves  were  only  images  of  the 
pillar  of  light  which  had  guided  the  people  in 
the  wilderness,  just  as  the  libations  (vii.  38) 
recalled  the  supply  of  water  from  the  Rock. 
And  it  is  to  this  finally  that  the  words  of  the 
Lord  refer.  The  idea  of  that  light  of  the 
Exodus — transitory  and  partial — was  now 
fulfilled  in  the  living  Light  of  the  world.  Com- 
pare Isai.  xlii.  6,  xlix.  6 ;  Mai.  iv.  a ;  Luke 
ii.  3*.  According  to  tradition  "  Light"  was 
one  of  the  names  of  Messiah.  Compare 
Lightfoot  and  Wtlnsche,  ad  loc.  The  same 
title  in  all  its  fulness  was  given  by  the  Lord 
to  His  disciples  (Matt.  v.  14)  ;  and  St  Paul 
(Phil.  ii.  15)  speaks  of  Christians  as  "lumi- 
naries "  ((/HBo-rijpf r).  God  is  "  Light "  abso- 
lutely (i  John  i.  5). 

light}     Compare  Introd.  p.  xlvii. 

of  the  world]  not  of  one  nation  only.  This 
thought  went  beyond  the  popular  hope.  Bux- 
torf  ('Lex.'  s.  v.  13)  quotes  a  remarkable  say- 
ing from  Talm.  Hieros.  'Sabb.'  ch.  2,  that 
"the  first  Adam  was  the  light  of  the  world." 

that  followeth]  The  thought  of  the  pil- 
grimage still  remains.  The  light  is  not  for 
self-absorbed  contemplation.  It  is  given  for 
action,  movement,  progress. 

in  darkness"]  in  the  darkness.  The  phrase 
does  not  simply  describe  an  accompanying 
circumstance  of  the  movement,  but  the  sphere 
in  which  it  takes  place.  "The  darkness"  is 
opposed  to  "the  light"  (compare  i.  5,  xii. 
46;  i  John  ii.  9,  ii),  and  includes  the  con- 
ceptions of  ignorance,  limitation,  death. 

shall  have]  not  only  shall  look  upon,  or 
regard  from  a  distance,  but  receive  so  that  it 
becomes  his  own,  a  part  of  his  true  self. 
Comp.  iv.  14,  vi.  57.  The  Pauline  phrase 


"  in  Christ,"  or  conversely  "  Christ  in  me," 
expresses  the  fundamental  thought. 

the  light  of  life]  the  light  which  both 
springs  from  life  and  issues  in  life ;  of  which 
life  is  the  essential  principle  and  the  necessary 
result.  Compare  i.  4.  Parallel  phrases  are 
The  bread  of  life  (vi.  35,  note)  ;  the  -water  of 
life  (Rev.  xxi.  6)  ;  the  tree  of  'life,  Rev.  xxii. 
14  ;  and  perhaps  the  crown  of  life,  James  i.  12. 

13.  Thou    bearest    record    (witness)    of 
(concerning)  thyself]  This  objection  points 
to  the  very  characteristic  of  Christ's  Being.    It 
must  be  as  they  say  because  Christ  is  the  light. 
The  reality,  the  character  of  light,  is  attested 
by  its  shining.  If  men  deny  that  it  does  shine, 
then  there  is  no  more  room  for  discussion. 

thy  record  (witness)  is  not  true]  This  is 
perhaps  as  much  an  independent  assertion  as  a 
consequence  from  the  fact  that  the  witness  to 
Christ  was  from  Himself,  and  so  formally 
imperfect.  The  Pharisees  set  their  judgment 
against  His  assertion.  He  affirms  a  truth ; 
they,  as  claiming  equal  right  of  knowledge, 
deny  it.  Lightfoot  (ad  loc.}  gives  some  inter- 
esting examples  of  the  application  of  the  law 
of  witness  to  a  particular  case  ('  Rosh  Ha- 
shanah,'  i  ff.).  "No  man,"  it  is  said,  "can 
give  witness  for  himself"  (Mishnah,-  '  Ketub.' 
ii.  9). 

14.  Though  (Even  if)  I  bear  record  (wit- 
ness) of  myself,  my  record  (witness)  is  true...] 
The  reply  meets  the  objection  of  the  Phari- 
sees.    The  witness  of  Christ  to  Himself  was 
essentially  complete,  and  they  had  not  that 
equality  of  knowledge  on  which  they  presumed 
to  rely.     A  strong  emphasis  is  thrown  upon 
the  pronoun  (Even  if  /...),  to  mark  at  once 
the  peculiarity  in  the  source  and  in  the  founda- 
tion of  the  witness.     Compare  v.  31.    The 
"  I  "  in  the  earlier  passage  marked  the  separate 
individuality ;  here  it  marks  the  fulness  of  the 
whole  Person. 

is  true]  in  point  of  fact  (aXrjdjs),  and  not, 
as  in  xix.  35,  in  formal  validity  (d\r)0ivij). 

for  (because)  /  know...]  True  witness 
even  to  a  single  fact  in  the  spiritual  life  in- 
volves a  knowledge  of  the  past  and  of  the 
future.  In  the  past  lie  the  manifold  elements 
out  of  which  the  present  grew ;  in  the  future 
lies  the  revelation  of  what  the  present  implicitly 
contains.  He  can  bear  witness  to  himself  who 
has  such  knowledge  of  his  own  being.  This 
no  man  has,  but  the  Son  has  it,  and  in  virtue 
of  it  He  can  reveal  the  Father.  Comp.xvi.  28. 


V.  15—20.] 


ST.  JOHN.   VIII. 


129 


15  Ye  judge  after  the   flesh  j   I 
judge  no  man. 

1 6  And  yet  if  I  judge,  my  judg- 
ment is  true  :  for  I   am  not  alone, 
but  I  and  the  Father  that  sent  me. 

•  Deut  17.      i-j  «jt  js  a]so  Written  in  your  law, 

Matt.  18.    that  the  testimony  of  two  men  is  true. 

1 8  I  am  one  that  bear  witness  of 


myself,  and  the  Father  that  sent  me 
beareth  witness  of  me. 

19  Then   said    they   unto    him, 
Where  is  thy  Father?  Jesus  answered, 
Ye  neither  know  me,  nor  my  Father : 
if  ye  had  known  me,  ye  should  have 
known  my  Father  also. 

20  These  words  spake  Jesus  in 


ye  cannot  tell...']  ye  know  not...  To  such 
knowledge  the  Pharisees  could  lay  no  claim. 
They  could  not  even  discern  the  immediate 
spiritual  relationship  of  the  Lord  to  the  un- 
seen order  (whence  I  come  and  (or)...),  and 
still  less  the  mystery  of  the  Incarnation  (whence 
I  came...)  which  underlay  it. 

15.  The  thought  of  "knowledge"  passes 
into  that  of  "judgment."    The  Pharisees  had 
not  the  knowledge,  nor  could  they  in  their 
present  state  gain  the  knowledge.  They  judged 
after  the  flesh  (comp.  2  Cor.  v.  16).     They 
were  content  to  form  their  conclusions  on  an 
imperfect,   external,    superficial    examination. 
Without  feeling  any  necessity  for  deeper  or 
wider  insight,  they  decided  according  to  the 
appearance  of  things;   and  so  by  that   part 
of  our  nature  which  deals  with  appearances. 
Christ,  on  the  other  hand,  though  He  embraced 
in  this  knowledge  all  the  circumstances,  and 
aspects,  and  issues  of  life,  judged  no  man.    The 
time  for  this  was  not  yet ;  nor  was  this  His 
work  (xii.  47). 

The  contrast  in  these  words  may  be  com- 
pared with  that  below  in  v.  23,  (26  ?). 

16.  But  this  absence  of  judgment  on  Christ's 
part  was  not  from  any  defect  in  the  complete- 
ness of  His  knowledge.     For  He  adds,  And 
yet  (even,  vi.  51,  note)  if  I  judge,  my  judgment 
is  true... 

is  true.,  for  (because)...]  Not  only  true 
as  answering  to  the  special  facts  (dXndijs,  -v. 
14),  but  true  as  satisfying  our  perfect  concep- 
tion of  what  judgment  ought  to  be  (dXqdtpn, 
comp.  iv.  23,  note,  and  xix.  35),  because  it  is 
not  an  isolated  or  personal  judgment,  but  a 
judgment  springing  out  of  a  conscious  union 
with  the  Author  of  all  Truth.  A  saying 
given  in  '  Pirke  Aboth'  (iv.  12)  gives  the 
characteristic  thought  which  the  Lord  meets : 
"  Judge  not  alone  (HTP),  for  none  may  judge 
alone  save  ONE." 

17.  //  is  also  written  in  your  Jaw,  that  the 
testimony...']    And  even  In  your  law — the 
Law  which  is  your  law — it  is  written. ..that 
the  witness...     The  Pharisees  had  appealed 
to  the   Law ;    the  Law  then  of  which  they 
claimed  absolute  possession  (vii.  49)  is  shewn 
to  decide  against  them  (Deut.  xix.  15).     The 
phrase  does  not  in  any  way  disparage  or  set 
aside  the  Law  as  a  divine  revelation,  but  marks 
the  Jewish  claim  (v.  56,  your  father). 


It  is. ..written]  The  exact  form  used  here 
(yiypanrai)  is  found  in  St  John  of  the  old 
Scriptures  only  in  this  place  (compare  xx.  31). 
It  is  the  common  form  of  citation  in  other 
books.  St  John  elsewhere  uses  the  resolved 
form  (yrypa/iji«>oi>  eVnV),  which  is  read  here 
by  Cod.  Sin.;  ii.  17,  note,  x.  34,  (xv.  25). 

of  two  men]  The  word  "men"  (8v'o 
avdpdmuv)  does  not  occur  in  the  original  text 
or  in  the  LXX.  It  appears  to  be  introduced 
here  to  indicate  the  superior  force  of  the  divine 
witness. 

18.  /  am  one  that  bear  witness  ...  beareth 
witness]     I  am  he  that  beareth  witness 
(o  /uzprvpcoi')...     The  change  in  the  form  of 
the  two  clauses  presents  the  difference  of  the 
mode  in  which  the  two  witnesses  give  their 
testimony.    He  that  gave  the  witness  was  one, 
but  through  Him  the  Father  also  spake  and 
wrought:  " /  am  he  that  beareth  witness ;  and, 
at  the  same  time,  in  and  through  me,  the 
Father  beareth  witness  of  me,  so  that  your 
objection  loses  its  point."    The  witness  of  the 
Father  from  whom  Christ  came  was  given 
not  merely  in  the  miracles  done  but  in  the 
whole  ministry  of  the  Son. 

19.  Then  said  they...']  They  said  there- 
fore...   The  appeal  to   an   absent,  unseen, 
witness  did  not  satisfy  the  Pharisees. 

Where  is  thy  Father  f\  The  form  of  the 
question  shews  the  spirit  of  the  questioners. 
They  do  not  say  "Who  is  thy  Father?"  as 
if  they  were  in  uncertainty  as  to  the  reference, 
but  "Where...?"  implying  that  a  reference 
to  one  whom  they  could  not  look  upon  and 
interrogate  was  of  no  avail  for  the  purpose  of 
the  argument. 

Te  neither  know  me,  nor...']  Rather,  Ye 
know  neither  me  nor...  The  question  was 
futile.  The  mere  fact  that  it  was  put  shewed 
that  the  true  answer  to  it  could  not  be  given 
or  received.  There  must  be  knowledge  of 
what  we  seek  before  we  can  profitably  ask 
where  to  seek  it. 

With  this  question  and  answer  the  question 
of  Philip  and  the  answer  given  to  it  may  be 
contrasted,  xiv.  8  ff. 

20.  These  (words  spake  Jesus  (He)  in  the 
treasury]    The  Treasury  was  in  the  Court  of 
the  women,  the  most  public  part  of  the  temple 
(compare  Mark  xii.   41  ff. ;    Luke  xxi.  i). 
The  mention  of  the  locality  adds  force  to  the 


130 


ST.  JOHN.   VIII. 


[v.  21,  22. 


the  treasury,  as  he  taught  in  the  tem- 
ple :  and  no  man  laid  hands  on  him j 
for  his  hour  was  not  yet  come. 

21    Then   said  Jesus   again  unto 
them,    I    go  my  way,  and  ye  shall 


seek  me,  and  shall  die  in  your  sins : 
whither  I  go,  ye  cannot  come. 

22  Then  said  the  Jews,  Will  he 
kill  himself?  because  he  saith,  Whi- 
ther I  go,  ye  cannot  come. 


notice  of  the  Lord's  immunity  from  violence 
which  follows.  For  the  Sanhedrin  held  their 
sittings  ordinarily  in  the  chamber  Gazitb, 
which  was  situated  between  the  Court  of  the 
women  and  the  inner  Court.  So  Jesus  con- 
tinued to  teach  within  earshot  of  His  enemies. 

taught]    Contrast  Acts  xxiv.  12. 

and  no  man...']  and  yet  no  man...  The 
strange  contrast  is  expressed  by  the  simple 
juxtaposition  of  the  facts:  «z>.  55,  i.  10,  iii.  19, 
32,  vi.  70,  vii.  4,  30,  ix.  30,  xvi.  32,  xx.  19. 

laid  hands  on  him']  took  him,  as  in  vii.  30, 
32,  44,  &c. 

his  hour]     Comp.  ii.  4,  vii.  30,  xiii.  i,  note. 

5.  The  trial  of  true  and  false  faith  (21 — 59). 

This  section  describes  the  spiritual  crisis  in 
the  preaching  to  Israel.  It  consists  of  two 
parts.  The  first  part  (21 — 30)  contains  the 
distinct  presentation  of  the  one  object  of  faith 
with  the  declaration  of  the  consequences  of 
unbelief  (v.  24).  This  is  closed  by  the  notice 
of  a  large  accession  of  disciples  (v.  30).  The 
second  part  (31 — 58)  gives  an  analysis  of  the 
essential  character  and  issues  of  selfish  belief 
and  false  Judaism.  This  is  closed  by  the  first 
open  assault  upon  the  Lord  with  violence 
O-  59)- 

21 — 30.  The  subject  of  these  verses  is  that 
which  had  been  already  partly  announced  at 
the  feast  (vii.  33  ff.).  Christ  shews  the  momen- 
tous issues  which  hang  upon  His  brief  sojourn 
with  the  Jews  (v.  21),  who  are  essentially 
opposite  to  Him  in  character  (i>.  23),  and 
therefore  only  to  be  delivered  by  transforming 
faith  in  Him  (v.  24).  At  present  a  plainer 
revelation  of  Himself  was  impossible  (v.  25  f.) ; 
but  hereafter  all  would  be  made  clear  (v.  28). 
Meanwhile  His  work  was  His  witness  (i».  29). 
And  this  some  were  enabled  to  accept  (v.  30). 

21.  Then  said  Jesus  again...']  He  there- 
fore— because  while  He  was  still  able  to 
speak  freely  (v.  20)  there  was  yet  time  and 
opportunity  for  some  at  least  to  gain  the 
knowledge  which  they  lacked — said  again  to 
them,  as  He  had  said  before,  vii.  34,  but  now 
with  a  more  distinct  and  tragic  warning,  I  go 
my  way,  and  ye  shall  seek  me,  and  shall  die  in 
your  sins  (sin). 

unto  them]  v.  12,  note. 

ye  shall  seek  me]  The  emphasis  lies  (as  in 
vii.  34)  upon  the  word  seek.  There  is  no 
contrast  here  between  "ye"  and  "me."  The 
search  was  the  search  of  despair  under  the 
pressure  of  overwhelming  calamity;  and  the 


issue  was  not  failure  only  but  death,  and 
death  in  sin,  for  the  search  under  false  motives, 
with  false  ends,  was  itself  sin,  an  open,  utter 
abandonment  of  the  divine  will. 

your  sin]  The  sin  was  one  in  its  essence, 
though  its  fruits  were  manifold  (i;.  24).  Hence 
the  order  here  is,  "  in  your  sin  shall  ye  die," 
while  in  v.  24  the  emphasis  is  transposed 
(" ye  shall  die  in  your  sins"). 

whither  I  (tya)  go,  ye  (iip-els)  cannot  come~] 
Compare  vii.  34  (where  I  am...).  Here  the 
contrast  of  persons  (/,  ye)  is  distinctly  marked, 
as  containing  the  ground  of  the  separation. 
When  the  same  words  are  applied  to  the 
disciples  (xiii.  33)  the  impossibility  of  follow- 
ing is  shewn  to  be  for  a  time  only  (xiii.  36). 

22.  Then  said  the  Jews']     The  Jews,  who 
were  the  speakers  also  in  vii.  35,  therefore 
said,  in  scornful  contempt  of  such  an  assump- 
tion of  superiority.    The  repetition  of   the 
imperfect    (eXe-yo^,    eA«yei>    contrasted    with 
flirev,  21,  24,  28)  marks  the  record  as  a  com- 
pressed summary. 

Will  he  (furjrt,  iv.  29,  note)  kill  himself? 
because  (that)...]  The  bitterness  of  the 
mockery,  like  the  sternness  of  the  denuncia- 
tion, is  increased  (vii.  35).  The  questioners 
assume  that  no  way  can  be  open  to  Jesus 
which  is  not  equally  open  to  them,  unless  it 
be  the  way  to  Gehenna  opened  by  self-murder. 
Thither  indeed  they  could  not  follow  Him. 
By  the  Jews  suicide  was  placed  on  the  same 
level  with  murder,  Joseph. '  B.  J.'  in.  8  (14).  5 ; 
and  the  darkest  regions  of  the  world  below 
were  supposed  to  be  reserved  for  those  who 
were  guilty  of  the  crime  (aSijs  oVxerai  ras 
•\j^V)(as  {TKOTtcorepoj,  Jos.  /.  c.). 

23.  The  Lord  meets  the  taunt  of  His 
opponents  by  developing  that  difference   of 
nature  in  which  lay  at  once  the  cause  of  their 
inability  to  follow  Him,  and  the  cause  of  their 
inability  to  understand  Him.     He  and  they 
belonged  essentially  to  different  regions;  the 
spring  of  their  life,  the  sphere  of  their  thoughts, 
were  separated  from  the  spring  and  the  sphere 
of  His  by  an  infinite  chasm.     The  difference 
was  equally  great  whether  it  was  regarded  in 
its  final  source  or  in  its  present  manifestation. 
The  circumstances  of  earthly  life  give  scope 
for  the  embodiment  of  two  characters  abso- 
lutely opposed.     For  earthly  life  lies  between 
and  in  connexion  with  two  orders,  and  it  in- 
cludes in  itself  two  orders.    It  may  be  swayed 
by  higher  or  lower  influences;    it  may  be 
fashioned  on  a  fleeting  or  on  an  eternal  type. 
And  between  these  there  can  be  no  fellowship. 


v.  23—26.] 


ST.  JOHN.    VIII. 


23  And  he  said  unto  them,   Ye 
are  from  beneath  ;  I  am  from  above  : 
ye  are  of  this  world  j  I  am  not  of  this 
world. 

24  I  said  therefore  unto  you,  that 
ye  shall  die  in  your  sins :   for  if  ye 
believe  not  that  I  am  he,  ye  shall  die 
in  your  sins. 


25  Then  said  they  unto  him,  Who 
art  thou  ?  And  Jesus  saith  unto  them, 
Even  the  same  that  I  said  unto  you 
from  the  beginning. 

26  I  have  many  things  to  say  and 
to  judge  of  you  :   but  he  that  sent 
me  is  true ;  and  I  speak  to  the  world 
those  things  which  I  have  heard  of  him. 


There  can  be  in  the  way  of  nature  no  passage 
from  the  one  to  the  other. 

Te  arc  from  beneath}  Your  whole  being  in 
its  deepest  principles  is  drawn  from  the  powers 
of  the  lower,  sensual,  realm  («  T«5i>  *«ra>, 
Vulg.  de  deorsum)-,  you  are  "flesh  of  flesh" 
(iii.  6).  Comp.  James  iii.  15  ff.  For  the 
phrase  "to  be  of"  (tlvai  «•'«)  see  v.  47,  xviii. 
37- 

/  am  from  above]  drawing  every  inspira- 
tion, every  feeling,  every  judgment  from 
heaven  («<  TU>V  avu,  Vulg.  de  supernis.  Comp. 
Col.  iii.  i  f.). 

ye  are  of  this  world]  true  children  of  the 
fleeting  order  which  you  can  see. 

/  am  not  of  this  'world']  but  the  bringer  in 
of  a  new  and  spiritual  order,  to  which  entrance 
can  be  gained  only  by  a  new  birth. 

24.  /  said  therefore]  because  this  fatal 
chasm  separates  you  from  my  true  home  and 
from  the  region  of  life,  that  ye  shall  die — here 
the  emphasis  is  changed  and  lies  upon  the  end 
"death,"  and  not  upon  the  state  "sin" — in 
your  sins,  which  in  their  varied  form  reveal 
the  presence  of  the  one  fatal  source  (v.  21). 
For  there  is  but  one  mode  of  escape  from 
death,  one  means  of  obtaining  life,  one  "  way  " 
of  approaching  the  Father  by  which  earth  and 
heaven  are  united,  even  fellowship  by  Faith 
with  Him  who  is,  and  who  has  become  man, 
and  if  ye  believe  not  (unless  ye  believe) 
that  I  am,  ye  shall  die  in  your  sins. 

that  I  am]  not  simply  "  that  I  am  the 
Messiah,"  such  as  your  imagination  has  drawn 
for  you- ;  but  far  more  than  this,  that  I  am, 
that  in  me  is  the  spring  of  life  and  light  and 
strength ;  that  I  present  to  you  the  invisible 
majesty  of  God ;  that  I  unite  in  virtue  of  my 
essential  Being  the  seen  and  the  unseen,  the 
finite  and  the  infinite. 

The  phrase  "I  am  "  (r'yw  tlpi)  occurs  three 
times  in  this  chapter  (vv.  24,  28,  58;  comp. 
xiii.  19),  and  on  ea«h  occasion,  as  it  seems, 
with  this  pregnant  meaning.  Compare  Deut. 
xxxii.  39  ;  Isai.  xliii.  10. 

Elsewhere,  in  cases  where  the  predicate  is 
directly  suggested  by  the  context,  this  predi- 
cate simply  is  to  be  supplied :  ch.  ix.  9,  xviii. 
5,  6,  8.  Comp.  vi.  20;  Matt.  xiv.  27;  Mark 
vi.  50,  xiv.  62 ;  Luke  xxii.  70.  And  so  it  is 
used  of  the  Messiah :  Mark  xiii.  6  ;  Luke  xxi. 
8.  Cf.  Acts  xiii.  25. 

New  Test.— VOL.  II. 


25.  Then  said  they..,']  They  said  there- 
fore... 

Who  art  thou  f]  The  question  corresponds 
with  the  general  translation  "  I  am."  The 
wish  of  the  questioners  is  evidently  to  draw 
from  the  Lord  an  open  declaration  that  He  is 
"the  Christ,"  that  is  the  Deliverer  such  as 
they  conceived  of  him. 

And  Jesus  saith... ,]  Jesus  saith... 

Even  the  same.../^  beginning]  Among  the 
many  interpretations  of  this  most  difficult 
phrase  two  appear  to  have  chief  claim  to  con- 
sideration : 

(1)  Altogether,  essentially,  I  am  that  which 
I  even  speak  to  you.  That  is  to  say,  My  Person 
is  my  teaching.     The    words  of  Christ  are 
the  revelation  of  the  Word  Incarnate;  and 

(2)  Hoiv  is   it   that  I  even  speak  to  yuu  at 
allf    How  is  it  that  I  so  much  as  speak  with 
you?    That  is  to  say,  The  question  which 
you  ask  cannot  be  answered.     The  very  fact 
that  it  is  proposed  makes  it  clear,  as  it  has 
been   clear  before,  that  it  is  vain  for  me  to 
seek  to  lead  you  by  my  words  to  a  better 
knowledge  of  myself. 

Of  these  two  the  second  interpretation, 
which  was  in  the  main  that  of  the  Greek 
fathers,  seems  to  fall  in  best  with  the  general 
sense  of  the  dialogue.  See  Additional  Note. 

26.  We  must  suppose  a  pause  after  the 
last  words,  if  they  are  taken  interrogatively, 
and  then  the  sad  train  of  thought  is  continued. 
The  Jews,  even  if  they  had  misunderstood  the 
revelation  which  Christ  had  given  of  Himself, 
and  were  unworthy  of  any  further  manifesta- 
tion of  His  Person — and  indeed  in  virtue  of 
this  their  grievous  fault — furnished  many  sub- 
jects for  teaching  and  judgment.  In  them 
unbelief  was  embodied.  So  the  sentence  fol- 
lows :  I  have  many  things  to  say  and  to  judge 
of  (concerning)  you.  The  utterance  of  these 
judgments  will  widen  the  chasm  between  us. 
But  they  must  be  spoken  at  all  cost ;  they  are 
part  of  my  divine  charge ;  he  that  sent  me  is 
true',  in  His  message  there  is  no  superfluity 
and  no  defect,  and  the  things  which  I  heard 
from  Him,  when  I  came  on  earth  to  do  His 
will,  these  speak  I  unto  the  world. 

but  he...']  .It  seems  best  to  find  the  oppo- 
sition (as  above)  in  the  anticipated  failure  of 
these  further  revelations.  Others  find  jt  in 
a  contrast  between  these  personal  judgments 


132 


ST.  JOHN.   VIII. 


[v.  27—31. 


27  They   understood  not  that  he 
spake  to  them  of  the  Father. 

28  Then  said  Jesus  unto   them, 
When  ye  have  lifted  up  the  Son  of 
man,  then  shall  ye  know  that  I  am 
be,  and  that  I  do  nothing  of  myself; 
but  as  my  Father  hath  taught  me,  I 
speak  these  things. 


29  And  he  that  sent  me  is  with 
me :   the    Father  hath  not   left   me 
alone ;  for  I  do  always  those  things 
that  please  him. 

30  As  he  spake  these  words,  many 
believed  on  him. 

31  Then  said  Jesus  to  those  Jews 
which  believed  on  him,  If  ye  con- 


and  the  Father's  commission ;  as  if  the  sense 
were:  "but  these  self-chosen  subjects  must  be 
set  aside;  He  that..."  In  this  case  however 
the  force  of  the  affirmation  of  the  "  truth  "  of 
the  Father  appears  to  be  lost.  The  general 
scope  of  the  words  seems  to  be  that  the  divine 
message  must  be  delivered  whatever  its  imme- 
diate effect  may  be. 

speak  to]  The  construction  is  very  remark- 
able (XaXw  els  TQV  *.).  It  is  not  simply 
"address  to  the  world,1'  but  "speak  into,  so 
that  the  words  may  reach  as  far  as,  spread 
through,  the  world."  Christ  stands,  as  it 
were,  outside  the  world,  mediating  between 
two  worlds.  Comp.  i  Thess.  ii.  9  («j  v/uSs), 
iv.  8;  Hebr.  ii.  3. 

/  have  heard}  I  beard.  Comp.  v.  28, 
note,  xv.  15,  note. 

27.  They  understood  (perceived)  wo/...] 
preoccupied  as  they  were  with  thoughts  of  an 
earthly  deliverer,  and  perhaps  with  doubts  as 
to  the  possibility  that  Jesus  might  have  come 
to  them  from  some  one  such  as  they  looked 
for,  who  awaited  the  favourable  time  for  his 
appearance. 

28.  Then   said  Jesus   unto  them]     Jesus 
therefore  said...  because  He  read  their  ima- 
ginations and  knew  why  they  were  offended 
byHis  Person  and  teaching,  When  ye  have  lifted 
up  the  Son  of  man  by  the  Cross  to  His  throne 
of  glory,  then  shall  ye  know — perceive   at 
last — that  I  am,  and  that  I  do  nothing  of  my- 
self; perceive,  that  is,  that  my  being  alike  and 
my  action  are  raised  above  all  that  is  limited, 
and  in  absolute  union  with  God. 

lifted  up]     Compare  xii.  32,  note. 

shall  ye  know]  Compare  Ezek.  vii.  4,  xi. 
12,  xii.  20. 

that  I  do~]  It  is  not  unlikely  that  the  verb 
begins  a  new  sentence,  and  does  not  depend 
on  the  "that"  of  the  previous  clause :  "you 
shall  then  perceive  my  true  Nature.  Yes,  and 
in  fact  my  whole  work  answers  to  a  divine 
guidance." 

of  myself]    Compare  v.  30,  note,  xv.  4,  note. 

do... speak  these  things']  The  present  teach- 
ing was  part  of  the  appointed  work  of  Christ. 
The  last  phrase  is  not  general,  as  if  it  were 
equivalent  to  "so  I  speak,"  but  is  used  with 
a  specific  reference  to  the  revelations  which 
the  Lord  was  even  now  making. 

my    Father   bath    taughf]      the    Father 


taught.  The  mission  of  the  Son  is  regarded 
as  the  point  when  He  received  all  that  was  re- 
quired for  His  work.  The  teaching  is  so  far 
looked  upon  as  compressed  into  one  supra- 
temporal  act,  and  gradually  realised  under  the 
conditions  of  human  life. 

Compare  the  use  of  7  heard  (q*ov<ra,  iii. 
32,  viii.  26,  40,  xv.  15).  On  the  other  hand 
/  hear  is  used  in  regard  to  special  acts 
(v.  30). 

29.  The  whole  being  of  the  Son  was  in 
absolute    harmony    with    the    being  of   the 
Father,  and  the  Father  was  personally  present 
with  the  Son.  In  one  sense  there  was  a  separa- 
tion at    the   Incarnation:    in    another    sense 
there  remained  perfect  unbroken  fellowship. 
There  was  a  "  sending  "  and  yet  a  "  remaining 
together."     He  that   "sent"  was  still  with 
Him  that  "  was  sent."    The  pregnancy  of  the 
phrase  must  be  observed. 

the  Father  ...alone']  He,  even  He  that  sent 
me  (so  the  words  run,  omitting  the  Father),  at 
that  crisis  left  me  not  alone — the  new  rela- 
tion was  superadded  to  and  did  not  destroy 
the  old  relation — and  men  themselves  can  see 
the  signs  of  this  abiding  communion,  for  (be- 
cause) 7 — I  («'yo>)>  in  the  complete  Person  on 
which  you  look  —  do  always  —  not  fitfully, 
Uncertainly,  partially  —  the  things  that  please 
Him. 

fdr]  The  word  seems  to  be  used  here  as 
In  Luke  vii.  47,  to  indicate  the  sign  of  the 
truth  of  the  statement  made,  and  not  to  give 
the  ground  of  the  fact  stated.  The  perfect 
coincidence  of  the  will  of  the  Son  with  the 
will  of  the  Father  is  presented  as  the  effect, 
and  not  as  the  reason  of  the  Father's  Presence. 
And  yet  here  as  always  the  two  thoughts  run 
into  one  another. 

those  things  that  please  him}  The  service  is 
positive,  active,  energetic,  and  not  only  a 
negative  obedience,  an  abstention  from  evil. 
Comp.  i  John  iii.  22;  Exod.  xv.  26;  Isai. 
xxxviii.  3  ;  Wisd.  ix.  18. 

30.  believed  on  him]  in  the  fullest  sense : 
cast  themselves  upon  Him,  putting  aside  their 
own  imaginations  and  hopes,  and  waiting  till 
He  should  shew  Himself  more  clearly.     This 
energy  of  faith  in  a  person  (jruTTfVfiv  et?,  "  to 
believe  in  any  one")  is  to  be  carefully  dis- 
tinguished from  the  simple  acceptance  of  a 
person's  statements  as  true  (irio-Ttvfiv  ru-i,  "  to 


V.  32-1 


ST.  JOHN.   VIII. 


133 


tinue  in  my  word,  then  are  ye  my         32  And  ye  shall  know  the  truth, 
disciples  indeed ;  and  the  truth  shall  make  you  free. 


believe  any  one"),  which  is  noticed  in  the 
next  verse.  The  phrase  is  characteristic  of 
St  John's  Gospel  (ii.  n,  iii.  16,  18,  36,  iv.  39, 
vi.  29,  35,  40,  47,  vii.  5,  31,  38  f.,  48,  ix.  35  f., 
x.  42,  xi.  25  f.,  45,  48,  xii.  n,  36  f.,  42,  44, 
46,  xiv.  1,12,  xvi.  9,  xvii.  20).  It  occurs  once 
only  in  the  Synoptic  Gospels  (Matt,  xviii.  6 
||  Mark  ix.  42),  and  there  most  significantly 
of  the  faith  of  "little  ones."  The  common 
phrase (irto-Tfvt iv nvi)  occurs  -w.  45  f.,  (ii.  22), 
iv.  21,  (50),  v.  24,  38,  46  f.,  xiv.  ii.  With 
this  phrase  "to  believe  in  a  person"  must  be 
compared  the  more  definite  phrase  "to  be- 
lieve in  his  name,"  that  is,  to  believe  in  him 
as  characterized  by  the  specific  title  implied 
(i.  12,  ii.  23,  iii.  18). 

31 — 59.  This  conversation  lays  open  the 
essential  differences  between  the  men  who 
would  have  given  permanence  to  the  Old 
Dispensation  and  Christ  who  fulfilled  it. 
The  historical  and  the  spiritual,  the  external 
and  the  moral,  the  temporal  and  the  eternal, 
are  placed  side  by  side.  The  contrast  is  made 
more  complete  because  Abraham  and  not 
Moses  is  taken  as  the  representative  of  Ju- 
daism. 

.  The  successive  pleas  of  the  Jews  give  in  a  | 
natural  order  the  objections  which  they  took  I 
to  Christ's  claims.  "  We  are  Abraham's 
seed  :...how  sayest  thou,  Ye  shall  be  made 
free?"  (y.  33).  "Abraham  is  our  father" 
(v.  39).  "  We  were  not  born  of  fornication : 
we  have  one  Father,  even  God"  (v.  41). 
44  Thou  art  a  Samaritan,  and  hast  a  devil " 
(v.  48).  "  Art  thou  greater  than  our  father 
Abraham,  who  died?"  (v.  53).  "  Hast  thou 
seen  Abraham  ? "  (v.  5  7).  The  first  three  press 
the  claims  of  inheritance,  of  kinsmanship,  of 
religious  privilege:  the  last  three  contain 
decisive  judgments  on  Christ's  character,  on 
His  authority,  on  His  implied  divine  nature. 

With  the  help  of  the  clue  thus  given  it  is 
more  easy  to  follow  the  course  of  the  argu- 
ment. At  the  outset  Christ  promises  freedom 
to  those  who  honestly  follow  out  an  imperfect 
faith  (31  f.).  "But  we  are  free"  is  the 
answer  (v.  33).  Not  spiritually  (w.  33 — 36) ; 
nor  does  descent  carry  with  it  religious  like- 
ness (w.  37 — 42).  Inability  to  hear  Christ 
betrays  and  springs  from  a  close  affinity  with 
the  powers  of  evil  (vv.  43 — 47).  Such  a  judg- 
ment is  sober  and  true  (in.'.  48 — 50).  The 
word  which  Christ  brings  is  life-giving  (vv. 
5I_53);  and  He  Himself  was  before  Abra- 
ham (vv.  54 — 58). 

31.  Among  the  body  of  new  converts 
were  some  Jews — men,  that  is,  characterized 
as  retaining  the  mistaken  views  of  the  nation 
— who  believed  Him,  who  acknowledged 


His  claims  to  Messiahship  as  true,  who  were 
convinced  by  what  He  said,  but  who  still  in- 
terpreted His  promise  and  words  by  their 
own  prepossessions  (comp.  vi.  15).  They 
believed  Him  and  did  not  believe  In  Him. 
The  addition  of  the  word  "Jews"  and  the 
change  in  the  construction  of  the  verb  dis- 
tinguish sharply  this  group  from  the  general 
company  in  v.  30 ;  and  the  exact  form  of 
the  original  makes  the  contrast  more  obvious 
(ot  irfiTHTTfvKOTts  aur<5  'louSaiot,  not  ot 
'lovSatot  ot  ireiriaTfVKOTfs  avrw). 

Then  said  Jesus. ..~\  Jesus  therefore  said 
...which  had  believed  Him.  See  v.  30, 
note. 

If  ye... disciples  indeed]  If  ye — even  ye  with 
your  inveterate  prejudices  and  most  imperfect 
faith  —  abide  in  my  word  ye  are  truly 
my  disciples.  The  emphasis  lies  on  the 
pronoun  (ye)  and  not,  as  we  are  inclined 
to  place  it,  on  the  verb  (abide).  The  sentence 
is  a  gracious  recognition  of  the  first  rude 
beginning  of  faith.  Even  this,  if  it  were 
cherished  with  absolute  devotion,  might  be- 
come the  foundation  of  better  things.  It 
included  the  possibility  of  a  true  discipleship, 
out  of  which  knowledge  and  freedom  should 
grow ;  for  there  is  a  discipleship  of  those  who 
for  the  time  are  in  ignorance  and  in  bondage. 

continue  (abide)  in  my  word]  The  word, 
the  revelation  of  Christ,  is  at  once  the  element 
in  which  the  Christian  lives,  and  the  spring  of 
his  life.  He  abides  in  the  word,  and  the  word 
abides  in  him  (v.  38;  i  John  ii.  14,  i-  10). 
Just  so,  in  the  language  of  St  Paul,  the  be- 
liever lives  in  Christ  and  Christ  in  the  be- 
liever (Gal.  ii.  20).  The  phrase  which  ^  is 
used  here  and  in  w.  37>  43  (»  Xoyos  o  iftos) 
expresses  the  word  which  is  tputy  characteristic 
of  Christ  and  not  simply  that  which  He 
utters.  Comp.  xv.  9  note.  His  word  is  the 
word  of  God',  xviL  d,  14,  !?• 

32.  ye  shall  know  the  truth']  Comp.  i.  17, 
v.  33.  This  Truth  is  no  mere  abstract  specu- 
lation. It  is  living  and  personal.  Comp.  v.  36, 
and  xiv.  6. 

the  truth  shall  make  you  free]  The  freedom 
of  the  individual  is  perfect  conformity  to  the 
absolute— to  that  which  is.  Intellectually, 
this  conformity  is  knowledge  of  the  Truth: 
morally,  obedience  to  the  divine  Law.  This 
principle  is  that  which  Socrates  (for  example) 
felt  after  when  he  spoke  of  vice  as  ignorance; 
and  the  Stoics  when  they  maintained  that 
"the  wise  man  alone  is  free."  The  Jews 
also  had  a  saying,  "  Thou  wilt  find  no  freeman 
but  him  who  is  occupied  in  learning  of  the 
Law,"  and  hence  they  substituted  mystically 
cheruth  (freedom)  for  cbarutb  (graven)  in 
Exod.  xxxii.  16  ('Perek  R.  Meir,'  2.  See 

K  ?. 


134 


ST.  JOHN.   VIII. 


33—37- 


33  U  They  answered  him,  We  be 
Abraham's  seed,  and  were  never  in 
bondage   to   any   man :    how   sayest 
thou,  Ye  shall  be  made  free  ? 

34  Jesus  answered  them,  Verily, 
/Rom.  6.   verily,  I  say  unto  you, -^Whosoever 
Tpet.2.19.  committeth   sin    is    the    servant    of 

sin. 


35  And  the  servant  abideth  not  in 
the  house   for    ever :    but    the    Son 
abideth  ever. 

36  If  the  Son  therefore  shall  make 
you  free,  ye  shall  be  free  indeed. 

37  I  know  that  ye  are  Abraham's 
seed ;  but  ye  seek  to  kill  me,  because 
my  word  hath  no  place  in  you. 


Taylor,  ad  loc.~).  These  different  thoughts 
are  summed  up  in  the  noble  paradox  Deo 
servire  at  libertas. 

33.  They  answered,.."]    i.e.  the  Jews  who 
believed  Him  who  have  just  been  characterized. 

We  be  Abraham?*  seed]  to  whom  the 
sovereignty  of  the  world  has  been  assured 
by  an  eternal  and  inalienable  right.  Comp. 
Matt.  iii.  9 ;  Luke  iii.  8. 

and  were  never  (have  never  yet  been) 
in  bondage  to  any  man]  The  episodes  of 
Egyptian,  Babylonian,  Syrian  and  Roman 
conquests  were  treated  as  mere  transitory 
accidents,  not  touching  the  real  life  of  the 
people,  who  had  never  accepted  the  dominion 
of  their  conquerors  or  coalesced  with  them. 

how  ...free?]  How  sayest  thou  —  thou,  a 
solitary  if  a  great  teacher,  against  the  voice 
of  the  national  consciousness — -ye  shall  be 
made — become— -free  f 

34.  The  answer  to  the  national  boast  of 
the  Jews  lies  in  the  affirmation  of  the  true 
principle  of  freedom  (Verily,  verily.     Comp. 
w.  51,  58). 

Whosoever  (Every  one  that)  committeth 
sin]  "To  commit  sin"  (iroifiv  rffv  d/zap- 
Ttav)  is  not  simply  to  commit  single,  iso- 
lated, acts  of  sin,  but  to  live  a  life  of  sin 
(i  John  iii.  4,  8).  The  exact  contrast  is 
doing  the  Truth  (iii.  21;  i  John  i.  6)  on  one 
side  and  doing  righteousness  on  the  other 
(i  John  ii.  29,  iii.  7).  Sin  as  a  whole — 
complete  failure,  missing  of  the  mark,  in 
thought  and  deed — is  set  over  against  Truth 
and  Righteousness. 

the  servant}  "the  slave,"  "the  bond- 
servant" (SoGXos).  The  same  image  occurs 
in  St  Paul  (Rom.  vi.  17,  20). 

35.  The  transition  from  the  thought  of 
bondage  to  sin  to  that  of  freedom  through 
the  Son  is  compressed.     Bondage  to  sin   is 
the  general  type  of  a  false  relationship  to 
God.     He  who  is  essentially  a  bondman  can- 
not be  a  son  of  God.      Whatever  may  be 
his  outward  connexion  with  God  it  can  last 
only  for  a  time.     Permanent  union  with  God 
must  rest  upon  an  abiding  and  essential  foun- 
dation.   Even  the  history  of  Abraham  shewed 
this:    Ishmael  was  cast  out;    the  promises 
centred  in  Isaac.     Thus  there  is  a  two-fold 
change  in  thought,  (i)  from  bondage  to  sin 


to  the  idea  of  bondage,  and  (2)  from  the 
idea  of  sonship  (contrasted  with  the  idea  of 
bondage)  to  the  Son.  Comp.  Gal.  iv.  22  ff.  ; 
Rom.  vi.  1  6  ff. 

the  house']    Comp.   xiv.   a  ;    Hebr.    iii.    6 


but  the  Son...  ever]  the  Son  abideth  for 
ever. 

36.  This  general  principle,  illustrated  in 
the  origin  of  the  Jewish  people  by  the  parable 
of  Isaac  and  Ishmael,  has  one  absolute  ful- 
filment.     The  Son,   the  true   Son,   is    one. 
Through  Him  alone  —  in  Him,  in  fellowship 
with   Him  —  can  lasting  freedom  be  gained, 
seeing  that   He  alone  is  free,    and  abideth 
unchangeable  for  ever. 

If  the  Son  therefore']  The  Son  and  not 
the  Father  is  represented  as  giving  freedom, 
in  so  far  as  He  communicates  to  others  that 
which  is  His  own. 

free  indeed]  The  word  translated  indeed 
(o«Ta>r)  occurs  here  only  in  St  John.  It 
appears  to  express  reality  in  essence  from 
within,  as  distinguished  from  reality  as  seen 
and  known  (a\r)6£>s  v.  31,  i.  48,  iv.  42,  vi.  14, 
vii.  40).  The  conception  of  freedom  which 
is  given  in  this  whole  passage  presents  the 
principle  which  St  Paul  applied  to  the  special 
case  of  external  ordinances. 

37.  The  conception  of   freedom  having 
been  thus  illustrated,  the  Lord  goes  back  to 
the  claim  of  the  Jews,  and  admits  it  in  its 
historical  sense. 

I  know  that  ye  are  Abraham's  seed;  but...'] 
Outwardly  ye  are  sons;  but  in  fact  you 
seek  to  destroy  the  true  Son.  Your  concep- 
tions of  the  Father's  will  and  purpose  are 
so  fatally  wrong  that  they  place  you  —  how- 
ever little  the  final  issue  may  be  apparent  now 
—  in  deadly  hostility  to  me.  You  believe  me, 
but  you  would  make  me  fulfil  your  thoughts. 
When  you  find  that  this  cannot  be,  you  too 
will  see  the  murderous  spirit  revealed  in  you. 

The  ground  of  the  hostility  of  the 
Jews  was  the  fact  that  the  revelation  of 
Christ  (my  word)  made  no  way,  no  progress 
in  them.  It  had  in  some  sense  found  an 
entrance,  but  it  made  no  successful  progress 
in  their  hearts. 

hath  no  place"]  maketh  no  way  in  you, 
hath  not  free  course  in  you  (Ow  x^P*^ 
Vulg.  non  cafit).  The  sense  given  in  A.V. 


v. 


ST.  JOHN.   VIII. 


135 


38  I  speak  that  which  I  have  seen 
with   my   Father :    and   ye   do   that 
which  ye   have  seen  with  your  fa- 
ther. 

39  They  answered  and  said  unto 
him,  Abraham  is  our  father.     Jesus 
saith  unto  them,  If  ye  were  Abra- 


ham's children,  ye  would  do  the  works 
of  Abraham. 

40  But  now  ye  seek  to  kill  me, 
a  man  that  hath  told  you  the  truth, 
which  I  have  heard  of  God :  this  did 
not  Abraham. 

41  Ye  do  the  deeds  of  your  father. 


is  not  supported  by  ancient  authority ;  and 
the  idea  required  is  not  that  of  "  abiding,"  but 
of  growth  and  movement.  Comp.  Wisd.  vii. 
«3,  24- 

38.  And  yet  the  word  of  Christ  justly 
claimed  acceptance,  for  it  was  derived  from 
immediate  knowledge  of  God.  The  things 
which  I  («'y<") — I  myself  directly,  in  my 
own  Person — have  seen  with  (in  the  presence 
<if)  the  Father  I  speak.  Compare  iii.  n, 

32- 

/  have  seen]  The  perfect  revelation  through 
the  Son  rests  upon  perfect  and  direct 
knowledge.  He  speaks  to  men  in  virtue  of 
His  immediate  and  open  vision  of  God,  which 
no  man  could  bear  (i.  18).  The  appeal  to 
this  Vision  of  God  is  peculiar  to  St  John. 
Comp.  iii.  34,  vi.  46  (the  Father);  and  though 
man  naturally  is  unable  to  attain  to  the  sight 
of  God  (v.  37;  i  John  iv.  20),  yet  in  Christ 
the  believer  does  see  Him  now  (xiv.  7,  9. 
Comp.  iii.  n;  i  John  iii.  6;  3  John  IT), 
and  shall  see  Him  more  completely  (i  John 
iii.  a.  Comp.  Matt.  v.  8;  i  Cor.  xiii.  iz). 

and  ye  do  that  which  ye  have  seen  with 
your  father]  Or,  according  to  the  more  pro- 
bable muling,  the  things  which  ye  heard 
from...  The  verb  in  the  original  (jrowire) 
is  ambiguous.  It  may  be  imperative  do  je, 
or  indicative  ye  do.  If  it  be  taken  as  an 
imperative  the  sense  will  be:  and  do  ye 
therefore  the  things  which  ye  heard 
from  the  Father:  fulfil  in  very  deed  the 
message  which  you  have  received  from  God, 
and  in  which  you  make  your  boast.  If 
it  be  taken  as  an  indicative  "the  father" 
must  receive  opposite  interpretations  in  the 
two  clauses  (my  Father,  even  God,  and  your 
father,  even  the  devil:  rov  irarpos  is  to  be 
read  in  both  places).  The  sense  will  then  be : 
and  ye  therefore,  tragically  consistent,  do 
the  things  which  ye  heard  from  your 
father,  the  devil,  whose  spiritual  offspring 
ye  are.  This  thought  has  not  yet  been  dis- 
tinctly expressed,  and  in  v.  41  your  father 
is  distinctly  written  (rov  irarpos  vp&v,  not 
roil  irarpos),  but  on  the  other  hand  v.  39 
may  be  supposed  to  imply  a  special  refer- 
ence. 


father  —  the  one  head  of  our  whole  race  and 
of  none  other — is  Abraham,  whom  we  obey 
beyond  question."  If  it  be  taken  indicatively 
then  the  answer  is:  "What  is  this  covert 
reproach  as  to  our  obedience  to  our  father? 
There  can  be  no  doubt  as  to  whom  we  obey. 
Our  father  is  Abraham."  The  thought  is 
somewhat  different  from  that  in  the  words 
ewe  are  Abraham's  seed.  This  phrase  we 
are  Abraham's  seed  suggests  the  notion  of 
rightful  inheritance;  Abraham  is  our  father 
that  of  a  personal  relationship. 

If  ye  were  ...ye  (would  do  ...  Abraham] 
There  is  great  variety  of  reading  in  the  Greek 
texts  in  this  passage.  The  most  probable 
reading  gives  the  sense :  If  ye  are  children 
of  Abraham,  do  (iroifirf)  the  works  of 
Abraham.  Or  perhaps  it  may  be  rendered: 
Ifjrea.ro  children  of  Abraham,  ye  do  the 
works  of  Abraham,  a  supposition  which  is 
obviously  false.  The  emphasis  is  laid  upon 
the  community  of  nature  (children),  and  not 
upon  the  inheritance  of  privilege  (sons). 

For  the  use  of  children  see  i.  12,  xi.  52; 
i  John  iii.  i,  2,  10,  v.  2;  and  for  sons,  xii.  36 
(of  light);  xvii.  12  (of  destruction).  Com- 
pare also  Rom.  ix.  8,  and  viii.  15 — 17  taken 
in  connexion  with  Gal.  iv.  6  f. 

40.     But  now...']  As  things  really  are. 

a  man]  The  word  man  (avdpcowov)  stands 
in  contrast  with  of  God,  and  so  brings  out 
the  element  of  condescension  in  the  Lord's 
teaching  which  exposed  Him  to  the  hostility 
of  the  Jews ;  and  at  the  same  time  it  suggests 
the  idea  of  human  sympathy,  which  He  might 
claim  from  them  (a  man),  as  opposed  to  the 
murderous  spirit  of  the  power  of  evil.  The 
title  is  nowhere  else  used  by  the  Lord  of 
Himself.  Compare  Rom.  v.  15  ;  i  Tim.  ii.  5; 
Acts  ii.  22.  xvii.  31  (avrjp). 

the  truth,  which  I  have  heard  (which  I 
heard)]  Compare  v.  28  note. 

this  did  not  Abraham]  who  faithfully  obeyed 
each  word  of  God,  and  paid  honour  to  those 
who  spoke  in  His  name,  as  to  Melchizedek 
and  the  angels  (Gen.  xiv.,  xviii.).  In  the 
traditions  of  the  East,  Abraham,  "the  Friend," 
is  still  spoken  of  as  "full  of  loving-kind- 
ness." 


39       If  "do"  be  taken  imperatively  in         41.     Ye  do  the  deeds']     Te  are  doing  the 

•v.  38  the  connexion  is:   "Do  not  speak  to  works  (as  v.  38).    The  condemnation  stands 

us  of  some  general  relationship  of  the  Father,  in  a  solemn  isolation,  and  carries  the  thought 

and  raise  a  doubt  as  to  our  obedience:    our  back  to  v.  38:  Do  ye... va^^  ye  do... 


136 


ST.  JOHN.   VIII. 


[v.  42—44. 


Then  said  they  to  him,  We  be  not     God  ;  neither  came  I  of  myself,  but 
born  of  fornication  ;  we  have  one  Fa-     he  sent  me. 

43  Why  do  ye  not  understand  my 
speech  ?  even  because  ye  cannot  hear 
my  word. 

44  ^Ye  are  of  your  father  the  devil, 


ther,  even  God. 

42  Jesus  said  unto  them,  If  God 
were  your  Father,  ye  would  love  me  : 
for  I  proceeded  forth  and  came  from 


* 


Then  said  they...']  They  said...  The  line 
of  thought  seems  to  be  this.  You  admit,  the 
Jews  argue,  that  we  are  historically  descended 
from  Abraham  (v.  37),  but  you  deny  that 
we  are  spiritually  like  Abraham  (i>.  39).  You 
speak  of  another  father  whose  spiritual  seed 
we  are.  But  we  appeal  to  facts.  Just  as 
we  are  literally  Abraham's  true  seed,  so 
are  we  spiritually.  We,  with  a  proud  em- 
phasis, ive  be  (were)  not  born  of  fornication. 
We  do  not  owe  our  position  to  idolatrous 
desertion  of  Jehovah.  We  are  the  offspring 
of  the  union  of  God  with  His  chosen  people. 
Our  spiritual  descent  is  as  pure  as  our  his- 
torical descent. 

42.  The  answer  to  the  boast  lies  in  the 
natural  conditions  of  all  kinsmanship.  The 
true  children  of  God  in  virtue  of  their  nature 
can  always  recognise  Him  however  He  shews 
Himself.  The  Jews  by  their  misunderstanding 
destroyed  the  claim  which  they  set  up.  Cf. 
i  John  v.  i. 

for  I ...  sent  me~\  The  Person  and  the 
Work  of  the  Lord  were  both  evidences  of 
His  Sonship.  This  He  shews  by  placing 
His  mission  first  in  relation  to  His  divine 
nature,  and  then  in  relation  to  its  historic 
aspect.  In  the  first  clause  the  two  points, 
the  actual  mission  (I  came  forth,  (£fi\6ov), 
and  the  present  fulfilment  of  the  mission 
(I  am  come,  ^KW),  are  contemplated  in  their 
distinctness.  In  the  second  (have  I  come, 
f\rj\v6a\  they  are  brought  together,  so  that 
the  mission  is  regarded  in  its  fulfilment. 

proceeded  forth  and  came...~\  came  forth 
from  (i.e.  out  of)  God  and  am  come...  The 
first  phrase  (V*  TOV  &ov  c^Xdoc,  Vulg.  ex 
deo  processi)  is  most  remarkable,  and  occurs 
only  in  one  other  place,  xvi.  28,  where  the 
preposition  has  been  variously  disturbed, 
some  copies  reading  from  the  side  of  (napa), 
and  others  away  from  (OTTO),  but  here  there 
is  no  variation.  The  words  can  only  be  in- 
terpreted of  the  true  divinity  of  the  Son,  of 
which  the  Father  is  the  source  and  fountain. 
The  connexion  described  is  internal  and 
essential,  and  not  that  of  presence  or  external 
fellowship.  In  this  respect  the  phrase  must 
be  distinguished  from  "  came  forth  from " 
(tj-i\6t  1»  OTTO)  used  of  the  separation  involved 
in  the  Incarnation  under  one  aspect  (xiii.  3, 
xvi.  30);  and  also  from  "came  forth  from 
the  side  of"  (ti-f\6flv  irapa),  which  empha- 
sizes the  personal  fellowship  of  the  Father 
and  the  Son  (xvi.  27,  xvii.  8).  These  differ- 


ences of  thought  are  clearly  seen  in  xvi.  27, 
28,  30.  Augustine  expresses  the  idea  very 
well :  "Ab  illo  processit  ut  Deus,  ut  asqualis, 
ut  Filius  unicus,  ut  Verbum  Patris ;  et  venit 
ad  nos  quia  Verbum  caro  factum  est  ut 
habitaret  in  nobis.  Adventus  ejus,  humanitas 
ejus:  mansio  ejus,  divinitas  ejus:  divinitas 
ejus  quo  vivus,  humanitas  ejus  qua  vivus." 

and  came]  and  I  am  come  (^KG>).  Comp. 
i  John  v.  20.  In  this  word  the  stress  is  laid 
wholly  on  the  present. 

neither  came  /...]  for  neither  have  I 
come  (eXfJXutfa)...  Comp.  iii.  2,  19,  v.  43, 
vii.  28,  xii.  46,  xvi.  28,  xviii.  37.  Here  the 
present  is  connected  with  the  past  act  on 
which  it  rests.  The  deeper  meaning  of  the  first 
clause  explains  the  form  of  the  second.  My 
Being  is  inherently  divine  in  its  derivation  ;  and 
so  it  is  also  in  its  manifestation  to  the  world, 
for  neither — not  even — on  this  mission  of  in- 
finite love  have  I  come  of  myself. . .  This  act 
of  supreme  sacrifice  is  in  absolute  dependence 
on  the  Father's  will.  That  which  causes 
offence  to  you  is  done  in  obedience  to  Him. 

of  myself']     Comp.  v.  30,  note. 

43.  If  the  Jews  had  been  true  children  of 
God  they  would  have  recognised  His  Son. 
But  yet  more  than  this.    They  failed  not  only 
in  instinctive  feeling  towards  Christ,  but  also 
in  intellectual  apprehension  of  His  teaching. 
They  had  no  love  for  Him,  and  therefore  they 
had  no  understanding  of  His  Gospel.     They 
could  not  perceive  the  meaning  or  the  source 
of   His  speech,   in   which   little  by  little  He 
familiarly  set  forth  His  work  (comp.  iv.  42), 
because  they  could  not  grasp  the  purport  ot 
His  Word,  the  one  revelation  of  the  Incarnate 
Son  in  which  all  else  was  included. 

ye  cannot]  inasmuch  as  the  wilful  service 
of  another  power  hinders  you  (v.  44).  The 
fatal  obstacle  was  one  of  their  own  making. 
Comp.  vii.  7,  note. 

For  the  form  of  the  sentence  see  w.  46,  47. 

44.  Te~\     There  is  a  strong  emphasis  on 
the  pronoun  in  answer  to  the  <we,  v.  41,  Te 
so-called  children  of  Abraham,   children  of 
God,  are  of  your  father,  true  children  of  your 
true  father,  the  devil,  and  the  lusts  (desires)  of 
your  father  it   Is  your  will  to  do  (6e\fTf 
TToieti')  ;  you  deliberately  choose  as  your  own 
the  feelings,    passions,    ends,   which    belong 
to  him.     You  are,  so  to  speak,  his  voluntary 
organs ;  what  he  desires,  that  you  carry  out. 
A  strange  translation,  which  the  original  (« 
TOV  irarpos  TOV  fita/3.)  admits,  and  which  has 


v.  45—47-] 


ST.  JOHN.   VIII. 


137 


and  the  lusts  of  your  father  ye  will 
do.  He  was  a  murderer  from  the 
beginning,  and  abode  not  in  the  truth, 
because  there  is  no  truth  in  him. 
When  he  speaketh  a  lie,  he  speaketh 
of  his  own  :  for  he  is  a  liar,  and  the 
father  of  it. 


45  And  because  I  tell  you  the  truth, 
ye  believe  me  not. 

46  Which  of  you  convinceth  me 
of  sin  ?    And  if  I  say  the  truth,  why 
do  ye  not  believe  me  ? 

47  h  He    that    is    of   God    hear-  * 
eth  God's  words  :  ye  therefore  hear 


John 


been  put  forward  by  a  few  recent  critics,  found 
some  support  in  early  times,  and  is  adopted  by 
Macarius  Magnes  without  remark  (n.  c.  21): 
"ye  are  of  the  father  of  the  devil;"  as  if 
the  Jews  and  the  devil  were  alike  the  offspring 
of  another  spiritual  progenitor.  According  to 
this  view  the  Jews  are  said  to  be  murderers 
and  liars  like  the  devil,  who  followed  the 
pattern  of  his  (and  their)  father.  But  the 
interpretation  finds  no  support  elsewhere  in 
Scripture. 

are  of]  draw  your  being  from,  and  so  re- 
produce in  your  character.  Comp.  iii.  31, 
viii.  23,  47,  xv.  19,  xvii.  14,  16,  xviii.  36,  37 ; 
i  John  ii.  1 6,  iii.  8,  10,  12,  iv.  i  ff.,  v.  19. 

the  devil'}  xiii.  a;  i  John  iii.  8, 10;  Rev.  xii.g. 

He  was  a  murderer  from  the  beginning] 
When  creation  was  complete  he  brought  death 
upon  the  race  of  men  by  his  falsehood  (Rom. 
v.  iz).  For  even  before  he  had  fallen  through 
want  of  truth.  He  stood  not  in  the  truth 
(tv  TV  dX.) — the  divine  Sum  of  all  truth — 
because  there  is  no  truth  (OI!K  t<mv  aX.) — no 
fragmentary  truth  which  has  affinity  with  the 
Truth — In  him. 

The  reference  appears  to  be  to  the  Fall  and 
not  to  the  death  of  Abel  (i  John  iii.  12). 
The  death  of  Abel  was  only  one  manifestation 
of  the  ruin  wrought  by  selfishness  (see  i  John 
iii.  8  ff.).  Comp.  Wisd.  ii.  24- 

and  abode  not...']  and  stood  not...  See 
Additional  Note. 

When  he  speaketh  a  lie...']  Whenever  he 
(the  devil)  speaketh  a  lie  (TO  t^fGSor,  the 
falsehood  as  opposed  to  the  Truth  as  a  whole, 
comp.  v.  38),  he  speaketh  of  his  own;  his 
utterances  are  purely  selfish,  he  draws  them 
simply  from  within  himself  (contrast  v.  42 ; 
a  Cor.  iii.  5),  for  (because)  he  is  a  liar,  and 
the  father  of  it. 

of  it~\  The  original  (avVoC)  may  be  mas- 
culine, of  him,  i.e.  the  liar;  or  neuter,  of  it, 
i.e.  the  lie.  Comp.  Orig.  'in  Job.  T.'  vi.  3, 
o  irarr/p  aurrjr  (the  truth). 

It  is  however  most  probable  that  this  very 
difficult  sentence  should  be  translated  quite 
differently:  Whenever  a  man  speaketh  a 
lie,  he  speaketh  of  his  own,  for  his 
father  also  is  a  liar.  A  man,  that  is,  by 
lying  reveals  his  parentage  and  acts  conform- 
ably with  it.  The  omission  of  the  subject 
with  the  verb  is  certainly  harsh  (orav  XaXjj), 
but  scarcely  more  so  than  the  other  render- 
ings of  the  pronoun  (aCrov). 


45.  And  because... ,]   But  because...     If  I 
had  spoken  falsehood,  such  is  the  argument, 
you   would    have  recognised   that  which   is 
kindred  to  yourselves,  but...     The  final  op- 
position between  Christ  and  the  devil  lies  in 
the  opposition  of  Truth  to  Falsehood.     And 
this  opposition  repeats  itself  in  the  children  of 
the  two  spiritual  heads.     There  must  be  that 
which  is  akin  to  Truth  in  us,  if  we  are  to 
believe  Truth.     If  our  souls  are  given  up  to 
a  lie  we  cannot  believe  the  truth  addressed  to 
us.     The  contrast  between  /  and  ye  is  made 
as  sharp  as  possible.    "  But  as  for  me,  because 
I  tell  you...(«'yw  8(  on)-" 

46.  Falsehood  in  action  is  sin.    Falsehood 
within  must  shew  itself.     From  words  then 
the  appeal  is  made  to  acts.     Which  of  you 
convinceth  (convict eth)  me  of  sin?     Who. 
that  is,  arraigneth  me  on  a  just  charge  of  sin  ? 
The  word  sin  (d/iapn'a)  is  not  to  be  taken 
for  error  or  falsehood,  but  for  "sin"  gene- 
rally, according  to  the  uniform  usage  of  the 
New  Testament,  and  here  probably,  from  the 
connexion,  as  measured  by  the  Law.     The 
words  suggest  but  they  do  not  prove  the  sin- 
lessness  of  Christ.     The  appeal  is  to  a  human 
standard,  yet  such  an  appeal    on    such  an 
occasion  carries  far  more  with  it. 

convinceth]  convlcteth.  Compare  xvi.  8, 
note. 

And  if  I  say  the  truth...']  If  I  say  truth, 
that  which  is  true :  truth,  and  not  the  Truth, 
the  part  and  not  the  whole  revelation.  The 
absence  of  sin  includes  necessarily  the  absence 
of  falsehood.  Hence  the  Lord  takes  it  as 
proved  that  His  words  are  true. 

47.  We  must  suppose  a  pause  after  463, 
and  again  after  46b.    Then  follows  the  final 
sentence.     The  true  child  of  God  alone  can 
hear  the  words   (ra  wnora),  each  separate 
message,  of  God.     For  this  reason,  because 
the  power  of  hearing  (v.  43)  depended  on  in- 
ward affinity,  the  Jews  could  not  hear,  be- 
cause they  were  not  of  God.     Comp.  xviii. 
37,  vii.  17,  xii.  48  f.,  xiv.  23,  note;  i  John 
iv.  6. 

He  that  is  of  God]  the  true  child  of  God, 

who  draws  his  life  and  support  from  Him. 

Comp.  (i.  13),  »»•  3*.  viii.  23,  xv.  19,  xvii. 

14,  xviii.  36,  37;  i  John  ii.  16,  iii.  10,  (12), 

iv.  i  ff.,  v.  19. 

ye  therefore... because..."]  for  this  cause  ye 
.because.    This  combination  in  St  J  ohn  com- 


ST.  JOHN.   VIII. 


[v.  48—51. 


them    not,    because    ye    are    not 
God. 

48  Then  answered  the  Jews,  and 
said  unto  him,  Say  we  not  well  that 
thou  art  a  Samaritan,  and  hast  a  devil  ? 

49  Jesus  answered,  I  have  not  a 


of    devil ;  but  I  honour  my  Father,  and 
ye  do  dishonour  me. 

50  And   I    seek   not   mine   own 
glory  :  there  is  one  that  seeketh  and 
judgeth. 

51  Verily,  verily,  I  say  unto  you, 


monly  refers  back  to  a  former  principle,  which 
is  exemplified  at  the  time  in  the  immediate 
circumstances.  Comp.  v.  16,  18,  x.  17,  xii. 
J8,  39  ;  i  John  iii.  i. 

ye  are  not  ofGod~]  The  whole  scope  of  the 
argument  proves  that  this  state  does  not  ex- 
clude true  moral  responsibility.  Comp.  i  John 
iii.  7  ff. 

48.  Then  answered  the  Jews..."]  The  Jews 
answered...     The  key- word  (the  Jews)  is  in- 
troduced again  in  this  new  phase  of  the  argu- 
ment. 

Say  ive  not  iveil...?']  The  form  of  expres- 
sion shews  that  the  reproach  was  a  current 
one ;  so  that  a  glimpse  is  here  offered  of  the 
common  judgment  on  Christ.  He  was  in  the 
eye  of  "the  Jews"  a  Samaritan,  a  bitter  foe 
of  their  nationality,  and  withal  a  breaker  of 
the  Law,  and  a  frantic  enthusiast,  who  was 
not  master  of  his  own  thoughts  and  words. 
Thus  the  Jews  turned  back  upon  Christ  both 
the  charges  which  He  had  brought  against 
them,  that  they  were  not  legitimate  children 
of  Abraham,  and  that  they  were  of  the  devil 
as  their  spiritual  father.  The  pronoun  is 
emphatic  (ov  K.  X.  »?/«»s) :  "Are  not  we  at  last 
right...?" 

thou  art  a  Samaritan]  There  is  bitter 
irony  in  the  original  words,  from  the  position 
of  the  pronoun  at  the  end  of  the  clause,  which 
it  is  difficult  to  reproduce.  "Thou  that 
boastest  great  things  of  a  kingdom  and  a  ful- 
filment of  the  Law,  after  all  art  but  a  Sama- 
ritan." 

hast  a  devil  (demon)]  Comp.  vii.  20, 
x.  20  f. 

49.  The  contrast  is  between  the  persons 
/  and  you.     "/  (t'yoi),  even   in  these  bold 
mysterious    utterances    which    move     your 
wonder,  have  not  a  demon,  but  speak  only 
words  of  soberness,  which  I  must  speak  that 
I  may  thereby  fulfil  my  mission.    By  so  doing 
/  honour  my  Father,  and  am  no  Samaritan  ; 
and  ye  are  unable  to  see  the  Father  in  the  Son, 
and  therefore^  (O/ieli)  do  dishonour  me." 

The  Lord  leaves  unnoticed  the  first  epithet 
of  reproach  (thou  art  a  Samaritan).  He  would 
not  recognise  the  meaning  which  they  attached 
to  a  difference  of  race. 

50.  And...']     But  when  I  speak  of  dis- 
honour it  is  not  that  I  shrink  from  it :  /  seek 
not  mine  own  glory ;  that  quest  is  not  my  part, 
but  belongs  to  another;  and  there  is  one  that 
seeketh  and  judgeth — that  seeketh  and  in  the 


very  act  of  seeking  judgeth.  For  he  who  has 
failed  in  giving  to  me  what  is  due  is  thereby 
condemned  ;  and  the  will  of  the  Father  is  that 
all  men  should  honour  the  Son  even  as  they 
honour  the  Father  (v.  23). 

there  is~]  V.  45,  v.  54. 

that...  judgeth]  The  phrase  is  superficially 
opposed  to  v.  22.  But  the  thought  here  is  ot 
the  divine  law  which  is  self-executing  in  the 
very  nature  of  things. 

seeketh]  Philo,  in  a  paraphrase  of  Gen.  xlii. 
22,  his  blood  is  required  (LXX.  e  /cfj/relrai)  , 
writes:  "  He  that  requireth  (o  (J]TO>V,  he  that 
seeketh)  is  not  man  but  God,  or  the  Word,  or 
the  divine  Law"  ('de  Jos.'  29,  II.  p.  66). 

51.  Verily,  verily]  These  words  (as  al- 
ways) introduce  a  new  turn  of  thought.  The 
claims  of  the  Jews  based  upon  their  historical 
descent  and  their  spiritual  sonship  have  been 
met  and  set  aside  ;  and  the  Lord  now  returns 
to  the  declaration  of  w.  31  f.,  but  with  this 
difference,  that  what  was  then  regarded  in  rela- 
tion to  state  is  now  regarded  in  relation  to 
action.  For  "  abiding  in  the  word  ''  we  have 
"  keeping  the  word,"  and  for  "  freedom  ''  we 
have  "victory  over  death." 

keep  my  saying]  keep  my  word,  "doctrinam 
credendo,  promissa  sperando,  facienda  obe- 
diendo,"  Bengel.  The  original  term  for 
"  keep"  (rjjptti/)  is  characteristic  of  St  John. 
It  expresses  rather  the  idea  of  intent  watching 
than  of  safe  guarding  (0iiXao-(r«tv).  The  op- 
posite to  "keeping  (rr^pdv)  the  word"  in  this 
form  would  be  to  disregard  it  ;  the  opposite 
to  "keeping  ($v\curotiv)  the  word"  in  the 
other  form  would  be  to  let  it  slip.  "  Keeping 
the  word  "  of  Christ  is  also  to  be  distinguished 
from  "keeping  His  commandments"  (i  John 
ii.  3,  5)  ;  the  former  marks  the  observance  of 
the  whole  revelation  in  its  organic  complete- 
ness, and  the  latter  the  observance  of  definite 
precepts. 

see  death]  The  exact  phrase  (Qtutpdv  dava- 
TOV)  is  not  found  elsewhere  in  New  Testa- 
ment. Comp.  iii.  36  (3^.  fcoiji/)  ;  Luke  ii.  26; 
Hebr.  xi.  5  (^17  iddv  #ai>.)  ;  Acts  ii.  27,  31, 
xiii.  35  ff.  (ciSe  SiafyOopdv)  ;  Rev.  xviii.  7 


The  "  sight  "  described  here  is  that  of  long, 
steady,  exhaustive  vision,  whereby  we  become 
slowly  acquainted  with  the  nature  of  the 
object  to  which  it  is  directed.  The  words 
must  be  compared  with  Gen.  ii.  17.  There 
is  that  in  the  believer  which  never  dies,  even 
though  he  seems  to  die;  and  conversely,  Adam 


52—55-] 


ST.  JOHN.  VIII. 


If  a  man  keep  my  saying,  he  shall 
never  see  death. 

52  Then  said  the  Jews  unto  him, 
Now   we    know    that   thou   hast   a 
devil.    Abraham  is  dead,  and  the  pro- 
phets j    and    thou   sayest,   If  a  man 
keep  my  saying,  he  shall  never  taste 
of  death. 

53  Art  thou  greater  than  our  fa- 
ther   Abraham,  which  is  dead  ?  and 


the  prophets  are  dead  :  whom  makest 
thou  thyself? 

54  Jesus  answered,   If  I  honour 
myself,  my  honour  is  nothing :  it  is 
my  Father   that   honoured!   me ;   of 
whom     ye    say,    that    he     is    your 
God: 

55  Yet  ye  have  not  known  him; 
but  I  know  him :  and  if  I  should  say, 
I  know  him  not,  I  shall  be  a  liar  like 


died  at  the  moment  of  his  disobedience,  though 
he  seemed  still  to  live.     Comp.  xi.  26,  vi.  50. 

death']  Just  as  "life"  in  St  John  is  present, 
or  rather  eternal  (xvii.  3),  so  "death"  is  not 
an  event  but  a  state,  that  selfish  isolation  which 
is  the  negation  of  life.  Comp.  xi.  25  f.,  vi. 
50,  v.  24  ;  i  John  iii.  14. 

52.  Then   said  the  Jews..."]     The   Jews 
said...     The  name  is  repeated  here  as  in  v.  48 
at  the  beginning  of  the  answer  to  the  new 
self-revelation. 

<we  know]  The  direct  statement,  made  in 
apparent  good  faith,  and  yet  (as  the  hearers 
thought)  obviously  and  flagrantly  false,  could 
only  be  explained  on  the  supposition  of  evil 
possession. 

Abraham... death~\  God  had  spoken  to 
Abraham  and  to  the  prophets,  and  they  had 
kept  His  word  and  yet  died,  who  then  was 
this  with  a  word  more  powerful  ?  For  the 
objection  is  intensified  by  the  fact  that  the 
Lord  did  not  simply  claim  life  for  Himself, 
but,  what  was  far  more,  claimed  to  communi- 
cate eternal  life. 

is  dead]  died.  The  argument  rests  upon 
the  simple  historic  fact. 

taste  of  death]  The  inaccuracy  of  quota- 
tion is  significant.  The  believer,  even  as 
Christ  (Hebr.  ii.  9),  does  "taste  of  death," 
though  he  does  not  "see"  it  in  the  full  sense 
of  -v.  51. 

The  phrase  (comp.  Matt.  xvi.  28  and  paral- 
lels) is  not  found  in  the  Old  Testament,  but 
is  common  in  Rabbinic  writers  (see  Buxtorf, 
4  Lex.'  s.  v.  Dyt3),  and  seems  to  come  from 
the  image  of  the  "cup"  of  suffering:  ch.  xviii. 
ii ;  Rev.  xviii.  6,  xiv.  10,  xvi.  19 ;  Matt.  xx. 
22  f.  parallels,  xxvi.  39  parallels.  The  "cup 
of  death"  is  an  Arabian  image.  Comp. 
Gesen.  '  Thes.'  s.  v.  DID. 

53.  Art  tbou~\  the  Galilean,  the  Nazarene. 
Comp.  iv.  12. 

<wbicb  is  dead*.,  are  dead]  More  exactly, 
seeing  that  he  (ocrrtr)  died,  and  the  pro- 
phets died.  For  the  use  of  the  relative  see 
Col.  iii.  5  ;  Phil.  iv.  3;  Eph.  iii.  13  ;  Hebr.  x. 
35  ;  i  John  i.  a. 

whom  makest  thou  thyself?]  Comp.  v.  18, 
x.  33,  xix.  7,  12 ;  i  John  i.  10. 

54  f.    The  Lord  prefaces  His  answer  as  to 


the  relative  dignity  of  Abraham  and  Himself 
by  a  revelation  of  the  principle  in  obedience  to 
which  the  answer  is  given.  It  does  not  come 
from  any  personal  striving  after  glory,  but  in 
obedience  to  the  will  of  the  Fatl  er  which  the 
Son  knows  absolutely  and  obeys.  The  Son 
"  makes  Himself"  to  be  nothing  :  He  is,  and 
He  declares  Himself  to  be  that  which  the 
Father,  so  to  speak,  makes  Him. 

If  I  honour  myself  my  honour...]  If  I,  I  in 
obedience  to  my  own  impulse,  glorify  my- 
self my  glory...  Comp.  v.  31. 

it  is  my  Father  that  honour eth  me]  there  is 
my  Father  that  glorifieth  me.  I  glorify 
not  myself,  nor  need  I  to  do  it ;  there  is  one 
that  glorifieth  me...  The  construction  is  ex- 
actly parallel  with  v.  50. 

your  God]  as  claiming  an  exclusive  con- 
nexion with  Him. 

55.  Yet  ye  have  not  known   him]    And, 
while   you   make  this  claim   (comp.   v.   20, 
note),  ye  have  not  come  to  know  him 
(ov\  tyvumaTt)  by  the  teaching  of  the  Law 
and  of  the  Prophets,  and  now  of  the  Son  Him- 
self, but  I  know  (otda)  Him,  essentially ;  and 
if  I   should  dissemble  my  knowledge,  if  1 
should  withhold  the  message   which  I  have 
to  give,  if  I  should  say  I  know  Him  not,  I  shall 
be  like  unto  you,  a  liar. 

I  know  him]  Comp.  vii.  29.  For  the  dif- 
ference between  progressive  and  absolute 
knowledge  see  iii.  10  f.  The  special  ignorance 
of  these  Jews  stands  in  contrast  with  the 
knowledge  which  was  characteristic  of  the 
nation:  iv.  22. 

a  liar]  for  to  hide  the  truth  is  no  less 
falsehood  than  to  spread  error.  Compare 
i  John  ii.  4,  22,  iv.  20,  v.  10. 

but...']  even  in  this  crisis  of  separation, 
when  my  words  will  be  misunderstood  and 
so  widen  the  breach  between  us  (cf.  v.  26),  I 
proclaim  the  knowledge  which  I  have  and 
fulfil  my  mission  by  keeping  His  word. 

and  keep  his  saying  (word)]  The  relation 
of  the  Son  to  the  Father  is  attested  by  the 
same  active  devotion  as  the  relation  of  the 
believer  to  Christ  (v.  51).  Comp.  xv.  10. 

56.  This  then  is  the  answer.    There  is  no 
such  comparison  as  you  dream  of  between 
A  brahain  and  me.     Abraham  your  father,  the 


140 


ST.  JOHN.    VIII. 


56—59. 


unto  you :  but  I  know  him,  and  keep 
his  saying. 

56  Your  father  Abraham  rejoiced 
to  see  my  day:   and  he  saw  /'/,  and 
was  glad. 

57  Then  said  the  Jews  unto  him, 
Thou  art  not  yet  fifty  years  old,  and 
hast  thou  seen  Abraham  ? 


58  Jesus  said  unto  them,  Verily, 
verily,  I  say  unto  you,  Before  Abra- 
ham was,  I  am. 

59  Then  took  they  up  stones  to 
cast  at  him  :  but  Jesus  hid  himself, 
and  went  out  of  the  temple,   going 
through  the  midst  of  them,   and   so 
passed  by. 


father  whom  you  delight  to  name  (v.  53)  and 
in  whom  you  trust  (v.  39),  rejoiced  with  the 
joy  of  exultation  in  his  eager  desire,  in  his 
confident  hope,  to  see  my  day,  and  he  saw  it 
and  was  glad.  I  am  He  for  whom  he  looked 
as  the  fulfilment  of  all  that  was  promised  to 
him ;  and  you,  who  profess  to  be  his  children, 
pretend  that  I  do  him  dishonour  in  claiming: 
power  which  he  could  not  have. 

rejoiced  (»;'yaXXtacraTO,  exulte^)  to  see} 
The  peculiar  construction  (H/O.  48/7,  Vulg.  ut 
'videref)  may  be  explained  by  consi4ering  that 
the  joy  of  Abraham  lay  in  the  effort  to  see 
that  which  was  foreshadowed.  It  lay  not  in 
the  fact  that  he  saw,  nor  was  it  in  order  to  see ; 
but  partial  vision  moved  him  with  the  con- 
fident desire  to  gain  a  fuller  sight.  Winer's 
translation  ('  Gramm.'  §  xciv.  8,  c)  "that  he 
should  see  "  obscures  this,  sense. 

my  day]  That  is  probably  the  historic 
manifestation  of  the  Christ  (comp.  Luke  xvii. 
22)  without  any  special  reference  to  any  par- 
ticular point  in  it  as  the  Passion.  It  may  be 
however  that  the  historic  work  of  Christ  is 
regarded  in  its  consummation  in  the  day  which 
is  spoken  of  emphatically  as  "  that  day,"  "  the 
day  of  the  Son  of  man"  (Luke  xvii.  30),  "  the 
day  of  Christ"  (Phil.  i.  6,  10,  ii.  16). 

be  saw  it]  The  reference  cannot  be  to  any 
present  vision  in  Paradise  (comp.  Hebr.  xi.  13). 
The  tense  of  the  original  is  decisive  against 
this  view.  All  conjecture  must  be  uncertain, 
but  there  is  nothing  unnatural  in  the  supposi- 
tion that  the  faith  shewn  in  the  offering  up  of 
Isaac  may  have  been  followed  by  some  deeper, 
if  transient,  insight  into  the  full  meaning  of 
the  promises  then  renewed.  Such  faith  was 
in  itself,  in  one  sense,  a  vision  of  the  day  of 
Messiah. 

According  to  the  Jewish  tradition  ('Bere- 
shith  R.*44  Wtlnsche)  Abraham  saw  the  whole 
history  of  his  descendants  in  the  mysterious 
vision  recorded  in  Gen.  xv.  8  ff.  Thus  he  is 
said  to  have  "  rejoiced  with  the  joy  of  the 
Law." 

57.  Then  said  the  Jews...']  The  Jews 
therefore  said...,  still  persisting  in  the  literal 
interpretation  of  the  words. 


fifty  years  old]  This  age  was  the  crisis  of 
completed  manhood  (Num.  iv.  3).  There  was 
an  early  tradition  (probably  based  on  this 
passage)  that  Christ  was  about  50  years  old  at 
the  Passion  (Iren.  'Adv.  Hser.'  n.  22.  5  f.). 
This  opinion  was  said  to  be  derived  from  St 
John.  However  strange  it  may  appear,  some 
such  a  view  is  not  inconsistent  with  the  only 
fixed  historic  dates  which  we  have  with  regard 
to  the  Lord's  life,  the  date  of  His  birth,  His 
Baptism,  and  the  banishment  of  Pilate. 

hast  thou  seen...]  The  language  of  the 
Lord  is  again  (v.  52)  misquoted ;  and  on  this 
occasion  the  misquotation  completely  mis- 
represents the  thought. 

58.  There  can  be  no  doubt  as  to  the 
meaning  of  the  final  answer  which  follows  as 
a  natural  dimax  to  what  had  been  said  before. 
Abraham  died  :  Christ  was  the  Giver  of  life. 
Abraham  was  the  father  of  the  Jews :  Christ 
was  the  centre  of  Abraham's  hope.    Abraham 
came  into  being  as  a  man  :  Christ  is  essentially 
as  God.     And  this  closing  revelation  is  pre- 
faced by  the  solemn  words  which  fix  attention 
upon  its  substance.     Verily,  verify,  I  say  unto 
yo«?  Before  Abraham  was — was  born,  came  to 
be — /  am  (jrpiv  'A.  ytveo-Oai  tyta  ct/u,  Vulg. 
antequam fieret  Abraham  ego  sum). 

I  am]  The  phrase  marks  a  timeless  exist- 
ence. In  this  connexion  "I  was"  would 
have  expressed  simple  priority.  Thus  there  is 
in  the  phrase  the  contrast  between  the  created 
and  the  uncreated,  and  the  temporal  and  the 
eternal.  At  the  same  time  the  ground  of  the 
assurance  in  -v.  51  is  made  known.  The 
believer  lives  because  Christ  lives,  and  lives 
with  an  absolute  life  (comp.  xiv.  19). 

59.  "Then   took   they  up...]     They   took   up 
therefore...,  as  understanding  rightly  the 
claim  which  was  advanced  in  the  last  words. 
If  the  sentence  had  been  a  simple  affirmation 
of  the  claim  to  Messiahship,  it  would  have 
been  welcomed.     Comp.  x.  24.     But  it  was 
the  affirmation  of  a  new    interpretation  of 
Messiah's  nature  and  work.     Comp.  x.  30  f. 

going  through... passed  by]  This  clause  must 
be  omitted  in  accordance  with  a  combination 
of  the  best  authorities. 


ST.  JOHN.   VIII. 

ADDITIONAL  NOTES  on  CHAP.  vn.  53-viii.  n  and  CHAP.  vm.  25,  44. 

17).  And  Augustine  suggests  that  the  pas- 
sage was  removed  from  the  [Latin]  text  by 
"some  who  were  of  slight  faith,  or  rather 
hostile  to  the  true  faith,"  to  avoid  scandal  ('  De 
Conj.  Adult.'  II.  7).  Several  scholia  which 
notice  its  omission  remark  that  it  was  found 
in  "  ancient "  or  " most  ancient"  copies. 

2.  It  is  found  in  most  Latin  copies,  be,  £c., 
Vulg. ;    in    the    Jerusalem    Syriac ;    in    the 
Althiopic,  and  in  some  later  versions. 

3.  It  was  read  as  part  of  the  Gospel  by 
Augustine,  Ambrose,  and  many  later  Latin 
Fathers ;  and  it  is  quoted  in  the  Apostolical 
Constitutions  (n.  24). 

4.  It  is  found  in  the  Calendar  of  Lessons  in 
K  (ninth  cent.)  ;  and  it  has  been  read  in  the 
Greek  Church,  partially  but  not  universally, 
at  the  Festivals  of  several  saints  from  a  date 
earlier  than  tjie  eighth  century.     It  was  also 
read  in  the  service  at  Rome  in  the  time  of 
Gregory  the  Great. 

On  this  evidence  several  observations  offer 
themselves. 

1.  The  text  of  D  is  conspicuous  for  addi- 
tions similar  in  character  to  this  narrative, 
though  less  in  extent  (e.g.  Luke  vi.  5) ;  and 
some  of  these  (e.g.  Matt.  xx.  28)  obtained  a 
wide  currency,  though  they  cannot  be  con- 
sidered to  be  a  part  of  the  authentic  evangelic 
text. 

2.  The  statement  of  Jerome  is,  of  course, 
beyond  question  ;  but  even  he  implies  that  the 
majority  of  copies  was  on  the  other  side ;  and 
it  is  clear  from  other  similar  statements  that 
he  did  not  speak  on  critical  questions  after  a 
very  large  examination  of  authorities.     The 
general  assertions  of  late  MSS.  as  to  "the 
ancient  copies"  are  neutralised  by  opposite 
assertions  in  other  MSS. 

3.  The  early   Latin  copies  are  just  those 
which  admitted  interpolations  most  freely  (e.g. 
Matt.  xx.  28)  ;  and  it  is  easily  intelligible  that 
if  Jerome  found  any  Gjreek  authority  for  the 
narrative  he  would  not  remove  the  history 
from  the  text.    The  fact  therefore  that  he  left 
it  in  the  Latin  text  (he  did  not  insert  it)  proves 
no  more  than  that  he  did  not  feel  bound  to 
expunge  it. 

The  Jerusalem  Syriac  is  a  lectionary,  and 
though  it  abounds  in  very  ancient  readings, 
the  MS.  is  not  earlier  than  the  eleventh  century. 

4.  The  date  of  the  present  text  of  the 
Apostolic  Constitutions  is  too  uncertain  to 
admit  of  the  conclusion  being  drawn  that 
the  narrative  was  found  by  the  writer  in  the 
Greek  text  of  St  John  in  the  third  century. 
He  may  have  quoted  the  narrative  (e.g.)  from 
St  Luke  or  from  tradition.     It  is  however  not 
improbable  that  the  narrative  may  have  found 
a  place  in  some  Greek  texts  of  the  Gospel  in 
the  third  century,  though  there  is  no  direct 
evidence  of  the  fact. 

5.  The  evidence  of  the  liturgical  use  of  the 


141 


vn.  53 — vin.  ii. 

External  and  internal  evidence  combine  to 
shew  beyond  all  reasonable  doubt  that  this 
remarkable  narrative  is  not  a  genuine  portion 
of  the  Gospel  of  St  John. 

A.    EXTERNAL  EVIDENCE. 

The  external  evidence  against  its  genuine- 
ness may  be  briefly  summed  up : 

1.  It  is  omitted  by  all   the  oldest  Greek 
MSS.  with  one  exception,  and  by  a  consider- 
able number  of  those  later  MSS.  which  gene- 
rally give  a  very  ancient  text :  K[A]B[C]LT 
XA>  33.  I3i,   IJ7»  ipe,  &c.     [A  and  C  are 
defective,  but  it  is  certain  that  they  did  not 
contain  the  passage  from  an  estimate  of  the 
contents  of  the  missing  pages ;  L  (eighth  cent.) 
and  A  (ninth  cent.)  indicate  a  knowledge  of 
the  existence  of   the  narrative,   which  was 
evidently  not  found  in  their  archetypes,  by 
leaving  a  small  gap.] 

2.  The  passage  is  marked  by  asterisks  or 
obeli  in  many  MSS.  which  contain  it.  Euthy- 
mius  Zigabenus  [more  correctly,  Zygadenus, 
fin8],  the  earliest  Greek  commentator  who 
writes  upon  it,  observes  that  it  is  not  found 
in   "the  accurate  copies"  or   is  obelized  in 
them,  and  that  therefore  it  is  not  to  be  ac- 
counted genuine. 

3.  It  is  inserted  in  other  places: 

(a)  At  the  end  of  the  Gospel  by  i  and 

about  ten  other  MSS. 
(V)  After  vii.  36  by  225. 
(c)  After  Luke  xxi.  by  69  and  three  other 

MSS. 

4.  It  is  omitted  by  important  Latin  copies 
af,  &c.,  by  the  Egyptian  versions,  by  the.  Old 
Syriac  (the  Berlin  fragment),  by  the  Gothic 
version,  and  by  the  best  MSS.  of  the  Peshito 
and  of  the  Armenian  versions. 

5.  It  was  certainly  not  read  as  a  part  of  the 
Gospel  by  Tertullian,  Origen,  Theodore  of 
Mopsuestia,  Chrysostom,  Cyril  of  Alexandria; 
nor  is  there  any  evidence  that  it  was  known 
by  Cyprian  or  Hilary. 

6.  The  earliest   Greek  text   (that  in   D) 
differs  very  considerably  from  the  common 
text ;   and  the  variations  in  the  section  gene- 
rally are  far  more  considerable  than  in  portions 
of  the  authentic  text  of  St  John. 

In  other  words,  it  is  omitted  by  the  oldest 
representatives  of  every  kind  of  evidence 
(MSS.,  versions,  fathers);  and  the  critical 
character  of  the  text  is  such  as  to  distinguish 
it  from  the  rest  of  the  book  with  which  it  is 
connected. 

On  the  other  hand, 

i.  It  is  found  in  D  and  in  the  mass  of  the 
later  uncial  and  cursive  manuscripts. 

Jerome  mentions  that  it  was  found  in  his 
time  "  in  many  Greek  and  Latin  MSS.  in  the 
Gospel  according  to  John  "  ('  adv.  Pelag.'  n. 


ST.  JOHN.   VIII. 


passage  does  not  carry  its  existence  as  a  part 
of  the  Gospel  beyond  the  date  given  by  direct 
documentary  evidence. 

6.  Augustine's  assertion  as  to  the  removal 
of  the  passage  from  the  text  of  St  John,  on 
prudential  grounds,  which  has  been  maintained 
by  the  modern  scholars  who  defend  the 
genuineness  of  the  passage,  is  wholly  at  vari- 
ance with  the  cardinal  facts  of  the  history 
of  the  text  of  the  New  Testament.  Wilful 
corruptions  of  the  apostolic  writings,  however 
recklessly  they  were  imputed  in  controversy,  are 
happily  in  fact  all  but  unknown.  Changes, 
and  even  such  a  change  as  the  insertion  of  this 
passage,  can  be  accounted  for  without  recourse 
to  the  assumption  of  dishonesty. 

Thus  the  only  natural  explanation  of  the 
unquestioned  facts  is  that  the  narrative  was 
current  in  the  third  century  in  a  Greek  but 
not  in  a  Latin  text,  though  over  a  narrow 
range;  that  towards  the  end  of  the  fourth 
century  it  was  introduced  in  various  places, 
but  particularly  where  it  now  stands,  and  was 
thence  taken  into  the  Latin  texts ;  that  from 
the  sixth  century  onwards  it  was  found  more 
and  more  frequently  in  the  Gonstantinopolitan 
texts  and  all  but  universally  in  the  Latin  texts, 
and  in  the  course  of  time  was  partially  intro- 
duced into  other  versions. 

B.    INTERNAL  EVIDENCE. 

The  internal  evidence  leads  forcibly  to  the 
same  conclusion. 

i.  The  language  of  the  narrative  is  different 
from  that  of  St  John  both  in  vocabulary  dnd 
in  structure. 

Thus  St  John  nowhere  uses  the  terms  TO 
opos  TWV  i\ai&v,  ol  ypa^aTfif,  Karaicpti/d), 
which  are  found  in  all  the  Synoptists ;  nor 
again,  iras  6  Xow,  which  is  common  in  St 
Luke,  while  Xaoj  occurs  in  St  John  only  in  a 
special  sense  in  xi.  50,  xviii.  14 ;  nor  opdpov 
(St  Luke),  but  jrpui  or  jrpcotas  ;  nor  Kadicras 
f8i8ao-K€v ;  nor  nopevtcrdai  in  the  simple  sense 
of  "to  go"  without  the  subsidiary  notion  of 
a  purpose  (even  in  iv.  50). 

In  structure  the  continuous  connexion  of 
the  sentences  by  6V  (vv.  i,  3,  6,  7,  9,  10,  n) 
is  wholly  without  example  in  St  John's  narra- 
tive. Contrast  (for  example)  xx.  i — 9  (olv, 
w.  ^,  3,  6,  8 ;  6V,  w.  i,  4),  or  iv.  i — 26 
(OVK,  i,  5,  6,  9 ;  6V,  4,  6.  Most  of  the 
clauses  are  unconnected). 

a.  The  general  "tone"  of  the  narrative  is 
alien  from  St  John,  and  akin  to  the  tone  of 
the  common  Synoptic  basis. 

But  it  may  be  asked  how  the  narrative 
came  to  be  inserted  where  we  find  it  ?  The 
answer  can,  I  believe,  be  given  with  tolerable 
certainty.  A  narrative  very  similar  to  this  was 
preserved  by  Papias,  and  was  found  also  in 
the  Gospel  according  to  the  Hebrews  (Euseb. 
'  H.  E.'  in.  40).  The  object  of  Papias  was 
to  collect  traditions  illustrative  of  "  the  oracles 


of  the  Lord."  It  is  then  a  most  natural  con  • 
jecture  (Lightfoot,  '  Contemporary  Review,' 
Oct.  1875,  P-  847)  that  this  incident  was  given 
by  Papias  in  illustration  of  ch.  viii.  15;  and  so 
was  inserted  in  the  text,  on  which  it  had  been 
originally  a  marginal  note,  in  the  nearest  con- 
venient place.  Comp.  Ewald,  'Joh.  Schr.'  I. 

P-  271- 

The  incident  appears  to  belong  to  the  last 
visit  to  Jerusalem,  so  that  the  position  which 
it  occupies  in  St  Luke  is  perhaps  historically 
correct. 

25.  Even  the  i'ame...the  beginning]  The 
numerous  interpretations  of  this  most  obscure 
sentence  fall  into  two  main  classes,  according 
as  it  is  taken  affirmatively  (i),  or  interroga- 
tively (2). 

(i)  The  affirmative  interpretations  again 
are  twofold.  In  some  rrjv  ap-^v  is  taken  ad- 
verbially, and  in  others  as  parallel  with  the 
relative  on  (o  ™). 

According  to  the  latter  interpretation  the 
sense  is  :  "I  am  the  Beginning  (Rev.  xxi.  6), 
that  which  I  am  even  saying  to  you."  This 
appears  to  be  the  sense  of  the  early  Latin 
translation :  Initium  quod  et  loquor  uobis.  But 
even  if  rrfv  apx^v  could  be  attracted  to  on.  in 
this  way  at  the  beginning  of  the  sentence,  the 
use  of  XaX<u  and  not  Xe'yw  appears  to  be  fatal 
to  such  an  interpretation,  for  it  evidently 
refers  to  the  conversation,  the  general  teaching, 
of  Christ,  and  not  to  any  specific  declaration. 

It  may  be  here  noticed  that  Augustine's  in- 
terpretation, which  is  based  upon  the  later 
Latin  text,  Principium,  quia  et  loquor  uobis,  is 
obviously  inconsistent  with  the  Greek.  "  Be- 
lieve me  to  be  the  Beginning,  because  I  am 
even  speaking  with  you,  because,  that  is,  I 
have  become  humble  for  your  sake..."  This 
interpretation  however  was  followed  by  many 
Latin  fathers  who  were  ignorant  of  Greek. 

If  TTfv  apxty  be  taken  adverbially,  it  may 
have  the  sense  of  "  altogether,  essentially,"  or 
"  to  begin  with,  first  of  all,"  or  (perhaps)  "  all 
along." 

Thus  the  following  interpretations  have 
been  given : 

(a)  "  Altogether,  essentially  I  am  what  I 
even  speak  to  you.  My  Person  is  my  teach- 
ing." The  words  of  Christ  are,  to  express  the 
idea  otherwise,  the  revelation  of  the  Word 
Incarnate. 

(/3)  "To  begin  with,  first  of  all,  I  am  even 
that  which  I  am  saying,  that  is,  the  Light  of 
the  world,  the  source  of  life." 

(•y)  "  Even  that  which  I  am  speaking  and 
have  spoken  to  you,  all  along,  from  the  first, 
that  I  am.  My  words  from  the  beginning 
have  made  known  my  Person." 

Of  these  interpretations  (a)  seems  to  be 
open  to  the  least  objection  on  the  score  of  the 
Greek,  and  to  give  the  best  sense.  In  (/3) 
Xc'ya  and  not  XaXo>  would  be  required ;  and 
the  sense  given  to  TTJV  apx7?"  in  (y)  is  very 


V.    I,   2.] 


ST.  JOHN.    IX. 


questionable,  while  A.V.  which  gives  a  true 
sense  to  rffv  dp^rjv  would  require  e'AoAqo-a. 

(a)  On  the  whole  it  is  probably  best  to 
treat  the  sentence  as  interrogative ;  or  (which 
gives  the  same  sense)  as  a  sad  exclamation 
which  is  half  interrogative.  This  is  the  sense 
which  is  given  to  the  words  by  the  Greek 
fathers. 

"  How  is  it  that  I  even  speak  to  you  at  all  ? " 
"Why  do  I  even  so  much  as  speak  with 
you  ? "  Or,  "  To  think  that,  can  it  be  that, 
I  even  speak  with  you." 

The  interrogative  sense  of  on  is  illustrated 
by  Mark  ix.  a8,  (ii.  7),  ix.  u.  And  for  the 
order  see  Matt.  xv.  16. 

The  interrogative  rendering :  "  Do  you  ask 
that  which  all  along  I  am  even  saying  to  you  ?  " 
leaves  TTJV  dp^v  without  any  real  force. 

(j)  Others  have  connected  TTJV  dpxqv  with 


the  next  clause,  "To  begin  with... I  have 
many  things  to  say... concerning  you."  But 
no  adequate  sense  can  be  given  in  this  case  to 
the  intervening  words. 

44.  The  readingof  the  best  MSS.(XB*DLX, 
&c.),  OYKGCTHK6N,  that  is  OVK  forrjKfv,  which 
has  been  disregarded  by  editors,  and  arbitra- 
rily altered  Jnto  ovx  tvrtjKfv  (Tischendorf 
prints  OVK  (<mjKtv),  is  undoubtedly  correct. 
Gomp.  Rev.  xii.  4.  The  verb  is  the  im- 
perfect of  trnj/oo  (ch.  i.  a6 ;  Rom.  xiv.  4; 
i  Thess.  iii.  8  ;  i  Cor.  xvi.  13).  The  Vulgate, 
which  regularly  renders  (tmjxa  sto  (Matt.  xii. 
47.  xx.  6;  Acts  i.  n,  xxvi.  6,  &c.),  here  trans- 
lates rightly  in  veritate  non  stetit.  The  context 
requires  a  past  tense,  and  the  strong  form  or 
the  verb  ("stand  firm:"  comp.  i.  26, 
is  perfectly  appropriate  to  the  place. 


CHAPTER  IX. 


The  man  that  was  born  blind  restored  to 
sight.  8  He  is  brought  to  the  Pharisees. 
13  They  are  offended  at  it,  and  excommu- 


ND as  Jesus  passed  by,  he  saw 
a  man  which  was  blind  from  his 
birth. 

2    And   his   disciples    asked    him, 

ntcate  Inm:  35  but  he  %s  received  of  Jesut.  and  »/r  u     J-J    •        L- 

confessed  him.     39   Who  they  are  whom    saXmg>  Master,  who  did  sin,  this  man, 


Christ  enlighteneth. 


or  his  parents,  that  he  was  born  blind  ? 


(a)  Tfx  Feast  of  Dedication  (ix.,  x.). 

The  true  reading  in  x.  aa  (Then  <was  the 
Feast  of  Dedication)  determines  that  ch.  ix.  and 
x.  i — ai  is  connected  with  the  Feast  of  De- 
dication, and  not,  as  is  commonly  supposed, 
with  the  Feast  of  Tabernacles.  The  latter 
connexion  has  found  support  from  the  false 
gloss  added  to  viii.  59,  which  appears  to  have 
been  suggested  by  the  "passing  by"  i^  ix.  i. 
As  it  is  ch.  ix.  begins  abruptly  like  ch.  vi. 
The  contents  of  ix.  i — x.  21  have  a  close  affi- 
nity with  x.  12—39.  The  thought  through- 
out is  of  the  formation  of  the  new  congrega- 
tion, the  new  spiritual  Temple. 

The  section  falls  into  three  main  divisions: 
the  sign,  with  the  judgments  which  were  pass- 
ed upon  it  (ix.  i— 12,  13 — 34);  the  beginning 
and  characteristics  of  the  new  society  (ix.  35 — 
41,  x.  i — ai);  Christ's  final  testimony  as  to 
Himself  (x.  ai — 39). 

The  Sign  (i — 12). 

The  narrative  of  the  healing  is  marked  by 
the  same  kind  of  vivid  details  as  we  have 
noticed  before.  The  occasion  of  the  miracle, 
the  peculiarity  of  the  mode  of  cure,  the  refer- 
ence to  Siloam,  are  without  direct  parallels, 
and  yet  in  perfect  harmony  with  other  narra- 
tives. The  variety  of  opinion  among  the 
people  and  the  mention  of  "the  man  called 
Jesus"  belong  to  the  experience  of  an  imme- 
diate witness. 

CHAP.  IX.  1.  as  Jesus  passed  by\  per- 
haps in  the  neighbourhood  of  the  temple 


where  the  man  was  waiting  for  the  alms  of 
worshippers  (Acts  iii.  a).  The  word  (irapd- 
yttv),  which  is  rarely  used  (Matt.  ix.  9 ;  Mark 
ii.  14;  Matt.  ix.  27,  xx.  30;  Mark  xv.  ai), 
directs  notice  to  the  attendant  circumstances. 
The  narrative  has  been  generally  connected 
with  the  events  of  the  preceding  chapter  owing 
to  the  false  reading  in  viii.  59.  It  stands  really 
as  an  independent  record. 

be  savi]  Something  in  the  man's  condition 
seems- to  have  arrested  the  attention  of  the 
Lord.  The  word  is  significant.  Naturally 
we  should  have  expected  "the  disciples  saw 
and  asked." 

blind  from  his  birth]  The  miracles  record- 
ed in  St  John's  Gospel  stand  out  each  as  a 
type  of  its  class.  Hence  stress  is  laid  upon 
this  special  fact. 

2.  The  thoughts  of  the  controversy  re- 
corded in  ch.  viii.  seem  to  have  passed  away. 
At  once  "a  great  calm"  has  come.  The  Lord 
stands  in  the  centre  of  His  disciples,  and  not  of 
an  angry  crowd.  Yet  the  question  of  the 
disciples  moves  in  the  same  spiritual  region 
as  the  speculations  on  inherited  religious  pri- 
vileges and  divine  Sonship.  Such  a  question 
is  perhaps  the  simplest  and  commonest  form 
of  inquiry  into  our  relation  to  those  who  have 
gone  before  us. 

Master}  Rabbi.  Comp.  i.  38,  49,  iii.  a, 
iv.  31,  vi.  25,  xi.  8.  The  use  of  the  Aramaic 
term  is  characteristic  of  St  John,  though  it  is 
found  Matt.  xxvi.  25,  49;  Mark  ix.  5,  xi.  ai, 
xiv.  45. 

who  did    sin. ..that    he    'was...']    that    he 


144 


ST.  JOHN.    IX. 


[v-  3— 5- 


3  Jesus  answered,   Neither  hath 
this  man  sinned,  nor  his  parents:  but 
that    the  works    of  God    should  be 
made  manifest  in  him. 

4  I  must  work  the  works  of  him 


that  sent  me,  while  it  is  day :  the 
night  cometh,  when  no  man  can 
work. 

5  As  long  as  I  am  in  the  world,  al  achap.,.9. 
am  the  light  of  the  world. 


should  be...  by  the  just  sequence  of  punish- 
ment on  guilt.  It  is  assumed  that  the  parti- 
cular suffering  was  retributive.  The  only 
doubt  is  as  to  the  person  whose  sin  was  so  pun- 
ished; whether  it  was  the  man  himself  either 
before  birth  or  in  some  former  state  of  exis- 
tence, or  the  man's  parents.  The  latter  alter- 
native was  familiar  to  the  Jews  (Exod.  xx. 
5;  Hebr.  vii.  10);  and  there  are  traces  of  a 
belief  in  the  pre-existence  of  souls,  at  least  in 
later  Judaism  (Wisd.  viii.  20). 

Perhaps  it  is  most  natural  to  suppose  that 
the  question,  which  in  itself  belongs  to  a 
Jewish  mode  of  thought,  was  asked  without 
any  distinct  apprehension  of  the  alternatives 
involved  in  it.  Lightfoot  (ad  loc.)  has  a  cu- 
rious collection  of  Rabbinical  passages  illus- 
trating different  forms  of  opinion  on  this 
subject. 

born  blind]  From  the  disciples'  acquaint- 
ance with  this  fact  it  may  be  supposed  that 
the  history  of  the  man  was  popularly  known. 

3.  The  Lord's  answer  deals  only  with  the 
special  case  (comp.  Luke  xiii.  i  ff.,  and  for 
the  general  idea  towards  which  it  is  directed, 
Acts  xxviii.  4) ;  and  that  only  so  far  as  it  is  an 
occasion  for  action  and  not  a  subject  for  spe- 
culation. We  are  not  concerned  primarily 
with  the  causes  which  have  determined  the 
condition  or  circumstances  of  men,  with  the 
origin  of  evil  in  any  of  its  forms,  but  with 
the  remedying  of  that  which  is  amiss  and  re- 
mediable. It  is  true  always,  in  one  way  or 
other,  that  for  us  evil  is  an  opportunity  for 
the  manifestation  of  the  works  of  God.  But 
evil  never  ceases  to  be  evil ;  and  it  may  be 
noticed  that  at  the  proper  occasion  the  Lord 
indicates  the  connexion  between  sin  and 
suffering:  v.  14,  Matt.  ix.  a. 

Neither  hath. ..sinned,  nor...~\  Neither  did... 
sin,  «or...so  as  to  bring  down  on  him,  that  is, 
this  particular  retribution. 

but  that... in  him]  but  he  was  born  blind  that 
the  works  of  God,  the  works  of  redemptive  love 
which  He  has  sent  me  to  accomplish,  may  be 
made  manifest  in  him.  Comp.  v.  36.  The 
works  themselves  are  real  even  though  we 
cannot  see  them:  they  need  (from  this  side) 
manifestation  only.  For  the  emphatic  but 
compare  xv.  25,  note.  Underneath  what  we 
can  see  and  conclude  there  lies  a  truer  cause 
of  that  which  perplexes  us  most. 

in  him}  The  man  is  not  treated  as  an 
instrument  merely,  but  as  a  living  representa- 
tive of  the  mercy  of  God.  His  suffering  is 
the  occasion  and  not  the  appointed  prepara- 


tion for  the  miracle,  though  when  we  regard 
things  from  the  divine  side  we  are  constrained 
to  see  them  m  their  dependence  on  the  will  of 
God. 

4.  /  must  ...sent  me]  According  to  the 
more  probable  reading:  we  must  (work  tht 
works  of  Him  that  sent  me.  So  the  Lord  as- 
sociates His  disciples  with  Himself  as  before 
in  iii.  1 1.  The  truth  is  general  and  holds  good 
of  the  Master  and  of  the  servants.  They  are 
sent  for  the  manifestation  of  the  works  of  God. 
But  the  obligation  of  the  servant's  charge 
comes  from  the  Master's  mission.  The  works 
are  no  longer  regarded  as  "the  works  of 
God"  generally,  but  "the  works  of  Him  that 
sent"  the  Son. 

while  it  is  day]  while  the  appointed  time 
for  working  still  remains:  Ps.  civ.  (ciii.)  23. 
"Day"  and  "night"  are  taken  in  their  most 
general  sense  as  the  seasons  for  labour  and 
rest  in  regard  to  the  special  end  in  view. 
After  the  Passion  there  was  no  longer  the 
opportunity  for  the  performance  of  the  works 
characteristic  df  the  historic  Life  of  Christ. 
Then  in  one  sense  "night"  came,  and  in  a 
yet  fuller  sense  a  new  day  dawned  for  new 
works,  to  be  followed  by  another  night, 
another  close.  It  is  not  to  be  supposed  that 
the  "night"  here  describes  an  abiding  and 
complete  rest  of  Christ:  it  presents  rest  only 
from  the  works  which  belong  to  the  corre- 
sponding "day." 

The  image  partially  finds  place  in  the  'Say- 
ings of  the  Jewish  Fathers:'  "R.  Tarphon 
(Tryphon)  said,  The  day  is  short,  and  the  task 
is  great,  and  the  workmen  are  sluggish,  and 
the  reward  is  much,  and  the  Master  of  the 
house  is  urgent"  ('Pirke  Aboth,'  11.  19). 

the  night  cometh]  night  cometh...  The 
order  is  significant.  The  emphasis  is  laid 
upon  the  certain  and  momentary  advance  of 
that  which  ends  all  successful  efforts  in  the 
present  order:  there  cometh  swiftly  and  inevit- 
ably night,  when  no  man  (one)  can  work. 
The  necessary  cessation  of  labour  is  expressed 
in  its  completest  form. 

5.  As  long  as  (Vulg.  quamdiu) . . .  world] 
Whensoever  I  am  in  the  world  (orav...^)... 
The  indefinite  form  of  the  statement  sug- 
gests the  thought  of  the  manifold  revelations 
of  the  Word.  "  Whensoever"  and  not  only 
during  that  revelation  which  was  then  in  the 
course  of  being  fulfilled,  but  also  in  the  time 
of  the  Patriarchs,  and  of  the  Law,  and  of  the 
Prophets,  and  through  the  later  ages  of  the 
Church,  Christ  is  the  light  of  the  world.  This 


v.  6—8.] 


ST.  JOHN.    IX. 


6  When  he  had   thus  spoken,  he     in  the  pool  of  Siloam,  (which  is  by 


iOr          spat  on  the  ground,  and  made  clay 

Sc^«pon  °^  t^le  sP'tt:le>  and  ne  "  anointed  the 
eyes  of  eyes  of  the  blind  man  with  the  clay, 
7  And  said  unto  him,  Go,  wash 


MM. 


nterpretation,  Sent.)  He  went  his 
way  therefore,  and  washed,  and  came 
seeing. 

8  fl  The  neighbours  therefore,  and 


universality  of  application  is  further  brought 
out  by  the  omission  of  the  personal  pronoun 
in  both  clauses  of  the  sentence.  The  stress  is 
thrown  upon  the  character  of  the  manifesta- 
tion of  the  Son,  and  not  as  in  the  former 
place  where  the  phrase  occurs  (viii.  12)  upon 
the  Person  of  the  Son . 

the  light  of  the  world']  The  omission  of  the 
definite  article  (<£<Sf  r.  *.,  as  compared  with 
viii.  iz,  TO  (f)a>s  r.  K.)  is  not  without  signifi- 
cance; Christ  is  "light  to  the  world"  as  well 
as  "the  one  light  of  the  world."  The  cha- 
racter is  unchangeable,  but  the  display  of  the 
character  varies  with  the  occasion.  In  this 
case  it  is  shewn  in  personal  illumination. 
Bodily  sight  is  taken  as  the  representation  of 
the  fulness  of  human  vision  (irv.  39  ff.). 

6.  he  spat  on  the  ground...]    Com  p.  Mark 
vii.  33,  viii.  23.     We  must  suppose  that  the 
attention  of  the  blind  man  was  by  this  time 
fully  roused,  perhaps  by  the  conversation  just 
recorded,  or  by  some  words  addressed  to  him. 

The  application  of  spittle  to  the  eyes,  which 
was  considered  very  salutary  (comp.  Tac. 
'Hist.' IV.  81),  was  expressly  forbidden  by 
Jewish  tradition ,  on  the  Sabbath.  See  Wet- 
stein  or  Lightfoot,  ad  loc.  The  kneading  of 
the  clay  further  aggravated  the  offence. 

be  anointed... the  clay]  He  anointed  his 
eyes  with  the  clay.  At  first  Christ  may  seem 
to  work  against  the  end  for  which  His  help  is 
sought.  Here  He  sealed,  so  to  speak,  the  eyes 
which  He  designed  to  open.  It  is  impossible 
to  determine  why  the  Lord  chose  this  method 
of  working  the  cure.  In  the  end  the  mode 
proved  all-important. 

7.  wash]  i.e.  thine  eyes  (vtyai),  Matt.  vi. 
17;  ch.  xiii.  6,  note. 

in  (m)  the  pool']  i.e.  go  to  the  pool  and 
wash  thine  eyes  there. 

Siloam,  (which  is  by  interpretation  (which  is 
Interpreted),  Sent]  The  idea  which  under- 
lies this  note  of  the  Evangelist  appears  to  be 
that  in  vii.  37  f.  The  stream  which  issued 
from  the  heart  of  the  rock  was  an  image  of 
Christ.  In  the  passage  of  Isaiah  (viii.  6)  "the 
waters  of  Siloah  that  go  softly"  are  taken  as 
the  type  of  the  divine  kingdom  of  David  rest- 
ing on  Mount  Zion,  in  contrast  with  "the 
waters  of  the  river  [Euphrates],  strong  and 
mighty,  even  the  king  of  Assyria  and  all  his 
glory,"  the  symbol  of  earthly  power.  (Comp. 
Delit'/sch,  /.  c.)  So  therefore  here  Christ 
works  through  "the  pool,"  the  "Sent,"  sent,  as 
it  were,  directly  from  God,  that  He  may  lead 
the  disciples  once  again  to  connect  Him  and 


His  working  with  the  promises  of  the  pro- 
phets. Thus,  in  some  sense,  God  Himself, 
whose  law  Christ  was  accused  of  breaking, 
was  seen  to  cooperate  with  Him  in  the  miracle. 
At  the  same  time  the  charge  tried  the  faith  of 
the  blind  man. 

Siloam']  The  name  of  the  pool  properly 
indicates  a  discharge  of  waters  (airocrroKri) 
"sent,"  in  this  case,  from  a  subterranean 
channel.  For  the  form  see  Ewald,  '  Gramm.' 
§  156,  2,  a.  The  pool,  which  still  retains  its 
old  name,  Birket  Silwan,  is  one  of  the  few 
undisputed  sites  at  Jerusalem.  It  lies  at  the 
mouth  of  the  Tyropoeon  Valley,  south  of  the 
temple,  "at  the  foot  of  Mount  Moriah,"  in 
Jerome's  words.  "  The  two  pools  of  Siloam 
were  probably  made  for  the  irrigation  of  the 
gardens  below,  and  seem  always  to  have  been 
a  favourite  place  for  washing  purposes;  be- 
sides the  surface  drainage  they  received  a  sup- 
ply of  water  from  the  Fountain  of  the  Virgin 
by  means  of  a  subterranean  channel.  The 
upper  pool  is  small "  [an  oblong  reservoir  cut 
in  the  rock,  about  fifty  feet  long,  sixteen  feet 
broad,  and  eighteen  feet  deep],  "and  at  the 
south-west  corner  has  a  rude  flight  of  steps 
leading  to  the  bottom ;  but  the  whole  is  fast 
going  to  ruiri,  and  the  accumulation  of  rubbish 
around  is  very  great ;  a  little  below  this  a  dam 
of  solid  masonry  has  been  built  across  the 
valley,  forming  the  end  of  the  lower  and  larger 
pool,  now  nearly  filled  up  with  rich  soil  and 
covered  with  a  luxuriant  growth  of  fig  trees  " 
(Wilson,  '  Notes  on  the  Ordnance  Survey  of 
Jerusalem,'  p.  79).  See  Ritter,  'Palestine,' 
IV.  148  fF  (Eng.  Tr.),  and  '  Diet,  of  Bible,' 
s.  v.,  for  notices  of  the  site  in  earlier  writers. 

Sent]  The  interpretation  of  the  name  con- 
nects the  pool  with  Christ  (xvii.  3,  &c.),  and 
not  with  the  man.  See  above. 

He  went  his  way]    He  went  away. 

came]  to  his  own  home,  as  it  appears  from 
the  context  (the  neighbours). 

8.  The  neighbours  therefore...]  No  mark 
of  time  is  given.  This  scene  may  belong  to 
the  following  day,  as  -v.  13  fF.  certainly  do 
(v.  14). 

they  which. ..was  blind]  they  which  saw — 
used  habitually  to  see,  behold  as  a  conspicuous 
object  (ol  6(a>powT(s)— him  before  that  (or 
because)  he  was  a  beggar.  The  particle  is 
capable  of  both  meanings  (that,  because).  In 
other  passages  (iv.  19,  xii.  19)  St  John  uses 
the  phrase  certainly  for  "  see. .  .that. ..;"  here 
however  "because"  suits  the  context  better: 
because  he  was  a  beggar  in  a  public  spot,  they 
were  familiar  with  his  appearance. 


146 


ST.  JOHN.    IX. 


[v.  9 — 1 6. 


they  which  before  had  seen  him  that 
he  was  blind,  said,  Is  not  this  he  that 
sat  and  begged  ? 

9  Some  said,  This  is  he :  others 
said)  He  is  like  him  :  but  he  said,  I 
am  he. 

10  Therefore  said  they  unto  him, 
How  were  thine  eyes  opened  ? 

11  He  answered  and  said,  A  man 
that  is  called  Jesus  made  clay,  and 
anointed   mine  eyes,   and   said    unto 
me,  Go  to  the  pool  of  Siloam,  and 
wash  :  and  I  went  and  washed,  and  I 
received  sight. 


1 2  Then  said  they  unto  him,  Where 
is  he  ?     He  said,  I  know  not. 

13  f  They  brought  to  the  Pha- 
risees him  that  aforetime  was  blind. 

14  And  it  was  the  sabbath    day 
when  Jesus  made  the  clay,  and  open- 
ed his  eyes. 

15  Then  again  the  Pharisees  also 
asked  him  how  he  had  received  his 
sight.     He  said  unto  them,  He  put 
clay  upon  mine  eyes,  and  I  washed, 
and  do  see. 

1 6  Therefore   said   some  of   the 
Pharisees,  This  man  is  not  of  God, 


The  circumstantiality  of  the  narrative  which 
follows  seems  to  shew  that  the  man  himself 
related  the  events  to  the  evangelist. 

9.  Some  said... others  said,  He...']    Others 
said. ..others  said  No,  but  he.. .  Two  classes 
of  people  apparently  are  mentioned  different 
from  the  first  group. 

he  said}  The  pronoun  here  and  in  w.  1 1, 
12,  28,  36  is  remarkable  (eWtvoff).  It  pre- 
sents the  man  as  the  chief  figure  in  a  scene 
viewed  from  without.  "  He,  that  signal  object 
of  the  Lord's  love...."  (comp.  ii.  21,  v.  n, 
(x.  6),  (xiii.  30),  xix.  21),  and  not  "He  him- 
self," in  contrast  with  the  opinions  of  others. 

10.  How...']  How  then....  It  is  to  be  ob- 
served that  all  the  stress  is  laid  upon  the  manner 
and  not  upon  the  fact.     Comp.  trv.  15,  19,  26. 

11.  He. . .and  said]     fle  answered. 

A  man  (The  man,  Vulg.  Hie  homo)  that  is 
called  Jesus'}  Not  "that  is  called  the  Christ." 
He  had  learnt  the  personal  name  of  the  Lord, 
but  says  nothing  of  His  claims  to  Messiah- 
ship.  The  form  of  the  sentence,  however, 
points  to  the  general  attention  which  was  di- 
rected to  the  Lord.  It  is  "the  man"  not  '-a 
man; "  the  man  of  whom  report  speaks  often. 

Go  to... of  Siloam]     Go  to  Siloam. 

and  I  went. . . ]     so  I  went. 

I  received  sight]  Strictly,  I  recovered  my 
sight  (avfjSKtfya)  (Matt,  xi.5  ;  Mark  x.  51  f. ; 
Luke  xviii.  41  ff.),  for  sight  by  nature  belongs 
to  a  man  even  though  he  has  been  born  blind. 
This  sense  appears  to  us  better  than:  "  I  look- 
ed up"  (Mark  xvi.  4). 

12.  Then  said  they  (And  they  said).. .Where 
is    he    (e/ceii/os)]     that    strange,    unwelcome 
teacher,  of  whom  we  hear  so  much.     Comp. 
vii.  ii,  v.  10  note. 

He  said]     He  saith. 

$ 
The  judgments  on  the  sign  (13 — 34). 

The  examination  of  the  man  who  was  healed 
offers  a  typical  example  of  the  growth  of  faith 


and  unbelief.  On  the  one  side  the  Pharisees, 
who  take  their  stand  on  a  legal  preconception, 
grow  more  determined  and  violent :  1 6  (debate, 
division) ;  24  (Judgment);  34  (disgraceful ex- 
pulsion). On  the  other  side  the  man  gains 
courage  and  clearness  in  his  answers:  17  (He 
is  a  prophet.  Opinion) ;  30  ff.  (acceptance  of  dis- 
cipleship~)\  and  finally  he  openly  confesses 
Christ,  v.  38. 

The  characters  thus  live  and  move,  and 
shew  marked  traits  of  individuality.  There  is 
nothing  vague,  nothing  conventional,  in  the 
narrative.  The  record  includes  three  scenes : 
the  first  examination  of  the  man  (13 — 17); 
the  examination  of  his  parents  (18 — 23);  the 
final  examination  and  expulsion  of  the  man 
(24—34). 

13.  They  brought  (bring)  to  the  Pharisees'] 
as  the  recognised  judges  in  religious  questions. 
There  were  in  Jerusalem  two  smaller  courts, 
or  Synagogue   Councils,  and  the  man  was 
probably  taken  to  one  of  these.     In  the  later 
sections  of  the  narrative,  -w.  18  ff.,  the  general 
title  the  Jews  is  used. 

14.  it  'was  the  sabbath  day  when...']     The 
original  phrase,  according  to  the  oldest  text,  is 
remarkable.     It  reads  literally,  "It  was  a  sab- 
bath on  the  day  on  which,"  i.e.  the  day  was 
a  Sabbath  whereon  (rjv  o-c^/3.  «/  §  jfifpa). 
Comp.  v.  9. 

made  the  clay]  The  words  mark  the 
feature  in  the  miracle  which  technically  gave 
offence.  Comp.  v.  12. 

15.  Then  again...']     Again  therefore  the 
Pharisees  also... as  not  content  with  the  report 
of  others  (w.  10,  ii). 

bow  he  had  received...}  how  he  received... 
The  answer  is  more  curt  than  before  (v.  n); 
and  there  is  already  something  of  impatience 
in  the  tone  of  it,  which  breaks  out  afterwards, 
v.  27.  The  making  of  the  clay  and  the  com- 
mand to  go  to  Siloam  are  passed  over. 

16.  Therefore  said...']  because  to  the  legal- 
ist no  other  conclusion  seemed  to  be  possible. 


v  i7— 24-] 


ST.  JOHN.    IX. 


147 


because  he  keepeth  not  the  sabbath 
day.  Others  said,  How  can  a  man 
that  is  a  sinner  do  such  miracles  ? 
And  there  was  a  division  among 
them. 

17  They  say  unto  the  blind  man 
again,  What  sayest  thou  of  him,  that 
he  hath  opened  thine  eyes  ?    He  said, 
He  is  a  prophet.  » 

1 8  But  the  Jews  did  not  believe 
concerning  him,  that  he   had   been 
blind,   and    received   his  sight,  until 
they  called  the  parents  of  him  that 
had  received  his  sight. 

19  And  they  asked  them,  saying, 
Is  this  your   son,  who  ye  say  was 
born  blind  ?  how  then  doth  he  now 
see  ? 


20  His  parents  answered  them  and 
said,  We  know  that  this  is  our  son, 
and  that  he  was  born  blind  : 

21  But  by  what  means  he  now 
seeth,  we  know  not ;  or  who  hath 
opened  his  eyes,  we  know  not :  he  is 
of  age ;  ask  him  :  he  shall  speak  for 
himself. 

22  These  words  spake  his  parents, 
because  they  feared   the   Jews :   for 
the  Jews  had  agreed  already,  that  if 
any   man  did   confess   that   he   was 
Christ,  he  should  be  put  out  of  the 
synagogue. 

23  Therefore  said  his  parents,  He 
is  of  age  ;  ask  him. 

24  Then  again  called  they  the  man 
that  was  blind,  and  said  unto  him, 


Others (Buto^vrv)  said,  Honu  can... a  sinner} 
It  is  presupposed  therefore  that  Christ  had 
valid  authority  for  the  apparent  violation  of 
the  Sabbath. 

a  division}  as  before  "in  the  multitude" 
(vii.  43)  and  afterwards  "in  the  Jews"  (x. 
19).  One  party,  it  will  be  noticed,  laid  stress 
upon  the  fact,  the  others  upon  a  preconceived 
opinion  by  which  they  judged  of  the  fact. 

17.  They  say... therefore... again...]    as 
hoping  to  elicit  some  fresh  details. 

What...eyesf\  What  dost  thou  (<rv)  say 
— we  appeal  to  your  own  judgment  and  to 
the  impression  made  upon  you — What  do  at 
thou  say  of  him,  seeing  that  he  opened 
thine  eytsf  For  the  construction,  see  ii.  18. 

He  said  (And  he  said"),  He  is  a  prophet} 
Comp.  iv.  19,  (vi.  14),  iii.  a. 

18 — 23.  The  examination  of  the  parents 
of  the  man  follows  the  examination  of  the 
man  himself.  They  shrink  with  singular  na- 
turalness from  incurring  the  displeasure  of  the 
dominant  party. 

18.  But  the  Jews..."]     The  Jews  there- 
fore...seeing  that  they  could  not  reconcile  a 
real  miracle  with  disregard  to  the  Sabbath. 
They  probably  suspected  some  collusion  on 
the  part  of  the  man. 

The  Jews  represent  the  incredulous  section  of 
the  Pharisees  (v.  16).  Comp.  v.  aa. 

of  him... sight}  The  original  is  unusual: 
"of  the  man  himself  that  had..." 

19.  And  they  asked}...  And  asked.. .The 
words  are  closely  connected  with  the  preceding 
clause. 

•who  ye  say  was...}  of  whom  ye  (v/mr)  •"*/, 
from  whom  we  may  expect  certain  informa- 
tion, that  he  was... 

20.  His... them    and    said}      His   parents 
New  Test.— VOL.  II. 


therefore  answered  and  said,  because  they 
were  unwilling  to  incur  any  responsibility. 

21.  But  by  what  means...}     But  how... 
as  in  w.  10,  15,  19,  a6. 

we  know  not. .  ,<we  (?^ms)  know  not}  The 
emphatic  insertion  of  the  pronoun  in  the 
second  case  gives  a  new  turn  to  the  phrase: 
"we  directly,  of  our  own  experience,  know 
not,  as  you  appeal  to  us,  who  opened  his 
eyes." 

he  is  of  age... himself  ~\  ask  him,  not  us: 
heisofage,  and  therefore  his  answer  will  be 
valid,  and  he  will  not  be  slow  to  give  it:  he 
will  speak  for  himself. 

22.  These  words  spake...'}  These  things 
said... 

bad  agreed... that...}  had  formed  a  com- 
pact among  themselves  (vvvfrtdfivro,  Vulg. 
conspiraverant)  to  secure  this  end,  that... 
Comp.  Acts  xxiii.  ao.  The  idea  is  not  that 
they  had  determined  on  a  punishment,  but 
that  they  had  determined  on  an  aim. 

that  he  was  Christ}  The  question  had 
already  been  publicly  debated,  vii.  a  6  ff. ; 
though  the  Lord  had  not  so  revealed  Himself 
in  Jerusalem  (x.  34)  as  He  had  done  in 
Samaria  (iv.  a6). 

put  out  of  the  synagogue'}  xii.  42,  xvi.  a.  This 
excommunication  appears  to  have  been  exclu- 
sion from  all  religious  fellowship  (comp.  Matt. 
xviii.  17)  from  "the  congregation  of  Israel." 
In  later  times  there  were  different  degrees  of 
excommunication,  the  Curse  (Din),  and  the 
Isolation  (Nn»K>).  Comp.  Buxtorf,  'Lex.' 
s.  v.  'HI  Lightfoot  and  Wunsche,  ad  loc. 

23.  Therefore...]  For  this  cause... 
(Sta  TOVTO),  seeing  that  the  hostility  of  the  Jews 
was  now  passing  into  action. 

24 — 34.  In  the  second  examination  the 

L 


148 


ST.  JOHN.    IX. 


[v.  25—31. 


Give  God  the  praise  :  we  know  that 
this  man  is  a  sinner. 

25  He  answered  and  said,  Whether 
he  be  a  sinner  or  no,  I  know  not :  one 
thing  I  know,  that,  whereas  I  was 
blind,  now  I  see. 

26  Then  said  they  to  him  again, 
What  did  he  to  thee  ?  how  opened  he 
thine  eyes  ? 

27  He  answered  them,  I  have  told 
you  already,  and  ye  did  not  hear : 
wherefore  would   ye  hear  it  again  ? 
will  ye  also  be  his  disciples  ? 


28  Then  they  reviled   him,    and 
said,  Thou  art  his  disciple ;  but  we 
are  Moses'  disciples. 

29  We  know  that  God  spake  unto 
Moses  :  as  for  this  fellow,  we  know 
not  from  whence  he  is. 

30  The  man   answered   and   said 
unto  them,  Why  herein  is  a  marvel- 
lous thing,  that  ye  know  not  from 
whence  he  is,  and  yet  he  hath  opened 
mine  eyes. 

3 1  Now  we  know  that  God  hear- 
eth  not  sinners :  but  if  any  man  be  a 


conflict  is  brought  to  a  decisive  issue.  The 
man  chooses  the  Saviour  whom  he  had  ex- 
perienced before  the  Moses  of  the  schools. 

24.  Then  again. ..the  man..."]     So   they 
called  the  man  a  second  time:  we  must 
suppose  that  he  was  dismissed  after  the  confes- 
sion in  v.  17.     As  they  could  no  longer  ques- 
tion the  fact,  they  seek  to  put  a  new  construc- 
tion upon  it. 

Give  God  the  praise]  Give  glory  to  God. 
The  phrase  (8os  86gav  r<5  $e<5)  is  a  solemn 
charge  to  declare  the  whole  truth.  Compare 
Josh.  vii.  19 ;  i  Esdr.  ix.  8;  (i  S.  vi.  5).  The 
man  by  his  former  declaration  (v.  17)  had 
really  (so  they  imply)  done  dishonour  to  God. 
He  was  now  required  to  confess  his  error :  to 
recognise  in  the  authoritative  voice  of  "the 
Jews"  his  own  condemnation,  and  to  admit 
the  truth  of  it.  At  the  same  time  under  this 
thought  of  the  rendering  of  glory  to  God  by 
the  confession  of  error,  lies  the  further  idea 
that  the  cure  was  due  directly  to  God,  and 
that  to  Him,  and  not  to  "the  man  called 
Jesus,"  was  gratitude  to  be  rendered.  This, 
however,  is  not  the  primary  sense  of  the  phrase, 
though  it  is  natural  so  to  interpret  A.  V. 

we  know...]  We,  the  guardians  of  the  na- 
tional honour,  the  interpreters  of  the  divine 
will,  we  know  (rjnels  <si8ap.fv)...  The  claim  is 
to  absolute  knowledge,  and  no  reasons  are 
alleged  for  the  conclusion. 

a  sinner']  by  the  violation  of  the  Sabbath 
O.  16). 

25.  He  answered  and  said]  He  therefore 
answered. 

Whether,..!  know  not]  The  order  in  the 
original  is  remarkable:  If  he  is  a  sinner,  as  you 
assert,  that  I  know  not.  The  first  clause  is 
an  echo  of  the  words  of  the  Pharisees,  and 
the  man  simply  states  that  his  knowledge  fur- 
nishes no  confirmation  of  it.  Comp.  Luke 
xxii.  67;  Acts  iv.  19,  xix.  2.  In  i  John  iv.  i 
and  elsewhere  the  order  is  different. 

26.  Then  said  they. ..again]     They  said 
therefore  to  him. 

What  did  he...?  bow...?]     The   questions 


suggest  that  they  were  yet  willing  to  believe, 
if  the  facts  were  not  decisive  against  belief. 

27.  I  have  told  you..."]     I  told  you. 
will  ye  also...]  would  ye  also  (^117  /cat  vptls 

0«X«Te)...the  words  go  back  to  the  we,  -u.  24: 
ye  who  make  the  proud  claims  of  which  we 
have  all  heard,  ye  as  well  as  I  a  poor  mendicant, 
would  ye... Have  you  a  real  desire,  if  only  you 
can  yield  to  it,  to  become  bis  disciples  ?  The 
would  points  the  idea  suggested  by  the  fresh 
interrogation. 

28.  Then    (And)    they    reviled    him]    by 
questioning  his  loyalty  to  the  law,  and  treating 
him  as  an  apostate.     Comp.  Acts  xxiii.  4. 

his  disciples']  Literally,  that  man's  dis- 
ciple. Comp.  w.  13,  37.  Christ  is  looked 
upon  as  separated  from  them  by  a  great  chasm. 

29.  We  know]     The  claim  to  knowledge 
is  repeated   (v.  24)  with  a  bitter  emphasis. 
"  Moses"  and  "this  man"  stand  at  the  head  of 
the  two  clauses  to  make  the  contrast  sharper. 

spake~]  hath  spoken  familiarly,  face  to  face 
(AeXaXjjKf  i>),  and  the  words  abide  still. 

as  for  (but  as  for)... whence  he  is]  that  is, 
with  what  commission,  by  whose  authority, 
he  comes.  Comp.  Matt.  xxi.  25.  The  con- 
verse objection  is  urged,  vii.  27.  Pilate  at  last 
asks  the  question,  xix.  9 ;  and  the  Lord  claims 
for  Himself  alone  the  knowledge  of  the 
answer,  viii.  14. 

30.  Why  herein  is  a  marvellous  thing  (the 
marvellous  thing,  TO  #av/uaar6V)]    Comp. 
iv.  37.    The  particle  brings  out  an  affirmation 
drawn  from  the    previous    words.      "That 
being  so  as  you  say.  then  assuredly..." 

that  ye  (i5/iely)]  from  whom  we  look  for 
guidance... 

and  yet  (KOI)  he  hath  opened  (heopened)...] 
For  the  and,  see  viii.  20  note. 

31.  Now  we  know]     We  know,  not  you 
alone,  nor  I,  but  all  men  alike.     The  simple 
verb  (oTSa/iev)  is  contrasted  with  the  strong 
personal  affirmation  in  int.  24,  29  (jf/ueir  oi6\). 

if  any  man  be  a  (worshipper  of  God,  and 
doeth  (be  devout  or  religious  and  do)...] 


32—39-] 


ST.  JOHN.    IX. 


I  Or, 

excommu- 
nicated 
him. 


worshipper  of  God,  and  doeth  his  will, 
him  he  heareth. 

32  Since  the  world  began  was  it 
not  heard  that  any  man  opened  the 
eyes  of  one  that  was  born  blind. 

33  If  this  man  were  not  of  God, 
he  could  do  nothing. 

34  They  answered  and  said  unto 
him,  Thou  wast  altogether  born  in 
sins,  and  dost  thou  teach  us  ?    And 
they  '  cast  him  out. 

35  Jesus  heard  that  they  had  cast 


149 


him  out;  and  when  he  had  found  him, 
he  said  unto  him,  Dost  thou  believe 
on  the  Son  of  God  ? 

36  He  answered  and  said,  Who  is 
he,  Lord,  that   I   might   believe   on 
him? 

37  And  Jesus  said  unto  him,  Thou 
hast  both  seen  him,  and  it  is  he  that 
talketh  with  thee. 

38  And  he  said,  Lord,  I  believe. 
And  he  worshipped  him. 

39  H  And  Jesus  said,  For  judg- 


The  word  (Qtoo-tfiqs)  occurs  here  only  in 
New  Testament  (comp.  i  Tim.  ii.  10).  The 
two  phrases  mark  the  fulfilment  of  duty  to 
God  and  man. 

32.  Since  the  <world  began]  The  exact 
phrase  («  rov  aluvos)  does  not  occur  else- 
where in  New  Testament.  Comp.  Luke  i.  70 ; 
Acts  Hi.  ai,  xv.  18  (cm  mwvoj);  Col.  i.  26 
(OTTO  T«3i>  at.). 

34.  The  order  is  very  significant:  "In 
sins  wast  thou  born  altogether."  So  the  Jews 
at  once  interpret  and  apply  the  question  of 
the  disciples,  v.  a.  Blindness  was  but  a  sign 
of  deeper  and  more  prevailing  infirmity. 

teach  us]  The  emphasis  lies  on  "teach." 
"  Dost  thou,  marked  out  as  a  sinner,  assume 
the  prerogative  of  instruction...." 

cast  him  out']  from  the  place  of  their 
meeting,  with  contempt  and  contumely,  as 
unworthy  of  further  consideration.  Comp. 
Mark  i.  43,  note.  The  word  does  not  de- 
scribe the  sentence  of  excommunication,  which 
such  a  body  was  not  competent  to  pronounce. 

The  beginning  of  the  ne<w  Society  (35 — 41). 

The  ejection  of  the  blind  man  who  had 
been  healed  from  the  council  of  the  Pharisees 
furnished  the  occasion  for  the  beginning  of  a 
new  Society  distinct  from  the  dominant  Juda- 
ism. For  the  first  time  the  Lord  offers  Him- 
self as  the  object  of  faith,  and  that  in  His 
universal  character  in  relation  to  humanity,  as 
"the  Son  of  man."  He  had  before  called 
men  to  follow  Him:  He  had  revealed  Himself, 
and  accepted  the  spontaneous  homage  of  be- 
lievers: but  now  He  proposes  a  test  of  fellow- 
ship. The  universal  Society  is  based  on  the 
confession  of  a  new  truth.  The  blind  who 
acknowledge  their  blindness  are  enlightened: 
the  seeing  who  are  satisfied  with  their  sight 
(we  know)  are  proved  to  be  blind. 

35.  Jesus  heard]  The  man  himself  may 
well  have  spoken  of  his  treatment. 

when  he  had  found  (having  found)  him, 
he  said  unto  him]  Omit  unto  him.  Comp. 
i.  43,  v.  14.  The  "work  of  God"  was  not 


yet  completed.     Modo  lavat  faciem  cordis  in 
Augustine's  words. 

Dost  thou  believe  on  the  Son  of  God  (man)  ?] 
The  emphasis  of  the  pronoun  is  remarkable, 
and  may  be  contrasted  with  v.  34.  Dost  thou, 
the  outcast,  thou  that  hast  received  outward 
sight,  thou  that  hast  borne  a  courageous 
testimony,  believe  on  the  Son  of  Man— cast 
thyself  with  complete  trust  on  Him  who 
gathers  up  in  Himself,  who  bears  and  who 
transfigures  all  that  belongs  to  man?  The 
thought  of  "the  Son  of  man"  stands  in  true 
contrast  with  the  selfish  isolation  of  "the 
Jews."  The  new  Society,  seen  here  in  its 
beginning,  rests  upon  this  foundation,  wide  as 
humanity  itself.  See  Additional  Note 

36.  Who  is  he...]    And  who  is  he...    The 
conjunction   marks  the  eager,  urgent,  won- 
dering question.     The  thought  which  it  meets 
seems  to  be  beyond  hope.     Comp.  Mark  x. 
26;  Luke  x.  29. 

that  I  might  (may)...]  He  asks  that  faith 
may  find  its  object.  His  trust  in  Jesus  is 
absolute. 

37.  And  Jesus    said    (Jesus    saith)... 
Thou  hast  both  seen  him — with  the  eyes  which 
God  hath  even  now  opened — and  he  that  talk- 
eth with  thee  IB  he  (cxcit/or).     The  natural 
form  of  the  sentence  would  have  been  "Thou 
hast  both  seen  Him  and  heard  Him;"  but  the 
power  of  the  immediate  position  gives  shape 
to  the  latter  clause.     "He  that  talketh  with 
thee  familiarly,  as  man  with  man,  is  He,  that 
sublime  Person,  who  seems  to  stand  far  off 
from  thought  and  experience." 

38.  Confession  in  word  and  deed  follows 
at  once  on  the  revelation.     In  St  John  "wor- 
ship" (jrpovKWfiv)  is  never  used  of  the  worship 
of  mere  respect  (iv.  20  ff.,  xii.  20). 

Lord,  I  believe]    I   believe,   Lord.     The 
order  is  significant. 

39.  And  Jesus  said]  not  directly  to  any 
one  nor  to  any  group  of  those  about  Him, 
but  as  interpreting  the  scene  before  Him. 
The  separation  between  the  old  and  the, new 
was  now  consummated,  when  the  rejected  of 

L2 


150 


ST.  JOHN.    IX. 


[v.  40,  41. 


merit   I  am   come   into   this  world,  and  said    unto  him,    Are   we    blind 

that  they  which  see  not  might  see  ;  also  ? 

and  that  they  which  see   might    be  41    Jesus  said   unto  them,   If  ye 

made  blind.  were  blind,  ye  should  have  no  sin : 

40  And  some  of  the  Pharisees  which  but  now  ye  say,  We  see  ;  therefore 

were  with  him  heard   these  words,  your  sin  remaineth. 


"the  Jews"  sank  prostrate  at  the  feet  of  the 
Son  of  man. 

For  judgment  I  (ryw)  am  come  (I  came)...] 
not  to  execute  judgment  (»cpiW),  but  that 
judgment  (/cpt^a)  might  issue  from  His  Pre- 
sence. The  Son  was  not  sent  to  judge  (iii. 
17),  but  judgment  followed  from  His  advent 
in  the  manifestation  of  faith  and  unbelief  (iii. 
1 8  f.).  The  emphatic  pronoun  carries  back 
the  reference  to  the  "Son  of  man." 

this  world}  the  world  as  made  known  to 
us  in  its  present  state,  full  of  conflict  and  sin, 
and  so  distinguished  from  the  world  which  in- 
cludes all  created  being.  The  phrase  occurs 
viii.  a3,  xi.  9,  xii.  45,  31,  xiii.  i,  xvi.  n,  xviii. 
36;  i  John  iv.  17. 

that  they... might... might..."]  that  they... may 
...may... 

they  which  see  not"]  The  true  commentary 
on  these  verses  is  Luke  x.  ai  ||  Matt.  xi.  35, 
and  Matt.  xii.  31,  34.  The  phrase  must  be 
taken  literally  to  describe  those  who  have  no 
intellectual  knowledge,  no  clear  perception  of 
the  divine  will  and  the  divine  law ;  the 
simple,  the  little  children.  These  by  appre- 
hending the  revelation  of  the  Son  of  man  grasp 
the  fulness  of  the  Gospel,  and  see.  Those  on 
the  other  hand  who  had  knowledge  of  the  Old 
Covenant,  who  were  so  far  "wise  and  under- 
standing," and  rested  in  what  they  knew,  by 
this  very  wisdom  became  incapable  of  further 
progress  and  unable  to  retain  what  they  had. 

be  made  (become)  blind]  By  wilfully 
confining  their  vision  men  lose  the  very 
power  of  seeing.  There  is  a  contrast  between 
"those  that  see  not"  (ot  pr)  jSAeTroires))  and 
"those  who  are  blind"  (™<£Aoi).  The  former 
have  the  power  of  sight  though  it  is  unused : 
the  latter  have  not  the  power. 

40.  And  (omit)  some  of  the  Pharisees 
(Those  of  the  Pharisees)  which  were  with 


him...']  who  still  followed  under  the  guise  of 
discipleship  (Matt.  xii.  a  f.,  38;  Luke  vi.  a; 
Mark  xvi.  10,  &c.),  but  clung  to  their  own 
views  of  Messiah's  work  (viii.  31  ff.). 

these  words']  these  things. 

Are  we  blind  alsof]  Are  we  also  blind? 
we  who  have  acknowledged  Thy  claims  in 
advance — we  who  in  virtue  of  our  insight  (iii. 
a)  have  come  to  know  Thee  while  others  are 
in  'doubt  (x.  24)?  Can  it  be  that  we  who 
saw  then  have  now  lost  the  power  of  sight  ? 
The  question  (like  the  claim  of  Nicodemus, 
iii.  a,  we  know)  is  inspired  by  the  pride  of 
class.  The  answer  lays  open  the  responsibility 
of  privilege.  Better — such  is  the  force  of 
it — is  the  lack  of  knowledge,  than  knowledge 
real  and  misused.  The  claim  of  the  Pharisees 
to  sight  is  conceded  so  far  as  to  leave  them 
without  excuse,  when  they  failed  to  profit  by 
it. 

41.  ye  should  (would)  have  (have  had) 
no  sin]  Cornp.  xv.  aa,  a4,  xix.  n;  i  John  i. 
8.  Sin  is  regarded  as  something  cleaving  to 
the  man  himself,  which  has  become  (so  to 
speak)  part  of  him,  and  for  which  he  is  re- 
sponsible. 

but  now  ye  say,  We  see~]  There  seems 
to  be  a  pathetic  pause  after  these  words.  Then 
at  last  follows  the  sentence:  "You  plead  the 
reality  of  your  knowledge,  and  the  plea,  in 
this  sense,  is  just.  You  are  witnesses  against 
yourselves.  Then  is  there  no  further  illumi- 
nation. Your  sin  abideth  (omit  therefore).'1'1 

There  is  a  remarkable  saying  assigned  to 
R.  Abuhu  which  expresses  the  thought  of  this 
verse.  A  Sadducee  asked  him,  When  cometh 
the  Messiah?  "Go  first,"  was  the  answer, 
"and  make  dark  this  people."  "What  sayest 
thou?  That  is  a  reproach  to  me."  "I  appeal" 
answered  the  Rabbi  "to  Isai.  Ix.  a."  ('Sanhe- 
drin,'  993,  quoted  by  WUnsche  on  John  iii.  19.) 


ADDITIONAL  NOTE  on  CHAP.  ix.  35. 


The  ancient  authorities  are  divided  as  to 
the  reading  of  the  title  under  which  the  Lord 
offers  Himself  as  the  object  of  faith,  rov  viov 
TOV  dvGpdnrov  (the  Son  of  man)  is  read  by 
NBD,  the  Theoaic  version,  by  copies  of  the 
^thiopic,  and  by  some  texts  of  Chrysostom. 

On  the  other  hand,  TOV  vlbv  rov  dtov  (the 
Son  of  God)  is  read  by  ALX  I,  33,  and  ap- 
parently all  other  MSS.  (C  is  defective),  by 
the  Latin  and  Syriac  and  Memphitic  versions, 
by  Tertullian,  Cyril  of  Alexandria,  &c. 


Both  readings  were  evidently  very  widely 
spread  at  the  beginning  of  the  third  century ; 
and  though  undoubtedly  such  a  combination 
of  MSS.  as  XBD  is  shewn  by  a  wide  induction 
to  be  practically  irresistible,  the  case  is  one  in 
which  it  is  important  to  take  internal  evidence 
into  account 

The  titles  "  the  Son  of  man  "  and  "  the  Son 
of  God "  do  not  occur  very  frequently  in  St 
John,  and  each  about  the  same  number  of 
times.  Nor  does  there  appear  to  have  been 


V.    I, 


ST.  JOHN.   X. 


any  general  tendency  to  substitute  one  for  the 
other,  or  to  introduce  either  one  or  the  other. 
In  v.  19,  D  and  a  few  kindred  authorities  read 
"  the  Son  of  man"  for  "  the  Son."  It  is  of 
much  more  importance  that  elsewhere  in  con- 
fessions the  title  used  is  uniformly  "  the  Son 
of  God"  (i.  34,  50,  xi.  27:  comp.  xx.  31); 
and  partly  for  this  reason  the  introduction  of 
the  Synoptic  confession  of  St  Peter  in  vi.  69 
became  natural  and  easy.  At  first  sight  indeed 
the  demand  for  belief  in  "  the  Son  of  man  "  is 
difficult  to  understand.  It  seems  certain  that 
there  could  have  been  no  inclination  on  the 
part  of  scribes  to  substitute  this  unusual 
phrase  for  the  common  one  ;  and  the  evidence 
is  too  varied  to  admit  of  the  supposition  that 
"Son  of  man"  was  accidentally  substituted 
for  "Son  of  God."  On  the  other  hand,  the 
converse  change  from  "  Son  of  man  "  to  "  Son 
of  God"  was  very  obvious,  whether  the 
change  was  made  mechanically  or  as  the  cor- 
rection of  a  supposed  blunder. 

All  the  probabilities  of  change  are  in  favour 


of  "the  Son  of  man"  as  the  original  reading. 
A  closer  examination  of  the  context  shews 
that  this  title  is  required  to  bring  out  the  full 
meaning  of  the  scene.  The  man  had  been  ex- 
pelled with  contumely  by  the  religious  leaders 
of  his  people.  He  had  in  the  popular  sense 
broken  with  Judaism.  He  was  therefore  in- 
vited to  accept  an  object  of  faith  larger  than 
that  which  was  offered  by  the  current  concep- 
tions of  Messiah,  "the  Son  of  God."  It  was 
not  necessary  that  he  should  have  any  very  dis- 
tinct understanding  of  the  full  meaning  of  the 
phrase  "the  Son  of  man"  (xii.  23,  34) ;  but 
at  least  it  must  have  suggested  to  him  one 
who  being  Man  was  the  hope  of  man.  This 
is  the  elementary  form  of  the  confession  of  the 
Incarnation  on  which  the  universal  Church 
rests. 

An  examination  of  the  other  passages  (i.  51, 
iii.  13  f.,  vi.  27,  53,  viii.  28,  xii.  23,  xiii.  31) 
in  which  the  title  occurs  shews  clearly  that  it  is 
in  each  case  (as  here)  an  essential  part  of  the 
teaching  which  they  convey. 


~\  7ERILY,  verily,  I  say  unto  you, 


CHAPTER  X. 

Christ  is  the  door,  and  the  good  shepherd.  .  V  He  that  entereth  not  by  the  door 
19  Divers  opinions  of  him.  24  He  froveth  mtO  the  sheepfold,  but  climbeth  up 
by  his  works  that  he  is  Christ  the  Son  of  some  other  way,  the  same  is  a  thief 
God:  39  escapeth  the  Jews,  40  and  went  i  rokljer 

again  beyond  Jordan,  where  many  believed 
on  him. 


2    But    he    that    entereth    in    by 


The  nature  of  the  new  Society  (x.  I — 21). 

The  reception  of  the  outcast  of  the  Syna- 
gogue gave  occasion  for  an  exposition  under 
familiar  figures  of  the  nature  of  the  new 
Society.  At  first  this  is  given  generally.  The 
relation  of  the  Shepherd  to  the  Fold  and  to 
the  Sheep  suggests  the  character  of  the  work 
which  Christ  had  to  do  in  respect  of  the  orga- 
nization of  the  divine  Church,  and  to  the 
completeness  of  His  power  to  claim  His  own 
true  followers  (i—  6).  Afterwards  the  images 
are  applied  directly.  Christ  shews  how  He 
fulfils  the  offices  indicated  by  "the  Door" 
(7—10),  and  by  "the  Shepherd"  (u— 16). 
He  is  "  the  Good  Shepherd  "  in  regard  of  His 
devotion  (11—13)  and  of  His  sympathy  (14— 
1 6).  His  work  too  rests  on  perfect  fellowship 
with  the  Father  (17,  18).  Once  again  His 
words  divide  His  hearers  (19 — 21). 

CHAP.  X.  1—6.'  The  point  of  connexion 
lies  in  the  thought  of  the  Pharisees  as  the 
shepherds  of  God's  Fold  in  contrast  with  the 
shepherds  who  may  perhaps  have  been  seen 
gathering  their  flocks  for  the  night's  shelter  on 
the  hills,  though  the  thought  of  the  allegory 
is  that  of  the  morning's  work.  On  one  side 
were  self-will  and  selfishness;  on  the  other 
loyal  obedience  and  devotion.  Comp.  Ezek. 
xxxiv.  a  ff. ;  Jer.  xxiii.  i  ff. ;  Zech.  xi.  3  ff. 


The  allegory  is  given  at  first  in  its  complex 
form.  All  the  elements  stand  together  undis- 
tinguished. Afterwards  the  two  chief  facts 
are  considered  separately,  the  fold  and  the 
flock.  In  relation  to  the  Fold  Christ  is  the 
Door;  in  relation  to  the  Flock  He  is  the 
Good  Shepherd.  But  for  the  present  this 
personal  application  lies  in  the  background. 
The  teaching  is  general.  Even  in  Old  Testa- 
ment times  the  "Word"  was  the  Door. 
Augustine  ('  in  Joh.'  XLV.  9)  says  well :  tern- 
fora  "variata  sunt  non  fides. 

1.  Verily,  verily...']  The  old  thought  is 
taken  up  upon  a  fresh  stage :  there  is  conti- 
nuance at  once  and  progress  (v.  7). 

the  sheepfold'}  More  exactly,  the  fold  of  the 
sheep  (Vulg.  ovile  ovium).  The  two  ideas  of 
the  fold  and  the  flock  are  presented  distinctly. 
Comp.  v.  7,  the  door  of  the  sheep. 

climbeth  up  (over  the  fence)  some  other  way] 
not  coming  from  the  pastures  or  from  the 
shepherd's  home  (a\\ax6dev),  and  thinking  of 
himself  only,  he  makes  his  own  road  and 
overleaps  the  barriers  which  are  set. 

is  a  thief...']  is  a  thief  who  seeks  to  avoid 
detection,  and  a  robber,  who  uses  open  force 
to  secure  his  ends.  For  "robber"  (X^o-r^r) 
see  xviii.  40;  Matt.  xxvi.  55,  and  parallel; 
Luke  x.  30 ;  and  for  "thief"  (tXAn^t),  xii.  6  ; 
i  Thess.  v.  2  ff. 


152 


ST.  JOHN.    X. 


!>•  3—7 


the    door    is    the    shepherd    of    the 
sheep. 

3  To  him  the  porter  openeth ;  and 
the  sheep  hear  his  voice:  and  he  call- 
eth  his  own  sheep  by  name,  and  lead- 
eth  them  out. 

4  And  when  he  putteth  forth  his 
own   sheep,    he   goeth  before  them, 
and  the  sheep  follow  him  :  for  they 
know  his  voice. 


5  And  a  stranger  will   they   not 
follow,  but  will  flee  from  him :   for 
they  know  not  the  voice  of  strangers. 

6  This  parable  spake  Jesus  unto 
them:  but  they  understood  not  what 
things  they  were  which  he  spake  unto 
them. 

7  Then  said  Jesus  unto  them  again, 
Verily,  verily,  I  say  unto  you,  I  am 
the  door  of  the  sheep. 


2.  is  the  (a)  shepherd  of  the  sheep]    one, 
it  may  be,  of  many,  but  his  true  nature  is 
shewn  by  his  act.    The  absence  of  the  article 
fixes  attention  on  the  character  as    distinct 
from  the  person. 

Several  flocks  were  often  gathered  into  one 
fold  for  protection  during  the  night.  In  the 
morning  each  shepherd  passed  into  the  fold  to 
bring  out  his  own  flock  ;  and  he  entered  by 
the  same  door  as  they.  Hence  the  emphatic 
repetition  of  "sheep"  (vv.  a,  7).  As  several 
flocks  were  gathered  in  one  fold,  the  sheep 
of  the  One  Shepherd  might  be  in  several  folds 
(•v.  1  6). 

3.  the  porter  (Vulg.  ostiariusj]  the  guard- 
ian to  whose  care  the  fold  in  each  case  is 
committed.    Comp.  Mark  xiii.  34.     Thus  the 
interpretation  will  vary  according  to  the  special 
sense  attached  to  the  "  sheep  "  and  the  "  shep- 
herd."   The    figure  is  not   to  be  explained 
exclusively  of   the    Holy   Spirit    or  of   the 
Father,  or  of  Moses,  or  of  John  the  Baptist, 
but  of  the  Spirit  acting  through  His  appointed 
ministers  in  each  case. 

openeth]  when  the  shepherd  returns  to  seek 
out  his  sheep  and  lead  them  to  pasture. 

the  sheep'}  all  that  are  gathered  within  the 
fold,  listen  to  his  voice,  as  a  shepherd's  voice, 
even  though  they  are  not  peculiarly  his  own 
sheep.  But  the  shepherd  of  each  flock  calleth 
his  own  sheep  by  name  and  leadeth  them  out. 
First  comes  the  personal  recognition,  and  then 
follows  the  fulfilment  of  the  specific  office. 

calleth.  ..by  name~\  Comp.  Isai.  xliii.  i,  xlv. 
3,  xlix.  i  (cf.  Ixii.  a)  ;  Rev.  iii.  5.  The  phrase 
"  to  be  known"  by  God  corresponds  with  this 
image:  i  Cor.  viii.  3,  xiii.  la;  Gal.  iv.  9. 
Each  "sheep"  has  its  own  name.  The  word 
rendered  calleth  ($a>i/ei)  is  that  which  expresses 
personal  address  rather  than  general  or  autho- 
ritative invitation 


4.  And  when  he  putteth  forth]  When  he 
hath  put  forth.  In  part  an  idea  of  separa- 
tion underlies  the  parable.  There  is  a  sense 
in  which  the  true  shepherd  not  only  "leads 
forth,"  but  also  "  puts  forth  his  own  sheep  " 
with  a  loving  constraint,  as  well  as  that  in 
which  the  false  shepherds  "  put  forth  "  (ix. 
34).  With  regard  to  the  old  fold  of  Israel 
the  time  for  this  separation  was  at  hand. 


his  own  sheep..."]  all  his  own...  according 
to  the  true  reading.  So  when  the  shepherd 
hath  put  forth  all  his  own,  he  places  him- 
self at  their  head  and  goeth  before  them, 

5.  And  a  stranger...']  But  a  stranger 
(dXXorpt'w)...  Compare,  for  the  application  of 
the  thoughts,  i  John  iii.  6,  9,  v.  18  (rjjpei 
avTov). 

strangers']  as  a  class  contrasted  with  the 
sons  of  God.  Comp.  Matt.  xvii.  aj  f.  ;  (Hebr. 
xi.  34).  These  are  not  however  the  same  as 
the  "  thieves  and  robbers." 


6.  parable]  The  original  word 

Vulg.  pro-verbium)  is  elsewhere  translated  pro- 
verb, ch.  xvi.  25,  39  ;  (a  Pet.  ii.  aa).  It  occurs 
in  Symmachus'  translation  of  Ezek.  xii.  a  a  f., 
xvi.  44,  for  />£>£  (LXX.  7rapaj3oX?f).  Comp. 
Ecclus.  xlvii.  17.  It  suggests  the  notion  of 
a  mysterious  saying  full  of  compressed  thought, 
rather  than  that  of  a  simple  comparison. 

unto  them]  that  is,  the  Pharisees  of  ix.  40. 

but  they  understood  not...']  The  men  whose 
legal  self-complacency  has  been  already  noted 
(enflvoi),  failed  to  perceive  the  true  meaning 
of  the  allegory  ;  the  spiritual  conceptions  of 
the  fold,  the  door,  the  sheep,  the  shepherd, 
were  all  strange  to  them  (comp.  i>.  20). 

7  —  10.  After  drawing  the  general  picture 
of  the  true  relation  of  the  Teacher  to  the 
Society  and  the  outward  organization,  the 
Lord  interprets  it  in  relation  to  Himself  under 
two  main  aspects.  He  is  "  the  Door  of  the 
sheep"  (7  —  10),  and  also  "the  Good  Shep- 
herd" (n  —  1  6).  The  first  application  de- 
termines that  He  is  the  one  means  of  entrance 
to  the  Church  at  all  times.  "Through  Him  " 
men  enter,  and  "through  Him"  they  find 
access  to  the  full  treasures  of  life. 

7.  Then  said  Jesus...  ,]  Jesus  therefore... 
in  order  to  bring  out  the  chief  points  of  teach- 
ing in  the  allegory,  said  to  them  again,  pro- 
bably after  an  interval  (viii.  la,  ai).    There 
is  at  least  a  pause  in  thought. 

Verily,  •verily...']  The  teaching  is  again  ad- 
vanced another  stage.  That  which  has  been 
up  to  this  time  general  is  now  set  forth  in  its 
special  and  most  complete  fulfilment.  The 
universal  law  of  the  divine  revelation  is  pre- 
sented in  its  absolute  expression.  For  he  that 


v. 


ST.  JOHN.    X. 


8  All   that  ever  came  before  me 
are  thieves  and  robbers :  but  the  sheep 
did  not  hear  them. 

9  I   am  the  door :  by  me   if  any 


man  enter  in,  he  shall  be  saved,  and 
shall  go  in  and  out,  and  find  pasture. 
10  The  thief  cometh  not,  but  for 
to  steal,  and  to  kill,  and  to  destroy  : 


entereth  (v.  2)  we  read  /  am  (vv.  7,  u). 
This  being  so,  Christ  reveals  Himself  under 
two  distinct  aspects.  He  is  "the  Door"  in 
regard  of  the  society  (the  Fold)  to  which  He 
gives  admission ;  He  is  "  the  Good  Shepherd" 
in  regard  of  the  individual  care  with  which 
He  leads  each  member  of  His  flock.  The 
thoughts  of  Ezek.  xxxiv.  are  everywhere 
present. 

the  door  of  the  sheep]  not  the  door  of  the 
fold.  Even  under  this  aspect  the  thought  is 
connected  with  the  life  and  not  simply  with 
the  organization. 

of  the  sheep]  by  which  sheep  alike  and  shep- 
herd enter,  and  not  simply  the  door  to  the 
sheep.  The  phrase  includes  the  thought  of  v.  i 
and  of  v.  9.  Even  the  shepherds — except  the 
One  Shepherd — are  sheep  also. 

8.  All  thai  ever  came... are]  Omitw^r,  which 
obscures  the  sense.  The  second  verb  fixes  the 
application  of  the  words  to  the  immediate 
crisis  of  national  expectation.  The  interpre- 
tation of  the  whole  phrase  lies  in  the  word 
came,  in  which  we  may  see  the  full  signifi- 
cance of  the  title,  he  that  should  come,  as  in  v. 
10.  Thus  the  term  includes  essentially  the 
notions  of  false  Messiahs  and  self-commis- 
sioned teachers. 

The  omission  of  before  me  in  an  impor- 
tant group  of  early  authorities  (K*,  Theb., 
Lot.  vt.,  Syrr.,  &C. ;  Vulg.  quotquot  venerunt) 
points  to  this  interpretation,  while  it  obscures 
it.  They  who  "came"  (comp.  i  John  v.  6), 
who  pretended  to  satisfy  the  national  expecta- 
tion inspired  by  the  prophets,  or  to  mould  the 
national  expectations  after  the  Pharisaic  type, 
who  offered  in  any  way  that  which  was  to  be 
accepted  as  the  end  of  the  earlier  dispensation, 
who  made  themselves  "  doors  "  of  approach  to 
God  (Matt,  xxiii.  14),  were  essentially  and 
continued  to  be  inspired  by  selfishness,  whether 
their  designs  were  manifested  by  craft  or  by 
violence,  and  whether  they  were  directed  to 
gain  or  to  dominion.  They  were  thieves  and 
robbers.  With  them  John  the  Baptist  may 
be  contrasted.  He  claimed  only  to  prepare 
the  way  for  one  "  coming  "  (i.  30). 

before  me...']  of  time.  Christ  came  when 
"all  things  were  ready,"  in  the  fulness  of 
time;  and  therefore  whoever  anticipated  by 
however  little  the  moment  of  the  divine  reve- 
lation so  far  violated  its  harmony  with  life. 
The  other  interpretations,  "instead  of,"  "pass- 
ing by,"  "apart  from,"  "before  my  commis- 
sion to  them,"  do  violence  to  the  words,  and 
express  only  fragments  of  the  true  idea. 

did  not  fxar  them]     Such  as  were  'waiting 


for  the  consolation  of  Israel  found  no  satisfac- 
tion in  the  works  or  designs  or  promises  of 
those  who  sought  to  substitute  another  hope 
for  that  which  the  true  Christ  realised.  There 
was  no  "  Gospel  for  the  poor  "  (Luke  vi.  20, 
vii.  22;  Matt.  xi.  5)  till  the  Son  of  man 
came. 

9.  the  door]     The  thought  is  now  con- 
centrated upon  the  office  (the  door),  and  not 
upon  the  relation  (the  door  of  the  sheep). 

by  me]     The  emphatic  order  brings  out  the  \ 
unique  personal  relation  in  which  the  Lord"/  • 
stands  to  the  believer,  even  in  regard  to  they 
society. 

any  man]  The  words  are  used  quite  gene- 
rally, and  not  of  the  shepherds  only.  The 
one  entrance  once  made  (If  any  one  enter)  is 
followed  by  the  assurance  and  the  enjoyment 
of  freedom  (he  shall  be  saved  . . .).  These 
words  evidently  describe  the  blessings  of  all 
Christians,  and  not  of  teachers  only. 

he  shall  be  saved,  and  shall  go  in  and  go  ont+    \ 
and  shall  find  pasture]    The  fulness  of  the  \\ 
Christian  life  is  exhibited  in  its  three  elements 
— safety,  liberty,  support.     Admission  to  the     J 
fold  brings  with  it  first  security  (he  shall  be 
saved).     But  this  security  is  not  gained  by 
isolation.     The  believer  goes  in  and  goes  out 
without    endangering    his    position    (Num. 
xxvii.  17;    Deut.  xxxi.  2);  he  exercises  the 
sum  of  all  his  powers,  claiming  his  share  in 
the  inheritance  of  the  world,  secure  in  his  . 
home.     And  while  he  does  so  hefnds  pasture. 
He  is  able  to  convert  to  the  divinest  uses  all 
the  fruits  of  the  earth.     But  in  all  this  he 
retains  his  life  "in  Christ,"  and  he  approaches 
all  else  "through  Christ,"  who  brings  not  only 
redemption  but  the  satisfaction  of  man's  true 
wants.     Comp.  vii.  37. 

10.  The  thief... ~]     Christ  presents  Himself 
in  His  relation  to  others  (through  me  if...). 
His  rivals  stand  by  themselves.     And  here  the 
meaner  word  (thief  not  robber)  is  chosen  to 
shew  the  true  nature  of  that  which  appears  to 
be  less  hateful  when  it  is  seen  in  its  more 
violent  forms. 

to  destroy]  Whoever  sets  up  a  selfish  ideal, 
and  falls  short  of  the  completeness  of  self- 
sacrifice,  abridges  the  resources  of  men.  He 
not  only  steals  to  satisfy  his  own  ends,  but 
in  doing  thus  he  necessarily  kills  and  destroys. 
In  the  pursuit  of  his  object  he  wastes  life  and 
he  wastes  the  sustenance  of  life,  even  if  he 
does  not  propose  to  himself  such  an  end.  This 
is  a  universal  truth  (cometh,  not  came) ;  and 
contrasted  with  it  is  the  single  unparalleled  fact 
I  came  (not  I  am  come)  that  men  may  have 


154 


ST.  JOHN.   X. 


[V.   II,   12. 


«  Tsai.  40. 
ii. 

Kzek.  34. 
23- 


I  am  come  that  they  might  have  life, 
and  that  they  might  have  //  more 
abundantly. 

ii  "I  am  the  good  shepherd:  the 
good  shepherd  giveth  his  life  for  the 
sheep. 


12  But  he  that  is  an  hireling,  and 
not  the  shepherd,  whose  own  the 
sheep  are  not,  seeth  the  wolf  coming, 
and  leaveth  the  sheep,  and  fleeth : 
and  the  wolf  catcheth  them,  and  scat- 
tereth  the  sheep. 


life  and  may  have  abundance.  These  two 
aims  are  contrasted  with  kill  and  destroy :  the 
contrast  to  "  steal "  lies  in  the  very  fact  of 
Christ's  coming.  And  thus  the  work  of 
Christ  is  presented  in  its  two  issues,  which 
correspond  with-  the  two  fatal  issues  of  the 
selfish  prophet :  the  gift  of  life,  and  the  gift  of 
abundance.  Life  in  itself  is  not  all.  There 
must  be  also  that  which  shall  maintain,  and 
strengthen,  and  extend  the  action  of  life ;  and 
this  also  Christ  assures.  His  sheep  "  find 
pasture." 

might  have  it  (life)... abundantly}  Rather, 
may  have  abundance  (jrepicr<rov  e^aMrtv). 
The  repetition  of  have  (e^wo-ti')  points  to  this 
parallelism.  The  idea  that  the  phrase  points 
to  something  more  than  life,  as  the  kingdom 
of  heaven,  or  the  participation  in  the  Holy 
Spirit,  expresses  only  part  of  the  meaning, 
which  is  indicated  in  i.  16. 

11 — 16.  The  last  verse  furnishes  the  tran- 
sition from  the  social  to  the  personal  relation, 
from  the  door  to  the  shepherd.  Two  points 
are  specially  brought  out  in  the  character  of 
"  the  good  shepherd,"  His  perfect  self-sacrifice 
(n — 13),  and  His  perfect  knowledge  (14, 15), 
which  extends  beyond  the  range  of  man's 
vision  (16).  The  whole  portraiture  of  "the 
Good  Shepherd"  is  a  commentary  on  Isai.  liii. 
See  Taylor,  'The  Gospel  in  the  Law,'  pp. 
107  ff. 

11.  I  am  the  good  shepherd^  The  exact  form 
of  the  expression,  /  am  the  shepherd,  the  good 
(shepherd),  carries  back  the  thought  to  others 
who  partially  and  imperfectly  discharge  the 
office  which  Christ  discharges  completely. 
The  epithet  itself  is  remarkable  (o  TT.  o  /caXos). 
It  recalls  the  phrases  "the  true  bread"  (vi.32), 
and  "the  true  vine"  (xv.  i),  but  it  is  some- 
what different.  Christ  is  not  only  the  true 
shepherd  (o  IT.  o  d\n6ii>6s),  who  fulfils  the 
idea  of  the  shepherd,  but  He  is  the  good  shep- 
herd who  fulfils  the  idea  in  its  attractive 
loveliness.  The  epithet  implies  the  correspond- 
ence between  the  nobility  of  the  conception 
and  the  beauty  of  the  realisation.  The  "good  " 
is  not  only  good  inwardly  (ayaQos),  but  good 
as  perceived  (*aXos).  In  the  fulfilment  of 
His  work  "  the  Good  Shepherd  "  claims  the 
admiration  of  all  that  is  generous  in  man. 

the  good  shepherd]  The  character  of  the 
Good  Shepherd  is  first  described  in  itself; 
and  then  (14  fF.)  the  relation  of  Christ  as  the 
Good  Shepherd  to  the  flock.  The  first  picture 


however  is  in  itself  general,  and  it  is  wrong 
to  seek  any  direct  application  of  the  images 
of  the  "hireling"  and  of  "the  wolf,"  as 
contrasted  with  one  another,  to  the  Jews  of 
the  time.  Both  indeed  find  their  counterparts 
at  all  times. 

giveth  his  life]  layeth  down  his  life  (as  in 
vv.  15, 17,  &c.).  The  A.V.  comes  from  Vulg., 
which  reads  here  dat  animam.  The  phrase 
is  peculiar  to  St  John  (in  the  New  Testa- 
ment), vv.  15,  17,  xiii.  37,  38,  xv.  13  ;  i  John 
iii.  1 6,  and  is  not  found  elsewhere.  The  image 
has  been  explained  from  the  custom  of  laying 
down  the  price  for  which  anything  is  obtained 
(comp.  Matt.  xx.  28),  as  here  the  good  of  the 
sheep.  The  usage  of  St  John  (xiii.  4)  rather 
suggests  the  idea  of  putting  off  and  laying 
aside  as  a  robe.  The  phrase  "  to  lay  down 
life  "  must  be  compared  with  the  language  in 
vi.  51,  which  expresses  another  aspect  of  the 
truth.  It  is  possible  that  there  may  be  a  re- 
ference to  Isai.  liii.  10  (1^S3  D'BTI). 

for  (vTTf'p,  in  behalf  of  )  the  sheep]  It  is  not 
said  expressly  for  his  sheep  (vv.  3,  4,  26). 
The  thought  here  is  simply  that  of  the  intrinsic 
relation  of  shepherd  and  flock. 

12.  But  (omit)  he  that  is  an  hireling,  and 
not  the  (a)  shepherd...']  As  the  good  shepherd 
regards  his  duty,  and  is  bound  by  nature  to 
the  sheep,  so  his  rival  is  described  as  a  hire- 
ling who  does  his  work  for  his  reward,  and 
so  is  not  connected  essentially  with  the  flock. 
The  idea  of  "  own "  here  is  not  that  of 
individual  possession  (i  Pet.  v.  2  f.),  but  of 
peculiar  relationship  (v.  3). 

seeth~]  beholdeth.  The  whole  soul  of  the 
hireling  is  concentrated  (comp.  vi.  19)  for 
the  time  upon  the  approaching  peril,  and  then 
his  choice  is  made.  Augustine  (ad  loc.)  says 
tersely  fuga  animi  timor  est. 

the  <wolf~\  The  flock  has  its  natural  ene- 
mies; and  when  it  passes,  as  it  must,  into  the 
world,  it  is  open  to  their  attacks. 

catcheth... the  sheep~\  seizeth  them  and  scat- 
tereth  the  flock.  Some  fall  victims  to  the 
attack,  and  all  lose  their  unity.  Individuals 
perish:  the  society  is  broken  up.  The  word 
to  be  supplied  after  scattereth  is  not  "the 
sheep,"  which  is  wrongly  inserted  in  many 
authorities,  but  "  the  flock." 

catcheth']  seizeth  (or  snatcheth).  The 
word  (aprrafn)  describes  the  suddenness  as 
well  as  the  violence  of  the  assault.  Comp. 
v.  28  f.,  Matt.  xiii.  19  ;  Acts  xxiii.  10. 


v.  i3— 1 6.] 


ST.  JOHN.    X. 


155 


13  The  hireling  fleeth,  because  he 
is  an  hireling,  and  careth  not  for  the 
sheep. 

14  I  am  the  good   shepherd,   and 
know  my  sheep,  and  am  known  of 


mine. 


15    As   the   Father  knoweth  me, 


even  so  know  I  the  Father :  and  I 
lay  down  my  life  for  the  sheep. 

1 6  And  other  sheep  I  have,  which 
are  not  of  this  fold :  them  also  I  must 
bring,  and  they  shall  hear  my  voice  ; 
*and  there  shall  be  one  fold,  and  one  *  Ezek  37- 
shepherd. 


13.  The  hireling  fleeth~\      This  clause  must 
be  omitted  on  the  authority  of  N(A*)BDL 
i,  33  e,  Memph.,  Theb.,  &c.     The  abruptness 
of  the  true  reading  places  in  close  contrast  the 
fate  of  the  false  shepherd  and  of  the  sheep. 
The  double  issue  of  cowardice  and  suffering 
comes  from  the  fact  that  he  who  should  have 
been  a  guardian  thinks  of  himself  and  not  of 
his  charge:    According  to  the  Jewish  tradition 
(Lightfoot,  ad  /or.),  the  shepherd  for  hire  was 
responsible  for  damage  done  by  wild  beasts  to 
his  flock. 

careth  not  for... ,]   Contrast  i  Pet.  v.  7. 

14 — 16.  The  Lord  applies  directly  to  Him- 
self and  to  His  flock  the  ideal  of  the  Good 
Shepherd. 

14.  15.     /  am...and  kno<w...and  am  known 
of  mine.      As   the  Fat  her... me,  even   so  .  .  .] 
/  am  .  .  .  and  I   know  .  .  .  and  mine  know 
me,     even    as     the     Father      knoweth 
me  and  I  know  the  Father,  according  to 
the  most  ancient  authorities. 

The  relation  of  Christ  to  His  people  cor- 
responds with  that  of  the  Son  to  the  Father. 
Comp.  vi.  57,  xiv.  20,  xv.  10,  xvii.  ji.  The 
words  are  not  simply  a  comparison,  but  the 
one  relation  is  (so  to  speak)  a  measure  of  the 
other.  Christ  first  took  our  nature  that  we 
might  afterwards  receive  His.  Such  mutual 
knowledge  as  is  described  involves  sympathy, 
love,  community  of  nature :  i  John  iv.  7  f. ; 
Gal.  iv.  9 ;  i  Cor.  viii.  3  ;  ch.  xvii.  3,  25. 

15.  Completeness  of  knowledge  is  con- 
summated in  completeness  of  sacrifice.     Per- 
fect sympathy  calls  out  the  perfect  remedy. 
Christ  does  actually  what  the  Good  Shepherd 
is  prepared  to  do.     This  thought   leads  to 
the  prospect  of  the  removal  of  the  barriers 
between  race  and  race  by  the  death  of  Christ 
(Eph.  ii.  13  fF.:  comp.  Hebr.  xiii.  20).     But 
in  this  discourse,  as  elsewhere,  the  law  of  the 
divine  revelation  is  observed,  "  to  the  Jew 
first  and  afterwards  to  the  Gentile." 

16.  By  the  anticipation  of  the  Cross  (xii. 
32)  the  spiritual  horizon  is  extended.    The 
flock    of    Christ  is  not    confined  to  those 
enclosed  in  the  Jewish  fold,  whether  in  Pales- 
tine or  elsewhere.    Even  before  His  death, 
while  the  wall  of  partition  is  still  standing, 
He  "has"  other  sheep,  who  even  if  they  know 
Him  not  are  truly  His  (comp.  xi.  52).    The 
words  are  the   historical   affirmation  of  the 


truth,  i.  4,  9.  For  the  general  thought  com- 
pare Matt.  viii.  n  f. ;  Luke  xiii.  28  f. 

other  sheep]  In  the  case  of  the  Gentiles 
there  was  no  outward  unity.  They  did  not 
form  a  "  fold "  as  the  Jews,  whose  work 
was  realised  through  an  outward  organization. 
They  were  "scattered  abroad"  (xi.  52); 
but  still  they  were  Christ's  "  sheep  "  in  fact, 
and  not  only  potentially. 

them  also  I  must  bring]  in  obedience  to  the 
divine  Law.  Comp.  xx.  9,  note. 

bring]  Rather,  lead.  The  idea  is  that  of 
openly  assuming  the  guidance  of  the  sheep, 
and  not  that  of  gathering  them  into  one  body 
(o-vvayaytlv,  xi.  52),  or  of  conducting  them 
to  one  place  (irpoa-ayaytlv).  The  tense  points 
to  the  one  act  whereby  the  Shepherd  took  up 
His  rightful  position.  This  could  only  be 
by  His  death,  which  re-unites  man  with  God 
and  therefore  man  (as  man)  with  man  (xii. 

32)- 

shall  hear]  Acts  xxviii.  28.  Such  obedience 
is  the  sign  that  we  are  Christ's  (vv.  4,  27). 

there  shall  be  one  fold]  they  shall  become 
— they  shall  present  the  accomplishment  of 
the  ancient  prophecy — one  flock,  one  shep- 
herd (Ezek.  xxxiv.  23).  That  which  "is" 
in  the  eternal  counsel  and  truth  of  things 
"becomes"  in  human  history,  and  this  stage 
by  stage,  and  not  by  one  complete  transfor- 
mation. 

The  translation  "  fold  "  for  "  flock"  (wile 
for  grex)  has  been  most  disastrous  in  idea 
and  in  influence.  See  Additional  Note.  ^The 
change  in  the  original  from  "  fold  "  (aiJXi;), 
to  "  flock "  (iroifuv}),  is  most  striking,  and 
reveals  a  new  thought  as  to  the  future  rela- 
tions of  Jew  and  Gentile.  Elsewhere  stress 
is  laid  upon  their  corporate  union  (Rom.  xi. 
17  fF.),  and  upon  the  admission  of  the  Gen- 
tiles to  the  Holy  City  (Isai.  ii.  3);  but  here 
the  bond  of  fellowship  is  shewn  to  lie  in  the 
common  relation  to  One  Lord.  The  visible 
connexion  of  God  with  Israel  was  a  type  and 
pledge  of  this  original  and  universal  con- 
nexion. The  unity  of  the  Church  does  not 
spring  out  of  the  extension  of  the  old  king- 
dom, but  is  the  spiritual  antitype  of  that 
earthly  figure.  Nothing  is  said  of  one  "fold  " 
under  the  new  dispensation. 

It  may  be  added  that  the  obliteration  of 
this  essential  distinction  between  the  "  fold  " 
and  the  "  flock  "  in  many  of  the  later  Western 
versions  of  this  passage  indicates,  as  it  appears. 


156 


ST.  JOHN.    X. 


[v. 


—  21. 


7.8. 


ij  Therefore  doth  my  Father  love 
'•  53-  me, c because  I  lay  down  my  life,  that 
I  might  take  it  again. 

1 8  No  man  taketh  it  from  me, 
but  I  lay  it  down  of  myself.  I  have 
power  to  lay  it  down,  and  I  have 
*Acts2.  power  to  take  it  again.  rfThis  com- 
mandment have  I  received  of  my 
Father. 


19  fl  There  was  a  division  there- 
fore again  among  the  Jews  for  these 
sayings. 

20  And  many  of  them  said,  He 
hath  a  devil,  and  is  mad  ;  why  hear 
ye  him  ? 

21  Others   said,   These   are   not 
the  words  of  him  that  hath  a  devil. 
Can  a  devil  open  the  eyes  of  the  blind  ? 


a  tendency  of  Roman  Christianity,  and  has 
served  in  no  small  degree  to  confirm  and  ex- 
tend the  false  claims  of  the  Roman  see.  See 
Additional  Note. 

The  fulfilment  of  the  promise  began  with 
the  establishment  of  one  church  of  Jew  and 
Gentile  (Eph.  ii.  13  fF.)  and  goes  forward 
until  the  consummation  of  all  things  (Rom. 
xi.  36). 

17.  Therefore]     For  this    reason  (8ia 
TOVTO)  —  namely,   that  the   Good  Shepherd 
freely  offers  Himself  for  His  flock,  to  bring 
all  into  a  true  unity — doth  the  Father  love 
me.     The  perfect  love  of  the  Son  calls  out 
(if  we  dare  so  speak)  the  love  of  the  Father, 
just  as  man's  love  calls  out  the  active  love  of 
Christ. 

The  reason  thus  gathered  from  the  former 
verses  is  summed  up  in  the  sentence  which 
x  follows :  because  I — the  pronoun  is  emphatic, 
I,  in  the  exercise  of  my  personal  will — lay  down 
my  life  with  this  clear  end  in  view,  that  1 
may  (not  might)  take  it  again.  The  "  that  " 
(iva)  marks  a  definite  purpose,  and  not  merely 
a  result  or  a  condition.  The  sacrifice  is  not  a 
casting  away  of  a  blessing  of  God,  but  is 
itself  made  in  order  to  give  the  blessing  fuller 
reality,  and  this  end  is  here  distinctly  set  forth. 
Christ  died  in  order  to  rise  to  a  completer  life 
and  to  raise  men  with  Him.  This  purpose 
evoked  the  love  of  the  Father.  Comp.  xii.  32  ; 
Phil.  ii.  9  ;  Hebr.  ii.  10,  xii.  2. 

18.  No  man  taketh  it . .  .]     The  aoristic 
reading  (rjpfv),  which  is  probably  true,  no 
one    took   it  from  me,  opens  a  glimpse  into 
the  eternal  counsel  independent  of  time,  into 
"being"  as  distinguished  from  "becoming." 
Comp.  Rev.  iv.    1 1    (qo-av   Kal  fUTio-drjaav) ; 
i.  4.    The  work  of  Christ,  the  Incarnate  Son, 
was,  so  to  speak,  already  accomplished  when 
He  came.     And  this  work  was  imposed  by  no 
constraining  power  at  first  (took)  but  was  to  its 
last  issue  fulfilled  by  the  free-will  of  Christ 
Himself,  in  harmony  with  the  will  of  the 
Father  (v.  30,  vii.  28,  viii.  28,  42,  xiv.  10). 
Here  only  does  Christ  claim  to  do  anything 
"of  Himself"  (air  tpavrov).  Compare  a  like 
contrast  in  v.  31,  viii.  14,  18. 

taketh  it]  "taketh  it  away"  (aipei,  Vulg. 
tollit),  Matt.  xiii.  12,  xxv.  28  f. 

/  have  power . . .]  7  have  right,  not  simple 


ability,  but  just  authority  («£ot><n'a)  to  do  so. 
The  emphasis  which  is  laid  on  the  personal 
act  of  sacrifice  is  traced  back  to  its  ground 
in  these  words.  The  two  parts  of  the  one  act 
of  Redemption  are  set  side  by  side  (/  have  right 
to  lay  down,  I  have  right  to  . .  .  take  again). 

I  have  power  (right)  to  lay  it  down]  In 
the  case  of  Christ  even  death  itself  was  vo- 
luntary. His  will  to  the  last  absolutely  coin- 
cided with  the  Father's  will,  so  that  He  could 
do  what  no  man  can  do. 

/  have  power  (right)  to  take  it  (Xa/Seii/) 
again]  The  words  contain  implicitly  the  mys- 
tery of  the  divine-human  Person  of  the  Lord, 
gathered  up  in  His  divine  Personality.  In  virtue 
of  this  undying  Personality  (v.  26),  He  had 
power  to  revivify  all  that  was  dissolved  by 
death,  "taking"  in  this  sense  that  which  was 
given  by  the  Father.  Comp.  ii.  19.  Christ  in 
His  divine  nature  works  with  the  Father. 
Thus  the  "right  "  of  the  Son  to  "take"  life 
again  completely  harmonizes  with  the  fact 
that  the  Resurrection  is  elsewhere  referred  to\ 
the  Father,  though  the  Son  is  the  Resurrection. 

This  commandment]  which  is  one  and  com- 
plete— to  lay  down  life  and  to  take  it  again — 
is  the  source  of  eternal  life :  xii.  49  f.,  xiv.  31. 
Thus  the  action  of  the  Son  is  finally  led  back 
to  His  Father  (My  Father,  and  not  simply 
the  Father)  in  the  sense  of  the  phrase  of  myself 
I  do  nothing. 

19.  There  was  (arose)  a  division  (omit 
therefore)  again  among  the  Jews]   as  vii.  43 
(in  the  multitude),  ix.  16  (in  the  Pharisees). 

these  sayings']  these  words  (\6yovs,  Vulg. 
sermones),  these  discourses  :  not  only  the  last 
parables,  but  all  the  discourses  of  this  visit. 

20.  He  hath  a  devil  (demon)]    Cf.  vii. 
20,  viii.  48  fF. 

why  hear  ye  him  ?]  This  was  said  apparently 
by  those  who  feared  the  effect  which  the 
teaching  of  Christ  had. 

21.  These  are  not  the  words  .  .  .]  the  say- 
Ings    (piJ/Liara,    Vulg.    verba) — the   specific 
utterances  which  arrested  their  attention,  and 
not  the  general  teaching — of  one  possessed 
with    a    demon     (8ai[iovi£onevov).       The 
teaching  itself  refutes  the  charge  of  madness : 
the  act  indicates  the  co-operation  of  a  power 
greater  than  and    different  from  that  of  a 
demon  (Can  a  demon  open  ...?). 


V.    22 25-] 


ST.  JOHN.    X. 


'57 


22  11  And  it  was  at  Jerusalem  the 
Mace,   'feast  of  the  dedication,  and  it  was 

Sy. 

winter. 

23  And  Jesus  walked  in  the  tem- 
ple in  Solomon's  porch. 


24  Then   came   the   Jews   round 
about  him,  and  said  unto  him,  How 

long  dost  thou  u  make  us  to  doubt  ? '  °r> hold 
If  thou  be  the  Christ,  tell  us  plainly.  *»*t 

25  Jesus  answered  them,   I   told 


Christ's   fnal    public     testimony    to    Himself 
before  His  passion  (x.  22 — 38). 

In  this  section  the  testimony  of  the  Lord 
to  Himself  reaches  its  climax.  In  answer  to 
a  direct  question  put  to  Him  in  the  temple 
at  a  season  suggestive  of  great  hope  (22 — 24), 
He  directs  His  interrogators  to  His  teaching 
and  His  works  (25),  while  He  points  out  the 
ground  of  their  unbelief  (26).  At  the  same 
time  He  claims  for  Himself  a  flock  separate 
from  the  corrupt  theocracy,  for  which  He  has 
provided  the  fulness  of  life  through  His 
absolute  fellowship  with  the  Father  (27 — 30). 
This  claim,  which  is  practically  an  answer  to 
the  original  question,  leads  to  an  outburst  of 
violence  (31).  Christ  again  appeals  to  His 
works  (32)  ;  and,  in  answer  to  the  charge  of 
blasphemy  (33),  shews  that  the  Old  Testa- 
ment pointed  to  that  fellowship  of  God  and 
man  which  He  at  length  presented  (34 — 36). 
Finally,  once  again  He  appeals  to  His  works. 
By  accepting  these  as  real  and  studying  them, 
He  shews  that  men  may  rise  to  a  true  view  of 
His  Nature  (37,  38). 

The  argument  evidently  falls  in  completely 
with  the  occasion.  While  it  reveals  to  careful 
inquiry  the  essential  basis  of  St  John's  own 
teaching,  it  is  wholly  free  from  his  peculiar 
language,  and  even  superficially  (35,  36)  at 
variance  with  it 

22.  And  it  was  at  Jerusalem  the  feast  of 
the  dedication]  At  that  time  the  feast  of 
the  dedication  was  held  (<y«/ero)  at  Jerusa- 
lem. See  Additional  Note.  The  special  men- 
tion of  the  time  appears  to  be  made  in  order 
to  connect  the  subject  of  the  Lord's  teaching 
with  the  hopes  associated  with  the  last 
national  deliverance.  The  Hymn  which  is 
at  present  used  in  Jewish  Synagogues  at  the 
Festival  records  the  successive  deliverances  of 
Israel,  and  contains  a  prayer  for  yet  another. 
Christ  in  fact  perfectly  accomplished  what 
the  Maccabees  wrought  in  a  figure,  and  dedi- 
cated «i  new  and  abiding  temple:  ii.  18  ff. ; 
(Hebr.  x.  20).  For  the  history  of  the  Festival, 
which  was  kept  about  the  middle  of  Decem- 
ber (Kisleu  25,  and  seven  following  days),  see 
i  Mace.  iv.  36  ff.;  Jos.  'Ant.'  xn.  7.  7  (xu. 
n).  It  was  known  as  "the  Feast  of  lights," 
and  the  title  chosen  by  the  Lord  in  ix.  5  may 
refer  to  their  custom  of  kindling  the  lights,  no 
less  than  to  the  ceremonies  of  the  Feast  of 
Tabernacles. 

it  was  winter  (omit  and)]  The  note  is 
added,  not  simply  as  a  mark  of  time,  but  as 


an  explanation  of  the  fact  that  the    Lord 
chose  a  sheltered  spot  for  His  teaching. 

23,  24.     The  vividness  and  particularity 
of  the  description  (was  walking,  surrounded, 
began  to  say,  the  porch  of  Solomon  [comp.  viii. 
20])  are  to  be  noticed. 

walked]  was  walking.  The  verb  marks 
the  circumstances  of  the  special  conversation. 

Solomon's  porch']  Acts  iii.  n,  v.  12.  "The 
eastern  cloister,"  Jos.  '  Ant.'  xx.  8.  6.  Pro- 
bably the  vast  substructions  now  remaining 
may  belong  to  it. 

24.  Then  came  the  Jews .  .  .  ]    The  Jews 
therefore  came  . .  . ,  because  the  place  was 
a  public  resort,  and  offered  an  opportunity 
for  a  decisive  interview. 

round  about]  Acts  xiv.  20.  Probably  they 
were  resolved  to  bar  escape. 

dost  thou  make  us  to  doubt?]  hold  our 
minds  In  suspense.  The  original  word 
(aipns)  is  used  for  "  raising  "the  mind  with 
various  emotions  as  the  case  may  be,  here  in 
doubt  between  hope  and  fear. 

If  thou  be  (art)  the  Christ...']  The  em- 
phasis lies  on  the  pronoun.  If  thou,  far  as 
thou  art  from  our  ideal  and  from  our  wishes, 
if  thou  art  («  <rv  «t)  the  Christ,  tell  us....  The 
words  seem  to  betray  an  unsatisfied  longing 
which  seeks  rest,  if  it  can  be  gained,  even 
from  this  strange  teacher.  The  notion  that 
the  question  is  asked  with  a  deliberate  evil  in- 
tention is  unsuited  to  the  occasion.  It  was 
repeated  with  terrible  emphasis  afterwards, 
Luke  xxii.  67. 

tell  us  plainly]  without  reserve  and  without 
fear,  vii.  13,  note,  xi.  14.  As  if  they  wished 
to  add,  "and  we  on  our  part  will  not  be  want- 
ing to  carry  out  your  purpose  and  our  own." 

25.  The  answer  is  a  test  of  faith.  The 
Lord  was  the  Christ  of  the  Old  Testament, 
and  yet  not  the  Christ  of  the  Pharisaic  hope. 
The  questioners  therefore  are  thrown  back 
upon  their  own  spiritual  discernment.  The 
words  and  the  works  of  Christ  reveal  Him. 

/  told  you]  not  indeed  directly,  as  the  woman 
of  Samaria  (iv.  26);  that  open  declaration 
came  only  when  hope  was  past  and  it  could 
foster  no  false  expectations  (Matt.  xxvi.  64, 
note)  ;  but  yet  Christ's  words  were  such  that 
faith  could  not  have  misunderstood  their 
meaning.  And  even  if  His  teaching  had  re- 
mained a  riddle,  His  works  might  still  have 
furnished  the  interpretation  of  it.  Comp. 
xiv.  11. 


158 


ST.  JOHN.    X. 


[v.  26—28. 


you,  and  ye  believed  not :  the  works 
that  I  do  in  my  Father's  name,  they 
bear  witness  of  me. 

26  But  ye  believe  not,  because 
ye  are  not  of  my  sheep,  as  I  said 
unto  you. 


27  My  sheep  hear  my  voice,  and  I 
know  them,  and  they  follow  me  : 

28  And  I  give  unto  them  eternal 
life  j  and  they  shall  never  perish,  nei- 
ther shall  any  man  pluck  them  out  of 
my  hand. 


ye  believed  not}  ye  believe  not.  The  ques- 
tion is  of  their  present  state. 

which  I  do}  The  emphatic  pronoun  (which 
I — I,  the  very  person  whom  you  see  and  despise 
— do)  at  once  refers  back  to  the  thou  of  the 
Jews'  question,  and  forward  to  the  relation  of 
the  Son  to  the  Father. 

in  my  Father's  name]  as  revealing,  that  is, 
the  special  connexion  in  which  I  stand  to 
Him,  and  in  virtue  of  that  connexion.  Comp. 

v.  43- 

they]  these.  For  the  emphatic  repetition 
of  the  subject,  see  vi.  46,  vii.  18,  xv.  5. 

26.  But}  the  fault  lies  not  in  the  lack  of 
witness.     It  is  the  power  to  apprehend  it 
which  is  wanting.     You  on  your  part  believe 
not,  because... 

not  of  my  sheep...']  The  phrase  calls  back 
the  teaching  of  the  earlier  part  of  the  chapter : 
vv.  14  ff.  The  exact  form  of  expression 
"the  sheep  that  are  mine"  (TO.  7rp6/3ara  ra 
ffM)  is  characteristic  of  St  John.  Comp.  xv. 
9,  note. 

as  1  said  unto  you}  These  words  are  to  be 
omitted  in  accordance  with  KBL,  &c.,  Memph., 
Theb.,  Vulg.,  &c. 

27 — 30.  The  connexion  of  this  paragraph 
with  that  which  precedes  is  not  very  obvious. 
It  seems  to  lie  in  the  affirmation  of  the  exist- 
ence of  a  society  of  believers  though  Israel 
was  unfaithful.  "  You  hear  not ;  you  fail  to 
recognise  your  Messiah ;  but  still  there  are 
those  who  welcome  the  blessings  which  I 
bring,  and  acknowledge  in  me  a  wider  office 
and  a  higher  Being." 

27,  28.     These  verses  admit  of  three  dis- 
tinct arrangements,  either  into  three  divisions 
of  one,  two,  and  three  clauses  respectively ;  or 
into  three  divisions  of  two  clauses;  or  into 
two  divisions  of  three  clauses  (as  A.V.).    Ac- 
cording to  the  first  arrangement  the  general 
truth  is  stated  at  the  outset,  and  afterwards 
developed  on  its  two  sides : 

My  sheep  hear  my  voice. 
And  I  know  them, 

and  they  follow  me: 
And  I  give  unto  them  eternal  life; 
and  they  shall  never  perish, 
and  no  one  shall  snatch  them  out  of  my 

hand. 

In  this  arrangement  the  thought  is  first  of 
the  sheep  and  then  of  the  shepherd. 

According  to  the  second  arrangement  the 
sheep  stand  in  each  case  first : 


My  sheep  hear  my  voice, 

and  I  know  them  ; 
And  they  follow  me, 

and  I  give  unto  them  eternal  life; 
And  they  shall  never  perish, 

and  no  one  shall  snatch  them  out  of  my 
hand. 

So  the  knowledge  (sympathy,  love)  of 
Christ  answers  to  obedience ;  life  to  progress ; 
victory  to  salvation. 

However  the  symmetry  of  the  thought  is 
arranged  the  ground  of  all  is  the  same,  the 
unity  in  essence,  and  power,  and  will,  of  the 
Father  and  of  the  Son. 

27.  hear..follow~}     Both  verbs  are  plural 
here  as  contrasted  with  the  singular  vv.  3,  4 
(hear,  follow).     In  one  case  the  idea  of  the 
flock  prevails,  and  in  the  other  that  of  the 
separate  sheep.     The  plural  occurs  :  4,  know ; 
5,  follow,  fly,  know;  8,  heard;  (14,  know)  ; 
1 6,  hear,  become;  28,  perish.     The  singular, 
v.  4  (ctKohovdel) ;  v.  12,  are  (eorti/);  1 6,  are 
(ecrrti'). 

/  know  them}  v.  14. 

they  follow'}  v.  4.  Life  is  progress  towards 
fuller  knowledge,  and  not  rest. 

28.  I  give}     Not   simply  "  I  will  give." 
The  offer  is  present  and  continuously  appro- 
priated. 

they  shall... hand}  They  are  safe  from  in- 
ward dissolution  and  from  outward  violence. 

neither  shall  any  man  pluck  them]  and  no 
one  shall  snatch  them,  as  a  fact  distin- 
guished from  can  snatch,  v.  29. 

out  of  my  hand}  Comp.  Wisd.  iii.  I ;  Isai. 
xlix.  2,  li.  1 6. 

27,  28.  The  doctrine  of  "  final  persever- 
ance" has  been  found  in  this  passage.  But 
we  must  carefully  distinguish  between  the 
certainty  of  God's  promises  and  His  infinite 
power  on  the  one  hand,  and  the  weakness  and 
variableness  of  man's  will  on  the  other.  If 
man  falls  at  any  stage  in  his  spiritual  life,  it  is 
not  from  want  of  divine  grace,  nor  from  the 
overwhelming  power  of  adversaries,  but  from 
his  neglect  to  use  that  which  he  may  or  may 
not  use.  We  cannot  be  protected  against 
ourselves  in  spite  of  ourselves.  He  who  ceases 
to  hear  and  to  follow  is  thereby  shewn  to  be 
no  true  believer,  i  John  ii.  19.  The  difficulty 
in  this  case  is  only  one  form  of  the  difficulty 
involved  in  the  relation  of  an  infinite  to  a  finite 
being.  The  sense  of  the  divine  protection  is 
at  any  moment  sufficient  to  inspire  confidence. 


29—33-] 


ST.  JOHN.    X. 


159 


29  My  Father,  which  gave  them 
me,  is  greater  than  all ;  and  no  man 
is  able  to  pluck  them  out  of  my  Fa- 
ther's hand. 

30  I  and  my  Father  are  one. 

31  Then  the  Jews  took  up  stones 
again  to  stone  him. 

32  Jesus  answered   them,   Many 


good  works  have  I  shewed  you  from 
my  Father ;  for  which  of  those  works 
do  ye  stone  me  ? 

33  The  Jews  answered  him,  say- 
ing, For  a  good  work  we  stone  thee 
not ;  but  for  blasphemy ;  and  because 
that  thou,  being  a  man,  makest  thy- 
self God. 


but  not  to  render  effort  unnecessary.  Comp. 
yi-  37»  39i  4°>  44  f-  St  Paul  combines  the 
two  thoughts,  Phil.  ii.  12  f. 

29.  My  Father... all}     The  reading  of  the 
original  text   in  this  place  is  doubtful.    See 
Additional   Note.     According  to  the    most 
probable    reading   the    translation    is,    that 
which    the    Father    hath  given    me   is 
greater  than  all:  the  faithful  regarded  in  their 
unity,  as  a  complete  body,  are  stronger  than 
every  opposing  power.     This  is  their  essential 
character,  and  no  one  is  able...    Comp.  I  John 
v.  4. 

and  no  man...  my  Father's  (the  Father's) 
hand}  The  thought,  which  is  concrete  in 
v.  28,  is  here  traced  back  to  its  most  absolute 
form  as  resting  on  the  essential  power  of  God 
in  His  relation  of  universal  Fatherhood.  The 
variations  in  expression  all  point  in  the  same 
direction.  Here  it  is  said  simply  snatch,  and 
not  snatch  them;  can  snatch,  and  not  shall 
snatch ;  the  Father,  and  not  my  Father. 

30.  /  and  my  Father  are  one]     I  and  the 
Father  are  one.    Every  word  in  this  pregnant 
clause  is  full  of  meaning.    It  is  /,  not  the  Son ; 
the  Father,  not  my  Father;   one  essence  («», 
Vulg.  unum),  not  one  person  (ds,  Gal.  iii.  28, 
units)  ;  are,  not  am.    The  revelation  is  of  the 
nature  of  Christ  in  the  fulness  of  His  double 
nature,  of  the  incarnate  Son  in  the  fulness  of 
His  manifested  being,  and  that  in  relation  to 
the  Father,  to  God  as  He  is  Father  at  once  of 
the  Son  and  of  men.     The  Incarnation  was 
the  proof  of  the  complete  unity  of  the  Father 
and  the  Son.    Through  that  was  shewn  the 
true  connexion  of  God  and  man.     And  so  it 
is  that  the  union  of  believers  together  is  made 
dependent  on  the  union  of  the  Father  and  the 
Son  (xvii.  22,  according  to  the  true  reading). 

It  seems  clear  that  the  unity  here  spoken  of 
cannot  fall  short  of  unity  of  essence.  The 
thought  springs  from  the  equality  of  power 
(my  band,  the  Father's  hand);  but  infinite 
power  is  an  essential  attribute  of  God ;  and  it 
is  impossible  to  suppose  that  two  beings  dis- 
tinct in  essence  could  be  equal  in  power. 
Comp.  Rev.  xx.  6,  xxii.  3. 

The  phrase  was  very  commonly  quoted  in 
controversy  from  the  time  of  Tertullian.  The 
following  passages  will  repay  study  :  Tertull. 
'adv.  Prax.'  22 ;  Hippol.  'c.  Noet.'  7  ;  Ambr. 


<de  Spin  S.'  I.  in,  116;  August.  'Coll.  c. 
Max.'  §  14. 

31.  Then  the  Jews  took  up...~\     The  Jews 
took  up,  lifted  up  or  bore.    The  word  (V/3oo- 
ravav,  d  bajulaverunt,  but  Vulg.  sustulerunt) 
describes  that  which  is  borne  as  a  heavy  weight 
rather  than  that  which  is  seized,  Gal.  vi.  2,  5, 
17.     The  stones  probably  were  brought  from 
a  distance  by  the  most  eager  assailants  (con- 
trast viii.  59,  ?;pai/).     The  works  which  were 
going  on  at  the  temple  would  supply  them. 

again]  viii.  59. 

32.  answered]  their  accusation  in  action. 
Comp.  ii.  1 8,  note.     Here  the  Lord  did  not 
withdraw    Himself   at  once  (viii.  59),   but 
further  unfolded  the  revelation  which  He  had 
given,  and  held  their  judgment  in  suspense  by 
His  word. 

good  (works']  good  in  the  sense  of  morally 
beautiful  (KO\O),  so  that  they  claimed  directly 
the  instinctive  admiration  of  men. 

shewed}  A  divine  work  is  a  revelation 
to  be  studied.  It  is  emphatically  "  a  sign  " 
(ii.  1 8).  Something  is  left  for  the  witness  to 
bring  to  the  interpretation  of  the  fact  (v.  20). 

from  my  (the)  Father}  proceeding  from 
Him  as  their  source  (eVc  TOW  IT.)  and  connected 
with  Him  as  the  stream  with  the  spring. 
Comp.  vi.  65,  vii.  17,  viii.  42,  47>  xvi.  28. 
See  also  v.  36,  xv.  24-  Under  this  aspect  it  is 
important  to  observe  that  the  Lord  speaks  not 
of  my  Father  but  of  the  Father;  the  relationship 
to  which  He  appeals  is  with  men  and  not  with 
the  Son  only. 

for  which}  The  interrogation  marks  quality 
(8ia  irolov)  and  not  simple  definition  (Sia  ri), 
Matt  xxi.  23  5  Acts  iv.  7. 

do  ye  stone  me?]  The  pronoun  (e>e)  is 
emphatic ;  do  ye  stone  me,  who  truly  reveal 
the  Father  in  act.  The  irony  of  the  speech 
becomes  the  expression  of  stern  indignation. 
The  miracles  of  Christ  had  in  fact  called  out 
the  bitterest  hostility  of  the  Jews. 

33.  The  Jews  answered  him  (omit,  with 
the  most  ancient  MSS.,  saying)...}  The  se- 
cond clause  defines  and  intensifies  the  charge 
in  the  first.  It  was  not,  they  reply,  simple 
blasphemy,  derogation  from  the  honour  due 
to  God,  but  the  assumption  by  man  of  the 
divine  prerogatives,  which  called  for  their 
action.  Comp.  xix.  7. 


i6o 


ST.  JOHN.   X. 


34—37- 


/Psat  82.  24  Jesus  answered  them,  ^Is  it  not 
written  in  your  law,  I  said,  Ye  are 
gods  ? 


36  Say  ye  of  him,  whom  the  Fa- 
ther hath  sanctified,  and  sent  into  the 
world,  Thou  blasphemest ;  because  I 


35  If  he  called  them  gods,  unto     said,  I  am  the  Son  of  God  ? 


whom  the  word  of  God  came,  and 
the  scripture  cannot  be  broken  ; 


37  If  I  do  not  the  works  of  my 
Father,  believe  me  not. 


34.  Jesus  answered...'}  The  accusation  of 
the  Jews  was  grounded  upon  a  false  concep- 
tion of  the  unity  of  God  drawn  from  the  Old 
Testament.     This,  they  argued,  was  violated 
if  Jesus,  truly  man,  claimed  to  be  One  with 
God.    The  Lord  therefore  shews  in  His  an- 
swer that  even  in  the  Old  Testament  there 
was  a  preparation  for  that  union  of  God  and 
man  which  He  came  to  complete. 

in  your  law]  in  the  code  to  which  you 
appeal,  viii.  17.  For  the  extension  of  the 
title  "law"  to  the  other  Scriptures,  see  xii. 
34,  xv.  25  ;  (Rom.  iii.  19:  i  Cor.  xiv.  ai). 
The  same  usage  is  found  in  Rabbinic  writers. 
Comp.  Wlinsche,  ad  loc. 

The  reference  in  Ps.  Ixxxii.  6  is  to  judges 
who  indeed  violated  the  laws  of  their  august 
office ,  yet  even  so  their  office  was  no  less  divine. 

35.  The  case  is  taken  as  an  extreme  one. 
If  the  Scripture  called  them   unto  whom   the 
word  of  God  came:    if  the  direct  divine  call 
to  a  sacred  office  carried  with  it  such  a  com- 
munication of  the  divine  power  as  justified  the 
attribution  of  the  title:  do  ye  (yptls)  say,  ye 
who  plead  the  strictest  adherence  to  the  law 
as  your  justification,  of  him  whom  .  .  . 

he  called]  The  subject  is  not  defined  in  the 
original  («i...e?7re).  It  may  be  taken  from  the 
preceding  "  I  said;"  or  "the  Scripture"  may 
be  supplied  from  the  second  clause. 

the  word  of  God}  This  phrase,  which  is 
used  of  the  divine  communication  under  the 
old  covenant,  cannot  be  without  reference  to 
the  Word  before  the  Incarnation,  through 
whom  God  held  converse  with  His  people 
and  made  His  will  known.  Comp.  Luke  xi. 
49 ;  Matt,  xxiii.  34. 

the  scripture  cannot  be  broken]  The  particular 
sentence  (j  ypafyrj)  which  has  been  quoted. 
This  appears  to  be  always  the  force  of  the 
singular  in  St  John.  See  ii.  aa,  note,  xvii.  la, 
xx.  9,  note. 

broken]  The  word  (\v6rjvcu,  Vulg.  solvi) 
is  peculiar  and  characteristic  of  St  John :  ii. 
19,  v.  18,  note,  vii.  23;  i  John  iii.  8  (comp. 
Eph.  ii.  14). 

It  must  be  noticed  that  St  John  records 
the  permanent  significance  of  the  Old  Testa- 
ment no  less  than  the  Synoptists:  xiii.  18,  xvii. 
la,  xix.  34,  28,  36,  compared  with  Matt.  v. 
1 8,  &c. 

36.  In  contrast  with  those  who  derived 
their  title  from  the  temporary  mission  of  the 
Word    stands    that   One  Whom  the  Father 
Himself  directly  sanctified,   set  apart  for 


His  work,  and  then  sent  into  the  ivor/d.  The 
two  moments  in  the  mission  of  the  Son  are 
thus  distinguished  in  their  complete  comple- 
mentary fulness.  The  translation  ...  to  Whom 
the  Word  of  God  came  (and  the  Scripture  cannot 
be  broken),  Whom  (i.e.  the  Word  of  God)  the 
Father ...  sent...  is  wholly  alien  from  the  style 
of  St  John.  Yet  see  Cyril  Alex,  ad  loc. 

hath  sanctified]  sanctified  (consecrated). 
Comp.  xvii.  17,  19.  This  fact  belongs  to  the 
eternal  order.  The  term  ftyiaaev,  Vulg. 
sanctifica-vit)  expresses  the  divine  destination 
of  the  Lord  for  His  work.  This  destination 
carries  with  it  the  further  thought  of  the  per- 
fect endowment  of  the  Incarnate  Son.  His 
divine  Person,  if  it  is  allowable  so  to  speak, 
included  an  essential  capacity  for  the  Incar- 
nation, so  that  a  term  peculiarly  appropriate 
to  the  human  nature  can  be  properly  used 
of  the  unchangeable  Person.  The  various 
manifestations  of  the  Spirit  to  Christ  after 
His  Advent  were  results  of  this  eternal  con- 
secration. Comp.  vi.  27;  Acts  iv.  a 7,  30. 
The  word  is  used  of  the  divine  consecration  of 
prophets  (Jer.  i.  5 ;  Ecclus.  xlix.  7),  of  Moses 
(Ecclus.  xlv.  4),  of  the  chosen  people  (a 
Mace.  i.  25  f.;  3  Mace.  vi.  3).  Comp.  vi.  69 ; 
i  John  ii.  20. 

the  Son  of  God?'}  Son  of  God.  The  ab- 
sence of  the  article  (see  xix.  7)  fixes  attention 
on  the  character  and  not  on  the  person.  As 
the  position  of  Christ  was  higher  than  that  of 
the  theocratic  judges,  so  the  title  which  He 
here  assumes  is  lower  (Son  of  God,  Gods). 
But  how,  it  may  be  asked,  does  this  argu- 
ment justify  the  phrase  used  in  <v.  30  ?  The 
phrases  ye  are  Gods,  Son  of  God,  I  and  the 
Father  are  one,  do  not  appear  to  be  homoge- 
neous. The  answer  appears  to  be  this : 

i.  Such  a  phrase  as  that  in  Ps.  Ixxxii.  6 
really  includes  in  a  most  significant  shape  the 
thought  which  underlies  the  whole  of  the 
Old  Testament,  that  of  a  covenant  between 
God  and  man,  which  through  the  reality  of 
a  personal  relationship  assumes  the  possibility 
of  a  vital  union.  Judaism  was  not  a  system 
of  limited  monotheism,  but  a  theism  always 
tending  to  theanthropism,  to  a  real  union  of 
God  and  man.  It  was  therefore  enough  to 
shew  in  answer  to  the  accusation  of  the  Jews 
that  there  lay  already  in  the  Law  the  germ  of 
the  truth  which  Christ  announced,  the  union 
of  God  and  man. 

a.  And  again  the  words  I  and  the  Father 
are  one,  exclude  the  confusion  of  the  divine 
Persons  and  so  suggest  the  thought  of  a  Son 


v.  38—42.] 


ST.  JOHN.   X. 


161 


38  But  if  I  do,  though  ye  believe 
not  me,  believe  the  works  :  that  ye 
may  know,  and  believe,  that  the  Fa- 
ther is  in  me,  and  I  in  him. 

39  Therefore  they  sought  again  to 
take  him :  but  he  escaped  out  of  their 
hand, 

40  And  went  away  again  beyond 


Jordan  into  the  place  where  John  at 
first  baptized  ;  and  there  he  abode. 

41  And  many  resorted  unto  him, 
and  said,  John  did  no  miracle:  but 
all    things   that  John  spake   of  this 
man  were  true. 

42  And    many    believed   on  him 
there. 


of  the  same  essence  with  the  Father.  In  this 
sense  the  title  "  Son  of  God  "  does  completely 
answer  to  the  former  revelation. 

It  will  be  observed  that  though  the  title 
(o  Xoyoj)  "the  Word"  is  almost  suggested  by 
the  current  of  thought,  yet  St  John  keeps  his 
own  phraseology  apart  from  the  record  of  the 
Lord's  words. 

37,  38.  Once  again  (v.  32")  the  Lord 
appeals  to  His  works.  The  inborn  power 
of  recognising  the  divine  in  deed  is  the  starting- 
point  :  the  end  is  the  recognition  of  the 
absolute  intercommunion  of  the  Incarnate 
Son  (/)  and  the  Father. 

believe  me  not]  do  not  accept  my  state- 
ments as  true.  The  question  here  is  of  the 
acceptance  of  a  testimony  and  not  of  faith  in 
a  Person  (believe  in  me).  Comp.  v.  24  (note), 
46,  vi.  30,  viii.  31,  45  f.,  xiv.  n;  i  John  iii. 
23,  v.  10;  Acts  xvi.  34,  xviii.  8,  xxvii.  25; 
Rom.  iv.  3. 

believe  the  works']  accept  as  real  the 
signs  which  testify  of  me,  v.  25.  To  "  be- 
lieve the  works"  is  the  first  step  towards 
"believing  for  the  works'  sake"  (xiv.  u). 

The  belief  in  the  testimony  of  the  works 
is  the  foundation  of  the  general  knowledge 
and  the  growing  perception  in  all  its  manifold 
revelations  of  the  inner  fellowship  of  the 
Father  and  the  Son  (that  the  Father  is  in  me 
and  I  in  the  Father).  This  fellowship  itself 
is  first  realised  in  works  and  then  in  absolute 
Being.  The  fellowship  of  "being"  between 
the  Father  and  the  Son  must  be  compared  with 
the  fellowship  of  "  abiding "  of  the  believer 
and  God  described  in  i  John  iv.  16,  a  passage 
which  has  evidently  been  modified  by  this. 

that  ye  may  knmu,  and  believe  .  .  .]  That 
ye  may  know  and  m&-y  under  stand... perceive 
once  for  all,  and  then  go  on  advancing  in  ever 
fuller  perception  (Iva  yv£>Tt  KOI  •ytywovcjjre)  .  . . 
Comp.  xvii.  21,  23;  Phil.  i.  9. 

39.  Therefore  they  sought  again]  They 
sought  again  .  .  .  vii.  30,  32,  44- 

to  take~]  to  seize.  Their  immediate  vio- 
lence (v.  31)  was  so  far  checked. 

he  escaped  (went  forth)  out  of  their  hand] 
The  phrase  (iTfqXfa  «'*)  occurs  only  here. 
It  marks  the  power  of  Christ's  personal 
majesty  as  contrasted  with  the  impotence  of 


His  adversaries.  Their  "hand"  is  contrasted 
in  some  sense  with  "His  hand"  (v.  28), 
and  His  "  going  forth "  with  their  inability 
to  carry  away  any  from  His  Father's  protec- 
tion. 

40 — 42.  The  testimony  of  Works  and 
the  testimony  of  the  Baptist,  which  now  found 
no  acceptance  in  Judxa,  were  welcomed  be- 
yond Jordan. 

40.  And  went  away  again  .  . .]    And  he 
went  away  again  .  .  .  The  clause  commences 
a  new  section.     The  reference  is  probably  to 
some  recent  and  unrecorded  visit. '  The  events 
of  i.  28  are  too  remote. 

This  sojourn  in  Perasa  is  noticed  in  the 
Synoptists,  Matt.  xix.  i ;  Mark  x.  i ;  (Luke 
xviii.  15). 

at  first  baptized]  was  at  first  baptizing, 
as  recorded  in  i.  28,  in  contrast  with  iii.  23. 
So  the  narrative  of  the  Lord's  ministry  closes 
on  the  spot  where  it  began.  The  Evangelist 
naturally  marks  the  scene  where  he  had  him- 
self met  Christ. 

there  be  abode]  outside  Judaea.  The  em- 
phasis lies  upon  the  place. 

41.  many  resorted  unto  him,  and  said.  .  .] 
The  acceptance  of  Christ  beyond  the  limits 
of  Judaea  serves  to  complete  the  picture  of 
the  incredulity  of  the  Jews. 

The  verse  contains  a  double  opposition  of 
the  Baptist  and  Christ,  as  is  indicated  by  the 
repetition  of  John's  name.  The  first  contrast 
lies  in  the  fact  that  John  wrought  no  sign, 
while  Christ  was  working  many  (Matt.  xix. 
i) ;  and  the  second  in  the  fact  that  John  was 
not  indeed  "  he  that  should  come,"  but  a  true 
herald.  The  second  clause  presupposes  the 
acceptance  of  Jesus  as  the  Messiah  on  the 
testimony  of  the  signs  which  were  seen. 

John  did  no  miracle]  The  notice  shews  how 
little  inclination  there  was  to  invest  popular 
teachers  with  miraculous  powers.  The  new 
Elijah  might  have  seemed  above  all  men  likely 
to  shew  signs. 

42.  believed  on  him]  with  the  devotion  of 
self-surrender,  and  did  not  simply  (as  vv.  37, 
38)  accept  His  statements. 

there]  with  a  pointed  reference  to  v.  40; 
there,  if  not  in  Jerusalem. 


162 


ST.  JOHN.   X. 


ADDITIONAL  NOTES  on  CHAP.  x.  16,  22,  29. 


16.  The  two  words  avXj  (fold)  and 
{flock)  are  given  in  this  passage  without  any 
variation  in  the  Greek  text;  and  the  two 
words  are  distinguished  in  the  Syriac  (Peshito, 
Harclean,  Hierosol.)  and  Egyptian  versions. 

The  earliest  Latin  note  upon  the  passage 
which  I  have  observed  is  by  Jerome  (In  Ezek. 
xlvi.  22) :  "  Alias  oves  habeo  quas  non  sunt  ex 
hoc  atrio;  et  illas  oportet  me  adducere,  et 
vocem  meam  audient,  et  fiet  unum  atrium 
et  unus  pastor.  Hoc  enim  Graccum  avXij 
significat,  quod  Latina  simplicitas  in  ovile 
transtulit."  This  observation  is  interesting  for 
several  reasons.  It  shews  how  perfunctory 
Jerome's  criticism  of  the  Latin  text  was.  He 
distinctly  prefers  atrium  to  ovile  as  the  ren- 
dering of  av\ij,  and  yet  he  did  not  introduce 
it  into  his  revision.  And  again  he  implies 
that  av\j  stands  in  the  Greek  text  in  both 
places,  which  at  least  shews  that  he  did  not 
verify  his  reference. 

Elsewhere,  it  may  be  added  (In  Isai.  Ix.  22), 
Jerome  reads  "  unus  grex  et  unus  pastor," 
giving  grex  also  as  the  rendering  of  av\ij  in 
the  former  clause. 

The  old  Latin  texts  (a,  b,  c,  e)  read  ovile, 
grex;  the  Latin  of  D  reads  atrium,  grex, 
according  to  Jerome's  suggestion ;  many  mix- 
ed texts  (f,  jf^,  cod.  aur.,  but  none  of  Bent- 
ley's  MSS.)  read  ovile,  grexj  in  the  Latin  of 
A,  iroifjivr)  is  represented  by  the  strange  alter- 
natives wile  v.  pastorale.  Cyprian  gives  civile, 
grex. 

The  reading  in  Augustine  varies.  In  treat- 
ing of  the  passage  he  reads  ovile,  o-vile,  without 
comment.  Elsewhere  (e.g.  '  Serm.'  138.  5)  he 
reads  ovile,  grex. 

The  standard  text  of  the  Vulgate  (Cod. 
Amiat.  &c.),  gives  o-vile,  ovile,  and  this  read- 
ing became  practically  universal  among  Latin 
mediseval  writers.  Even  Erasmus  left  the 
rendering  unchanged ;  and  so  also  did  Beza 
until  1582.  The  phrase  unum  ovile,  unus 
pastor,  had  evidently  become  sacred  by  use. 

Luther  truly  rendered  the  Greek  (aus  diesem 
Stalle,  Eine  Herde),  and  so  also  did  Tyndale 
and  Coverdale  (fold,  flock).  Wiclif,  however, 
following  the  Vulgate,  had  already  made  "one 
fold"  familiar  in  English;  and  this  rendering 
was  introduced  into  Cromwell's  Bible,  1539, 
and  retained  its  place  down  to  1611. 

It  would  perhaps  be  impossible  for  any 
correction  now  to  do  away  with  the  effects 
which  a  translation  undeniably  false  has  pro- 
duced on  popular  ecclesiastical  ideas. 

22.  The  reading  in  this  verse  is  of  critical 
importance  in  regard  to  the  connexion  of  the 
preceding  discourses. 

The  early  authorities  are  divided : 

(i)  ryeVero  rore  is  found  in  BL  33,  and  in 
the  Thebaic  and  Armenian  versions. 

(a)     cycVero  8e  in   KADX,  and  the  mass 


of  MSS.,  in  some  old  Latin  copies,  and  in  the 
Syriac  versions. 

(3)  A  small  group  of  cursive  mss.,  in- 
cluding some  of  importance  (i,  225,  a1*0,  &c.), 
and  the  best  copies  of  the  Old  Latin  (a,  b) 
have  no  connecting  particle. 

(4)  The  Memphitic  version  and  one  Latin 
copy  at  least  (gat)  represent  both  TOT*  and  8f. 

There  are  also  other  slight  variations  in  the 
renderings  in  versions. 

These  phenomena  may  be  accounted  for 
by  supposing  either  that  originally  there  was 
no  connecting  particle,  or  that  it  was  one 
which  caused  difficulty. 

The  evidence  in  support  of  the  first  suppo- 
sition, though  considerable,  appears  to  be 
inadequate;  and  Tore  would  be  an  unlikely 
particle  to  insert. 

On  the  other  hand,  if  Tore  stood  in  the  text 
originally  it  would  create  superficial  difficulty 
from  the  apparent  confusion  of  the  feasts; 
and  again  it  is  an  unusual  word  in  St  John, 
and  not  often  found  in  this  position,  though  in 
fact  its  unusual  position  is  significant  (Matt. 
xxiv.  21,  xxvii.  16,  "at  that  time,  while  these 
discussions  as  to  the  old  church  and  the  new 
were  going  on"). 

If  fie'  had  been  the  true  reading,  it  is  not 
easy  to  see  why  it  should  have  been  changed. 
The  origin  of  the  TOTC  from  the  repetition  of 
the  last  syllable  of  tyevtro  is  very  unlikely. 
And,  though  Se  has  no  obvious  difficulty,  it  is 
hard  to  suppose  that  St  John  would  have 
indicated  in  such  a  way  a  fresh  journey  to 
Jerusalem  (xiii.  i  is  not  a  parallel),  and  the 
statement,  "Now  the  Feast  of  Dedication 
took  place  (e'yeWro)  at  Jerusalem,"  is  on  this 
supposition,  as  it  seems,  singularly  without 
force. 

On  the  whole  therefore  it  is  best  to  adopt 
the  reading  rare,  which  has  strong  external  and 
internal  authority,  and  which  brings  the  con- 
versation in  x.  i  —  1  8  into  connexion  with  its 
sequel,  -v.  25  ff.,  and  with  a  characteristic 
epoch. 

29.  I  n  this  verse  the  relative  (which)  and  the 
comparative  (greater)  are  masculine  in  some 
of  the  most  important  authorities  and  neuter 
in  others  ;  and  there  is  a  cross  division  in  these 
differences.  Thus,  (i)  B*,  Latt.,  Mcmph. 
read,  o,  /*et£bi>;  (2)  NL,  o,  /xe/fwi/;  (3)  AB2X, 
'i  (4)  D>  o  8f8a)Kcos,  /xet'fwj/;  (5)  the 


mass  of  authorities,  5s  , 

The  reading  (2)  is  impossible.  The  read- 
ings (4)  and  (5)  are  evidently  corrections  :  if 
either  had  been  original,  it  would  not  have 
been  disturbed.  The  choice  lies  between  (i) 
and  (3).  Of  these  (i)  has  the  most  ancient 
authority,  and  is  the  most  difficult  and  at  the 
same  time  the  most  in  accordance  with  the 
style  of  St  John  (vi.  39,  xvii.  2).  This  read- 
ing has  therefore  been  adopted  in  the  notes. 


ST.  JOHN.   XI. 


16 


If  the  masculine  relative  be  adopted  (os) 
the  sense  is  quite  simple :  My  Father  which 
gave  them  to  me  is  greater  (personally,  /iei'£wi>, 
or  rather,  a  greater  power,  /xet£bi/:  comp. 
Matt.  xii.  6)  than  all;  and  (as  a  consequence) 
no  one  is  able.., 

Hilary  ('de  Trin.'  7.  22 ;  n.  12)  takes  the 
phrase  in  a  wholly  different  sense  as  referring 
to  the  derivation  of  the  Son's  divine  nature 
from  the  Father  (Datio  paterna  sumptae  nativi- 
tatis  professio  est,  et  quod  unum  sunt,  pro- 
prietas  ex  nativitate  naturae  est:  u.  12). 


Ambrose  ('De  Spir.  Sancto,'  in.  116:  Dedit 
pater  per  generationem  non  per  adoptionem) 
and  Augustine  (ad  loc.  Quid  dedit  Filio  Pater 
majus  omnibus?  Ut  ipse  illi  esset  unigenitus 
Filius)  take  the  same  view.  But  the  usage  of 
St  John  (vi.  39,  all  that  which  the  Father 
hath  given  me:  comp.  v.  37,  xvii.  2,  all  that 
which  thou  hast  gi-ven  Him)  seems  distinctly 
to  point  to  the  society  of  the  faithful  as  the 
Father's  gift;  and  this  interpretation  brings 
the  clause  into  parallelism  with  those  which 
have  gone  before. 


CHAPTER  XI. 

1   Christ  raiseth  Lazarus,  four  days   buried. 
45  Many  Jews  believe.     47   The  high  priests 


and  Pharisees  gather  a  council  against  Christ. 
49  Caiaphas  prophesieth.  54  Jesus  hid  him- 
seif'  55  At  the  passover  they  inquire  after 
him,  and  lay  wait  for  him. 


ii.    THE  DECISIVE  JUDGMENT  (xi.,  xii.). 

This  last  section  of  the  record  of  the  Lord's 
public  ministry,  represented  by  His  great  con- 
troversy at  Jerusalem,  consists  of  two  parts. 
The  first  part  contains  the  narrative  of  the 
final  sign  with  its  immediate  consequences 
(xi.)  ;  the  second  part  gives  three  typical  scenes 
which  mark  the  close  of  the  work,  together 
with  a  summary  judgment  upon  its  results 
(xii.). 

I.    Thejinal  sign  and  its  immediate  issues  (xi.). 

The  narrative  of  the  raising  of  Lazarus  is 
unique  in  its  completeness.  The  essential  cir- 
cumstances of  the  fact  in  regard  to  persons, 
manner,  results,  are  given  with  perfect  dis- 
tinctness. The  history  is  more  complete  than 
that  in  ch.  ix.  because  the  persons  stand  in 
closer  connexion  with  the  Lord  than  the  blind 
man,  and  the  event  itself  had  in  many  ways 
a  ruling  influence  on  the  end  of  His  ministry. 

Four  scenes  are  to  be  distinguished:  (i) 
The  prelude  to  the  miracle  (i — 16);  (2)  The 
scene  at  Bethany  (17 — 32);  (3)  The  miracle 
(33 — 44);  (4)  The  immediate  issues  of  the 
miracle  (45— 57). 

In  studying  the  history,  several  points  must 
be  kept  in  view. 

i.  The  sign  itself  is  the  last  of  a  series,  which 
has  evidently  been  formed  (xx.  30  f.)  with  a 
view  to  the  complete  and  harmonious  exhibi- 
tion of  the  Lord's  work.  The  seven  miracles 
of  the  ministry,  which  St  John  relates,  form  a 
significant  whole  (ii.  i  ff.,  iv.  46  ff.,  v.  i  ff.,  vi. 
5  ff.,  15  ff.,  ix.  i  ff.,  xi.).  And  in  this  respect 
it  is  of  interest  to  notice  that  the  first  and  last 
are  wrought  in  the  circle  of  family  life,  and 
among  believers  to  the  strengthening  of  faith 
(ii.  n,  xi.  15) ;  and  both  are  declared  to  be 
manifestations  of  "glory"  (ii.  ii,  xi.  4,  40). 
So  the  natural  relations  of  men  become  the 
occasions  of  the  revelation  of  higher  truth. 

^.  The  circumstances  of  the  miracle  ought 
to  be  minutely  compared  with  those  of  the 
corresponding  miracles  recorded  by  the  Synop- 

New  Test. — VOL.  II. 


tists  (Mark  v.  22  ff.  and  parallels ;  Luke  vii. 
ii  ff.).  The  omission  of  the  raising  of  Laza- 
rus by  the  Synoptists  is  no  more  remarkable 
in  principle  than  the  omission  of  these  raisings 
by  St  John.  In  each  case  the  selection  of  facts 
was  determined  by  the  purpose  of  the  record. 
The  miracles  wrought  at  Jerusalem  were  not 
included  in  the  cycle  of  apostolic  preaching 
which  formed  the  basis  of  the  Synoptic 
Gospels. 

3.  Numerous  minute  touches  mark  the  ful- 
ness of  personal  knowledge,  or  the  impression 
of  an  eye-witness:   e.g.  the  relation   of  the 
family  to  Jesus  (v.  5)  ;  the  delay  of  two  days 
(6)  ;    the  exact   position    of  Bethany  (18)  ; 
the  presence  of  Tews  (19)  ;  the  secret  message 
(28)  ;  the  title  '*the  Master"  (id.)  ;  the  pause 
of  Jesus  (30) ;   the  following  of  the  Jews 
(31),  and  their  weeping  (33)  ;  the  prostration 
of  Mary  (32);    the  successive  phases  of  the 
Lord's  emotion  (33,  35,  38)  ;  the  appearance 
of  Lazarus  (44). 

4.  Not  less  remarkable  than  this  definiteness 
of  detail  are  the  silences,  the  omissions,  in  the 
narrative ;  e.g.  as  to  the  return  of  the  messenger 
(v.   4);   the  message  to  Mary  (27  f.);   the 
welcome  of  the  restored  brother  (44).    Under 
this  head  too  may  be  classed  the  unexpected 
turns  of  expression :  e.g.  "unto  Judasa"  (^.7), 
•w.  ii  f.,  *v.  37. 

5.  That  however  which  is  most  impressive 
in  the  narrative,  as  a  history,  is  its  dramatic 
vividness ;  and  this  in  different  respects.  There 
is  a  clear  individuality  in  the  persons.  Thomas 
stands  out  characteristically  from  the  apostles. 
Martha  and  Mary,  alike  in  their  convictions, 
are  distinguished  in   the  manner  of  shewing 
them.    Then  again  there  is  a  living  revelation 
of  character  in  the  course  of  the  narrative; 
Martha  reflects  the  influence  of  the  Lord's 
words.     The  Jews  are  tried  and  separated. 
And  above  all  the  Lord  is  seen  throughout, 
absolutely  one  in  His  supreme  freedom,  per- 
fectly human  and  perfectly  divine,  so  that  it  is 
felt  that  there  is  no  want  of  harmony  between 
His  tears  and  His  life-giving  command. 

M 


164 


ST.  JOHN.   XI. 


[v.  1—4. 


«  Matt.  26. 
7- 


NOW  a  certain  man  was  sick,     wiped  his  feet  with  her  hair,  whose 
named  Lazarus,   of  Bethany,     brother  Lazarus  was  sick.) 


the   town   of  Mary   and   her    sister 
Martha. 


3  Therefore  his  sisters  sent  unto 
him,  saying,  Lord,  behold,  he  whom 


2  ("It  was  that  Mary  which  an-     thou  lovest  is  sick, 
ointed  the  Lord  with  ointment,  and         4  When  Jesus  heard  that,  he  said, 


6.  With  regard  to  the  fact  itself  it  is  im- 
portant to  remark  that,  while  it  was  a  sign  of 
the  resurrection,  the  Evangelist  makes  it  clear 
throughout  that  this  raising  to  a  corruptible 
life  is  essentially  distinct  from  the  Lord's  rising 
again  to  a  glorified  life. 

7.  Apart  from  the  antecedent  assumption 
that  a  miracle  is  impossible,  and  that  the  record 
of  a  miracle  must  therefore  be  explained  away, 
it  is  not  easy  to  see  any  ground  for  question- 
ing the  literal  exactness  of  the  history.     No 
explanation  of  the  origin  of  the  narrative  on 
the  supposition  that  it  is  unhistorical,  has  even 
a  show  of  plausibility.     Those  who  deny  the 
fact  are  sooner  or  later  brought  to  maintain 
either  that  the  .scene  was  an  imposture,  or 
that  the  record  is  a  fiction.     Both  of  these 
hypotheses  involve  a  moral  miracle. 

8.  No  overwhelming  influence  is  assigned 
to  the  miracle  by  the  Evangelist.     It  is  a 
"sign,"  a  revelation  of  the  divine  glory,  to 
those  who  believe,   or  who  have  sympathy 
with  the  truth.    But  others,  apparently,  with- 
out questioning  the  reality  of  the  fact,  simply 
find  in  it  a  call  to  more  energetic  opposition. 
The  work  arrests  attention  f  and  then  it  be- 
comes a   touchstone  of   character.     In  this 
respect  it  completely  answers  to  the  function 
assigned  to  miracles  in  the  New  Testament. 

9.  This  last  consideration  helps  to  explain 
the  omission  of  the  miracle  from  the  Synoptic 
narratives.    For  us  the  incident,  as  an  external 
fact,  has  naturally  a  relative  importance  far 
greater  than  it  had  for  the  Evangelists.     For 
them,  as  for  the  Jews,  it  was  one  of  "  many 
signs"   (xi.   47),  and  not  essentially  distin- 
guished from  them.    The  entry  into  Jerusalem 
was  the  decisive  event  in  which  the  issue  of 
all   Christ's  earlier  works  was  summed  up. 
This  therefore  the  Synoptists  record.     For  St 
John,  however,  the  raising  of  Lazarus  was, 
as  the  other  miracles,  a  spiritual  revelation. 
It  fell  in  then  with  his  plan,  as  far  as  we  can 
discern  it,  to  relate  it  at  length,  while  it  did 
not  fall  in  with  the  common  plan  of  the 
Synoptic  Gospels,  which  excluded  all  work- 
ing at  Jerusalem  till  the  triumphal  entry. 

(l)  The  prelude  to  the  miracle  (i — 16). 

The  record  of  the  miracle  is  prefaced  by  an 
account  of  the  external  and  moral  circum- 
stances under  which  it  was  wrought.  The 
message  as  to  the  sickness  of  Lazarus  was 
brought  to  the  Lord  in  His  retirement  at 
Peraea.  He  declared  what  the  end  would  be 


in  mysterious  terms,  and  still  remained  where 
He  was  (i — 6).  Then  followed  the  announce- 
ment of  His  intention  to  return  to  Judaea, 
which  served  to  shew  the  feeling  of  His  dis- 
ciples, alike  in  their  weakness  and  in  their 
devotion  (7 — 16).  Throughout  the  Lord 
speaks  with  the  authority  of  certain  know- 
ledge (<wu.  4,  15). 

CHAP.  XI.  1 — 6.  The  message  to  Perasa 
from  Bethany. 

1.  Now... was..."]  The  particle  (Se)  marks 
the  interruption  to  the  retirement  beyond  Jor- 
dan (x.  40). 

Lazarus']  The  name  is  a  shortened  form 
of  Eleazar.  It  occurs  again  in  Luke  xvi.  20 ; 
Jos.  'B.  J.'  v.  13.  7,  and  in  Rabbinic  writers 
(ITJp),  see  Lightfoot,  ad  loc.  All  the  attempts 
to  identify  Lazarus  with  the  person  in  the 
parable  or  with  the  rich  young  man  are  quite 
baseless.  It  may  also  be  added  that  the  iden- 
tification of  Mary  with  Mary  Magdalene  is 
a  mere  conjecture  supported  by  no  direct 
evidence,  and  opposed  to  the  general  tenour  of 
the  Gospels. 

of  Bethany... the  town..."]  The  contrast  of 
prepositions  in  the  original  text,  of  (arro,  Vulg. 
a)  Bethany,  sprung  from  (e'/c,  Vulg.  de)  the 
town  (village,  and  so  "v.  30)  of...,  describes 
the  actual  residence,  and  the  true  home  of 
Lazarus.  The  "village"  may  have  been 
Bethany,  or  it  may  have  been  some  other 
village  (a  certain  village,  Luke  x.  38). 

Mary... Martha]  Mary  is  apparently  put 
forward  as  the  person  best  known  from  the 
event  mentioned  in  v.  2  and  related  in  ch.  xii., 
though  Martha  seems  to  have  been  the  elder 
sister  (w.  5,  19;  Luke  x.  38  f.).  "This 
name  of  Martha  is  very  frequent  in  the  Tal- 
mudic  authors  "  (Lightfoot,  ad  loc.). 

2.  It  <was  that  Mary..."]     The  original  is 
ambiguous.     It  may  be  either  But  (Se)  Mary 
was  she  that... whose...  ;  or,  as  A.  V.,  But  it 
<was  (the)  Mary  which. ..whose...     The  verse 
obviously  presupposes  (as  v.   i)    a  general 
knowledge  of  the  Evangelic  history. 

the  Lord~\  iv.  I,  note. 

3.  Therefore   his  sisters...']    The   sisters 
therefore,  feeling  sure  of  His  love  in  their 
sorrow. 

behold]  It  was  enough  to  state  the  fact; 
they  offer  no  plea.  "  Sufficit  ut  noveris :  non 
enim  amas  et  deseris  "  (Augustine,  ad  loc.). 
The  interjection  is  characteristic  of  St  John. 
Comp.  xvi.  29,  note. 


5—9-] 


ST.  JOHN.    XI. 


165 


This  sickness  is  not  unto  death,  but 
for  the  glory  of  God,  that  the  Son  of 
God  might  be  glorified  thereby. 

5  Now  Jesus  loved  Martha,  and 
her  sister,  and  Lazarus. 

6  When   he   had   heard    therefore 
that  he  was  sick,  he  abode  two  days 
still  in  the  same  place  where  he  was. 


7  Then  after  that  saith  he  to  bis 
disciples,  Let  us  go  into  Judaea  again. 

8  His  disciples  say  unto  him,  Mas- 
ter, the  Jews  of  late  sought  to  stone 
thee  ;  and  goest  thou  thither  again  ? 

9  Jesus  answered,  Are  there   not 
twelve  hours  in  the  day  ?  If  any  man 
walk  in  the .  day,  he  stumbleth  not, 


be  whom  thou  lovest]  with  the  natural  affec- 
tion of  personal  attachment  (5»  <£tXet?,  Vulg. 
quern  amas).  So  they  point  the  relation.  The 
Evangelist  uses  a  different  word  in  v.  5  (rjydira, 
Vulg.  diligebaf).  For  the  distinction  between 
the  two  words,  see  v.  30,  note,  xxi.  15,  17, 
notes. 

4.  When  Jesus. ..he  said~\  But  when  Jesus 
heard  it  he  said.  The  words  are  for  all.  They 
are  not  a  simple  answer  to  the  messengers,  nor 
yet  a  simple  lesson  for  the  disciples.  They 
contain  an  answer,  and  they  kindle  faith.  And 
the  messenger  seems  to  have  returned  re- 
assured by  them,  while  they  were  also  designed 
to  suggest  hope  to  the  sisters  when  all  hope 
was  over  (i>.  40). 

This  sickness... thereby]  This  sickness  is  not 
unto  death  as  its  issue  and  end,  but  for — to 
serve  and  to  advance — the  glory  of  God,  in 
order  that  the  Son  of  God  may  be  glorified 
thereby.  The  general  object  (the  glory  of  God) 
is  made  specific  in  the  particular  end.  The 
actual  occurrence  of  death  was  in  no  way 
against  this  statement.  It  rather  helped  to 
realise  the  deeper  fulness  of  the  revelation. 

for  the  glory]  In  every  other  place  in  St 
John  (even  i.  30 ;  3  John  7)  the  preposition 
used  here  (uWp,  Vulg.  pro)  marks  the  notion 
of  "sacrifice  in  behalf  of;"  and  this  idea  lies 
under  the  narrative  here.  There  was  some 
mysterious  sense  in  wnich  the  sick  man  suffered 
in  behalf  of  God's  glory,  and  was  not  merely 
a  passive  instrument.  Thus  the  sickness  is 
regarded  in  a  triple  relation:  "unto"  in 
respect  of  the  actual  result;  "in  behalf  of" 
in  respect  of  the  suffering  borne;  "in  order 
that "  in  respect  of  the  divine  purpose. 

For  the  thought  comp.  ix.  3,  x.  38. 

the  glory  of  God]  the  revelation  of  God  in 
His  victorious  majesty :  v.  40,  xii.  41 ;  Acts 
vii.  55  (8.  6.) ;  Rom.  i.  213,  (iii.  23.  v-  *)> 
(vi.  4). 

might  (may)  be  glorified]  The  phrase  con- 
tains a  clear  allusion  to  the  glory  of  the  Lord 
won  through  the  Passion.  The  raising  of 
Lazarus  by  revealing  Christ's  power  and 
character  brought  the  hostility  of  His  enemies 
to  a  crisis  (w.  47  ff.),  and  led  to  His  final 
"glorifying:"  xii.  23,  xiii.  31. 

5.  Now  Jesus  loved...]  The  words  are  a 
preparation  for  v .  6.  The  Evangelist  describes 
the  Lord's  affection  for  this  family  as  that  of 


moral  choice  (rjycnra.:  see  11.  3,  note).  The 
passing  notice  of  that  which  must  have  been 
the  result  of  long  and  intimate  intercourse 
is  a  striking  illustration  of  the  fragmentari- 
ness  of  the  Evangelic  records.  Lazarus  is  not 
mentioned  in  Luke  x.  38  ff. 

6.  When  he  had  heard  therefore..]  When 
therefore  he  heard...     The  delay  and  the 
return  were  alike  consequences  of  the  same 
divine  affection  and  of  the  same  divine  know- 
ledge.    Because  the  Lord  loved  the  family  He 
went  at  the  exact  moment  when  His  visit 
would  be  most  fruitful,  and  not  just  when  He 
was  invited. 

he  abode... Then  after  that]  he  abode  for  the 
time. ..then  after  this  (rare  p.ei>...eireiTa... 
Vulg.  tune  quidem...deinde  post  hoc...). 

two  days]  The  journey  would  occupy 
about  a  day.  Thus  Lazarus  died  at  the  time 
when  the  message  came  (<w.  17,  39).  Christ 
therefore  did  not  wait  for  the  death,  but  knew 
of  the  death.  Meanwhile  He  finished  the 
work  which  He  had  to  do  before  going  back 
to  Judaea.  The  supposition  that  the  interval 
was  left  in  order  that  the  Lord  might  raise 
the  dead  and  not  heal  the  sick,  and  so  shew 
greater  power  and  win  greater  glory,  is  alien 
equally  from  the  spirit  and  from  the  letter  of 
the  narrative,  v.  15. 

7 16.    The  decision  to  visit  Bethany. 

7.  Let  us  go  into  Judxa  again]    It  is  to  be 
noticed  that  the  words  are  not  let  us  go  to 
Bethany.    The  thought  is  of  the  hostile  land 
of  unbelief  in  contrast  with  Peraea  (x.  40). 

8.  Master]  Rabbi,  ix.  2,  note. 

the  Jews... again?]  Even  now  (vvv)  the 
Jews  were  seeking.. .and  art  thou  going 
thither  again?  The  English  idiom  hardly 
admits  the  vividness  of  the  original. 

9.  The  answer  is  exactly  complementary 
to  that  in  ix.  4.      It  is  here  laid  down  that 
there  is  an  appointed  measure  of  working 
time  given,  and  consequently  that  as  long  as 
that  lasts  work  can  be  done.     On  the  other 
hand  (ix.  4)  there  is  only  a  limited  time,  and 
the  work  must  be  finished  within  it. 

There  is  no  warrant  for  applying  the  ideas 
of  "night"  and  " stumbling "  to  any  special 
aspects  of  the  Lord's  work,  as  in  the  case  of 
men,  xii.  35.  The  answer  is,  as  a  whole,  a 

M2 


166 


ST.  JOHN.    XI. 


[v.  10—15. 


because  he    seeth  the   light   of  this 
world. 

10  But  if  a  man  walk  in  the  night, 
he   stumbleth,   because   there    is   no 
light  in  him. 

11  These  things  said  he:  and  after 
that  he  saith  unto  them,    Our  friend 
Lazarus  sleepeth  ;    but  I  go,  that  I 
may  awake  him  out  of  sleep. 


12  Then  said  his  disciples,  Lord, 
if  he  sleep,  he  shall  do  well. 

13  Howbeit    Jesus    spake   of  his 
death  :   but  they  thought  that  he  had 
spoken  of  taking  of  rest  in  sleep. 

14  Then  said   Jesus    unto   them 
plainly,  Lazarus  is  dead. 

15  And  I  am  glad  for  your  sakes 
that  I   was  not  there,  to  the  intent 


parable  of  human  action.  All  action  is  sub- 
ject to  corresponding  conditions.  Man  does 
not  carry  within  him  all  that  he  requires.  In 
order  to  move  in  the  world  he  must  be  illu- 
minated by  the  light  of  the  world.  This  law 
held  true  even  of  Christ's  work  on  earth.  It 
could  be  done,  and  at  the  same  time  it  could 
only  be  done,  while  the  "  day  "  yet  continued. 
A  similar  idea  is  expressed  in  Luke  xiii.  32  f. 

The  journey  to  Bethany  was  not  yet  begun, 
so  that  the  image  was  probably  suggested  by 
the  early  dawn. 

10.  there  is. ..him]  the  light  is  not  in 
him:  the  light  which  he  needs  for  the  fulfil- 
ment of  his  work. 

11.  These  things  said  he:  and  after  that...'] 
These  things  spake  he,  and  after  this... 

Our  friend. .  .sleepeth}  More  exactly  :  Laza- 
rus, our  friend,  is  fallen  asleep  («KOI- 
/i»;rai).  Even  so  he  still  is  "our  friend"  in 
that  world  of  spirit.  Comp.  xv.  14  f. ;  Luke 
xii.  4.  The  Lord  joins  His  disciples  with 
Himself  in  one  bond  of  friendship  (our  friend). 

is  fallen  asleep]  Acts  vii.  60,  xiii.  36 ; 
Matt,  xxvii.  5251  Tness.  iv.  13  if.,  &c.  The 
image  is  common  in  Rabbinic  writings. 

12.  Then  said... sleep..."]    The   disciples 
therefore  said  to  him. ..if  he  is  fallen 
asleep...      The  misunderstanding  followed 
from  a  false  view  of  the  promise  in  v.  4.   The 
*' sleep"  seemed  to  the  disciples  to  be  the 
crisis  of  recovery,  as,  for  example,  in  fever,  due 
to  the  intervention  of  the  Lord.     And  if  this 
was  so,  the  perilous  journey  was  no  longer 
necessary ;  still  less  could  it  be  well  to  break 
the  rest  which  had  at  last  been  given. 

he  shall  do  welQ  he  shall  be  saved  (Vulg. 
salvus  erit).  It  is  important  to  notice  how 
the  word  "save"  reaches  through  the  whole 
of  man's  nature  to  every  part  of  it.  We 
cannot  draw  the  line  between  what  we  are 
tempted  to  call  the  higher  and  the  lower. 
The  whole  narrative  is  a  revelation  of  life  and 
death,  in}.  25  f. 

Comp.  Matt.  ix.  21  ff. ;  (Mark  v.  28 ;  Luke 
viii.  48)  ;  Mark  vi.  56,  x.  52  ;  (Luke  xviii.  42) ; 
Luke  vii.  50,  viii.  36,  (viii.  50),  xvii.  19 ;  James 
v.  15. 

13.  Hoivbeit  Jesus  spake. ..had  spoken. ..] 
Now  Jesus  had  spoken. ..spake...  The 


solemn  word  misunderstood  is  contrasted 
with  the  immediate  interpretation  of  it  (on... 
Ae'yti). 

•14.  Then  said  Jesus..."}  Then  therefore 
Jesus  said...  because  the  disciples  had  failed  to 
catch  the  meaning  of  the  words  with  which 
He  had  tried  their  spiritual  discernment.  It 
is  clearly  implied  that  the  knowledge  was 
supernatural.  "  Quid  lateret  eum  qui  creave- 
rat  ? "  (Aug.). 

plainly'}  without  reserve  and  without  meta- 
phor. See  vii.  13,  note,  x.  24,  xvi.  25,  29. 

Lazarus  is  dead}  Or  strictly,  Lazarus  died. 
The  thought  is  carried  back  to  the  critical 
moment  on  which  the  disciples  rested  in  hope. 
It  is  interesting  to  contrast  the  phrase  used 
before  (v.  n),  is  fallen  asleep,  which  describes 
the  continuous  state  with  that  used  here,  died, 
which  marks  the  single  point  of  change. 

15.  /  am  glad ..  .believe}  I  am  glad  for 
your  sakes,  to  the  intent  ye  may  believe,  that 
I  was  not  there.  The  words  to  the  intent  ye 
may  believe  are  brought  into  the  closest  con- 
nexion with  for  your  sakes,  so  as  to  explain 
the  strange  saying.  Christ  is  glad  not  for  the 
death  of  Lazarus,  but  for  the  circumstances 
and  issues  of  the  death.  It  will  be  observed 
that  the  Lord  speaks  of  His  own  actions,  as  if 
they  were  in  some  sense  not  self-determined. 

/  was  not  there}  as  if  death  would  have  been 
impossible  in  the  presence  of  Christ. 

believe'}  The  word  is  used  absolutely. 
Comp.  i.  7,  50,  iv.  41,  42,  48,  53,  v.  44,  vi. 
36,  64,  xi.  40,  xii.  39,  xiv.  29,  xix.  35.  xx.  29, 
31  (iii.  12,  18,  x.  25,  xvi.  31,  xx.  8,  are  some- 
what different).  The  disciples  did  already 
believe  in  one  sense  (ii.  n,  vi.  69).  But  each 
new  trial  offers  scope  for  the  growth  of  faith. 
So  that  which  is  potential  becomes  real.  Faith 
can  neither  be  stationary  nor  complete.  "  He 
who  is  a  Christian  is  no  Christian"  (Luther). 

nevertheless...'}  but  (aXXd),  not  to  dwell  on 
present  sorrow  or  joy  to  come.  The  word 
breaks  abruptly  the  connecting  thought.  Habet 
Dominus  boras  suas  et  moras. 

go  unto  him}  not  thither,  but  unto  him: 
unto  him,  and  not  to  the  sisters  who  were 
mourning  for  him.  Even  as  Christ  spoke  of 
Lazarus  as  still  "a  friend"  (v.  ii),  so  here 
He  speaks  of  the  body  "sleeping"  in  the 
tomb  as  the  man  himself.  He  fixes  the  thoughts 


V.    1 6 20.] 


ST.  JOHN.    XI. 


167 


ye   may  believe ;  nevertheless  let  us 
go  unto  him. 

1 6  Then  said  Thomas,  which  is 
called  Didymus,  unto  his  fellowdis- 
ciples,  Let  us  also  go,  that  we  may 
die  with  him. 

17  Then  when    Jesus  came,   he 
found  that  he  had  lain  in  the  grave 
four  days  already. 


1 8  Now  Bethany  was  nigh  unto 
Jerusalem, '  about  fifteen  furlongs  off: 

»        i  r    i         T 

19  And  many  of  the  Jews  came  to 
Martha  and  Mary,  to  comfort  them 
concerning  their  brother. 

20  Then  Martha,  as  soon  as  she 
heard  that  Jesus  was  coming,  went 
and  met  him  :  but  Mary  sat  still  in 
the  house. 


I  That  is, 
about  two 
miles. 


of  the  disciples  upon  a  real  present  relation- 
ship of  Lazarus  to  them  and  to  Himself. 
That  is  now  the  ground  of  hope  (xiv.  19 : 
comp.  Luke  xx.  38;  Matt.  xxii.  32,  note). 

16.  Then  said  Thomas. ..]  Thomas  there- 
fore said...  in  answer  to  the  invitation,  as 
seeing  that  the  resolution  of  the  Master  was 
fixed.  There  is  no  longer  (•!>.  8)  any  objec- 
tion. 

which  is  called... ,]  not  as  an  additional 
name,  but  as  the  interpretation  of  Thomas 
(•7"twz).  Comp.  iv.  25,  (xix.  17),  i.  38.  The 
same  note  is  repeated  xx.  24,  xxi.  ^.  It  is 
difficult  to  see  why  special  prominence  is  given 
to  this  Greek  equivalent  of  the  Aramaic  name. 
Perhaps  Thomas  may  have  been  familiarly 
known  in  Asia  Minor  among  the  Gentile 
Christians  as  Didymus.  The  traditions  as  to 
his  work  in  Parthia  and  India  are  late  and 
uncertain. 

Let  us  also]  In  v.  n  Christ  had  spoken 
of  Himself  alone;  in  v.  15  there  is  a  general 
invitation.  Thomas  emphasizes  the  voluntari- 
ness  of  the  act. 

that  we  may  die  with  him]  i.e.  Jesus,  sug- 
gested by  "we  also."  It  seems  strange  that 
any  one  should  have  referred  it  to  Lazarus. 

that  -we  may  die~]  The  words  stand  in 
sharp  contrast  with  the  Lord's  words,  that  ye 
may  believe.  Thomas  keeps  strictly  within 
the  range  of  that  which  he  knew.  There  was 
no  doubt  as  to  the  hostility  of  the  Jews 
(comp.  Luke  xxii.  33).  He  will  not  go  one 
step  beyond  that  which  is  plain  and  open. 
He  will  die  for  the  love  which  he  has,  but  he 
will  not  affect  the  faith  which  he  has  not. 

The  other  passages  in  which  St  Thomas 
appears  shew  the  same  character,  xiv.  5  (we 
know  not  whither...),  xx.  25  ff. 

(a)  The  scene  at  Bethany  (17 — 32). 

After  giving  a  general  view  of  the  circum- 
stances at  Bethany  (17—19),  the  Evangelist 
lays  open  the  meaning  of  the  miracle  as  a  reve- 
lation to  faith,  in  connexion  with  the  hope 
and  sorrow  of  Martha  (20 — 27)  and  Mary 
(28 — 32).  Martha's  confession  of  faith  is  in 
words  (vv.  22,  24,  27) ;  Mary's  is  in  simple 
self-surrender  (y.  32)  ;  while  both  alike  start 
from  the  expression  of  the  same  conviction 


(vv.  21,  32).  It  has  been  commonly  observed, 
and  with  justice,  that  under  very  different 
circumstances  the  sisters  shew  the  same  differ- 
ences of  character  as  in  Luke  x.  38  ff.  Martha 
is  eager,  impetuous,  warm ;  Mary  is  more 
devoted  and  intense. 

17 — 19.     The  position  at  Bethany. 

17.  Then  when...found~\     So  Jesus,  when 
he  came,  found...     The  word  "found"  em- 
phasizes the  object  of   the  Lord's  journey. 
Comp.  i.  43,  ii.  14,  v.  14,  ix.  35. 

18.  Bethany  'was...']     The  whole  scene  in 
the  apostle's  mind  is  distinct  both  in  place  and 
time.     He  looks  back  on  the  spot  (nigh  unto 
Jerusalem)  and  the  company  (the  Jews  had 
come)  as  prepared  by  a  divine  fitness  for  the 
work  to  be  wrought. 

fifteen  furlongs  off~\  i.e.  about  two  miles. 
The  construction  in  the  original  is  peculiar 
(OTTO  or.  §«...).  Comp.  xxi.  8;  Rev.  xiv. 
20.  The  modern  name  of  Bethany  (see  '  Diet, 
of  Bible,'  s.  ?>.)  (El-Azariyeh)  is  derived  from 
the  miracle.  See  Wilson,  '  Lands  of  the  Bible,' 
I.  485- 

19.  of  the  Jews]  w.  31,   36,  45.     This 
was  the  last  trial.     Natural  human  love  gave 
them  once  more  the  opportunity  of  faith. 

came... to  comfort]  had  come. ..to  comfort. 
During  the  seven  days  (!"!JDK>)  of  solemn 
mourning  it  is  still  customary  for  friends  to 
make  visits  of  condolence.  Comp.  i  S.  xxxi. 
14;  i  Chro.  x.  12;  Job  ii.  13  ('  Jewish  Daily 
Prayers,'  pp.  xxx.  f.).  Lightfoot  (ad  /or.)  gives 
many  illustrations  of  the  ancient  usages. 

20—27.    The  Lord  and  Martha. 

20.  Then  Martha.. .]  Martha  therefore... 
(vv.  1 8,  19  are  parenthetical).     Martha  ap- 
pears to  have  been  engaged  in  some  household 
duty,  and  so  first  heard  of  the  Lord's  approach ; 
Mary  was  still  in  her  chamber,  so  that  the 
tidings  did  not  at  once  come  to  her  (v.  29). 
Comp.  Luke  x.  38  ff. 

that  Jesus  was  coming]  Literally,  that  Jesut 
cometh.  He  had  been  watched  for  while  hope 
lasted,  and  the  watch  seems  to  have  been  still 
kept  when  hope  was  gone.  The  words  appear 
to  be  the  exact  message  brought  to  Martha: 
"  Jesus  is  coming." 


168 


ST.  JOHN.    XI. 


[v.   21 26. 


21  Then  said  Martha  unto  Jesus, 
Lord,   if  thou  hadst  been  here,   my 
brother  had  not  died. 

22  But  I   know,  that  even  now, 
whatsoever   thou   wilt  ask   of  God, 
God  will  give  it  thee. 

23  Jesus  saith  unto  her,  Thy  bro- 
ther shall  rise  again. 


24  Martha  saith  unto  him,  *I  know  * Luke  '*• 
that  he  shall  rise  again  in  the  resur-  chap.  5. 29. 
rection  at  the  last  day. 

25  Jesus  said  unto  her,  I  am  the 
resurrection,  and    the  c  life  :  he  that '  <*•  6-  as- 
believeth  in  me,  though  he  were  dead, 

yet  shall  he  live  : 

26  And  whosoever  liveth  and  be- 


21.  Then  said  Martha. ..Lord,   if...']    So 
Martha  said... Lord,  if...     The  words  are  a 
simple  expression   of  faith    and  love,  with- 
out any  admixture  of  complaint.      Martha 
does  not  say,  "if  thou  hadst  come;"  she  does 
not  even  emphasize  the  pronoun.     She  thinks 
only  of  a  necessary  absence.    See  v.  32. 

22.  But... now...~\     And  now  (/cm  vvv)  I 
know  that...  even  when  death  seems  to  have 
closed  all.    Faith  reaches  forth  to  that  which  it 
does  not  grasp.     The  words  perhaps  refer  to 
the  mysterious  saying  of  the  Lord   (i>.  4) 
which  had  been  reported  to  her. 

/  know]  v.  24.  Contrast  /  believe,  v.  37. 
The  faith,  if  imperfect,  is  real. 

The  emphatic  repetition  of  God,  at  the  end 
of  both  clauses  in  the  original,  serves  to  bring 
out,  as  it  were,  the  special  relation  in  which 
Christ  stood  to  God  in  Martha's  thoughts. 
It  is  to  be  observed  that  Martha  uses  a  word 
for  the  Lord's  prayer  (atYeic)  which  the  Lord 
uses  of  others  (xiv.  13  f.,  xv.  16,  xvi.  23  f.), 
but  never  of  Himself.  Comp.  xvi.  26,  note. 

23.  Thy  brother  shall    rise  again]     The 
whole  history  of  the  raising  of  Lazarus  is  a 
parable  of  Life  through  death  (vv.  4,  it,  16), 
of  life  through  what  is  called  death,  of  death 
through  what  is  called  life  (v.  50).     Here 
then,  at  the  beginning,  the  key-note  is  given. 
Whatever  death  may  seem  to  be,  there  is  a 
resurrection.     Death   is  not  the   final    con- 
queror.    As  yet  the  idea  of  "  resurrection  "  is 
not  defined.     It  is  enough  that  the  idea  be 
recognised. 

24.  Martha  acknowledges  the  doctrine  of  a 
resurrection,  as  an  object  of  remote  belief:  as 
something  of  general  but  not  of  personal  in- 
terest, and  therefore  powerless  in  the  present 
bereavement :  /  know  that  he  shall  rise  again 
in   the  resurrection,   in   that   awful   scene  of 
universal  awakening,  at  the  last  day,  when  all 
human  interests  cease. 

the  last  day\  vi.  39,  note. 

25.  The  reply  of  the  Lord  meets  each  im- 
plied difficulty.   He  does  not  set  aside  Martha's 
confession,  as  if  her  idea  were  faulty.     He 
brings  the  belief  which  she  held  into  con- 
nexion with  man's  nature  as  He  had  made  and 
revealed  it.   The  resurrection  is  not  a  doctrine 
but    a    fact:   not    future    but   present:   not 
multitudinous,  but  belonging  to  the  unbroken 
continuity  of  each  separate  life.    The  Resur- 


rection is  one  manifestation  of  the  Life:  it  is 
involved  in  the  Life.  It  is  a  personal  com- 
munication of  the  Lord  Himself,  and  not  a 
grace  which  He  has  to  gain  from  another. 
Martha  had  spoken  of  a  gift  to  be  obtained 
from  God  and  dispensed  by  Christ.  Christ 
turns  her  thoughts  to  His  own  Person.  He 
is  that  which  men  need.  He  does  not  procure 
the  blessing  for  them.  Compare  iv.  15  if.,  vi. 
35  ff.  I  am — not  I  shall  be  hereafter — I  am, 
even  in  this  crisis  of  bereavement,  in  this  im- 
mediate prospect  of  the  Cross,  the  Resurrec- 
tion and  the  Life.  The  word  "  Resurrection  " 
comes  first,  because  the  teaching  starts  from 
death;  but  the  special  term  is  at  once  ab- 
sorbed in  the  deeper  word  which  includes  it, 
Life  (shall  live,  not  shall  rise  again). 

I  am  the  resurrection...'}  Christ  in  the  fulness 
of  His  Person  does  not  simply  work  the 
Resurrection  and  give  life:  He  is  both.  He 
does  not  say  "  I  promise,"  or  "I  procure," 
or  "I  bring,"  but  "I  am."  By  taking 
humanity  into  Himself  He  has  revealed  the 
permanence  of  man's  individuality  and  being. 
But  this  permanence  can  be  found  only  in 
union  with  Him.  Thus  two  main  thoughts 
are  laid  down :  Life  (Resurrection)  is  present, 
and  this  Life  is  in  a  Person. 

and  the  life]  The  context  in  which  this 
revelation  is  given  determines  the  sense  in 
which  it  must  be  interpreted.  Christ  is  the 
life  of  the  individual  believer,  in  Whom  all 
that  belongs  to  the  completeness  of  personal 
being  (v.  23,  thy  brother;  v.  n,  our  friend) 
finds  its  permanence  and  consummation.  The 
same  statement  is  made  again  in  the  last 
discourses  (xiv.  6  note),  but  in  a  different 
connexion,  and  with  a  different  scope.  Just 
as  "the  life"  in  combination  with  "the 
resurrection "  fixes  the  thought  upon  the 
man,  so  "the  life"  in  combination  with  "the 
way"  and  "the  truth"  fixes  it  upon  the 
whole  sum  of  existence  (i.  4),  to  which  every 
man  contributes  his  "  individual  difference." 
Christ  is  the  Life  in  both  relations.  He  gives 
unity  and  stability  to  each  man  separately,  and 
at  the  same  time  in  virtue  of  this  to  the  whole 
creation.  St  Paul  expresses  the  same  double 
truth  when  he  speaks  of  the  believer  as  "  living 
in  Christ"  (Rom.  vi.  n),  and  of  "all  things 
consisting  in  Him"  (Col.  i.  17). 

26.  The  truth  is  presented  in  its  two  forms 
as  suggested  by  Resurrection  and  Life.  Some 


v.  27—31.] 


ST.  JOHN.   XL 


169 


Heveth  in  me  shall  never  die.   Believ- 
est  thou  this  ? 

27  She  saith  unto  him,  Yea,  Lord : 
I  believe  that  thou  art  the  Christ,  the 
Son  of  God,  which  should  come  into 
the  world. 

28  And  when  she  had  so  said,  she 
went  her  way,  and  called  Mary  her 
sister  secretly,  saying,  The  Master  is 
come,  and  calleth  for  thee. 


29  As   soon   as   she    heard   that, 
she   arose   quickly,    and   came   unto 
him. 

30  Now  Jesus  was  not  yet  come 
into  the  town,  but  was  in  that  place 
where  Martha  met  him. 

31  The   Jews    then   which   were 
with  her  in  the  house,  and  comforted 
her,  when  they  saw  Mary,  that  she 
rose  up  hastily  and  went  out,  followed 


there  were,  like  Lazarus,  who  had  believed  and 
died,  some  like  Martha  who  yet  lived  and 
believed.  Of  the  first  it  is  said  that  the 
death  of  earth  under  which  they  had  fallen 
is  no  real  death:  He  that  believeth  on  me, 
though  he  were  dead  (even  if  he  die),  shall 
live — shall  live  still,  live  on  even  through  that 
change,  and  not  resume  life  at  some  later 
time.  And  of  the  second  that  the  life  of 
heaven  shall  never  be  broken  off:  Whosoever 
(nay)  liveth  and  believeth  in  me,  he  that  in  that 
faith  hath  seized  the  true  conception  of  life, 
shall  never  die.  To  him  who  is  in  Christ 
death  is  not  what  it  seems  to  be.  The  inser- 
tion of  the  universal  term  in  this  clause  gives 
amplitude  to  the  promise. 

The  verse  points  to  mysteries  which  have 
occupied  the  thoughts  of  Eastern  and  also  of 
Western  philosophers,  as  the  famous  verses  of 
Euripides  shew,  "  Who  knoweth  if  to  live  be 
truly  death,  and  death  be  reckoned  life  by 
those  below  ?"  ('Polyid.'  Fragm.  vu. :  comp. 
'Phryx.'  Fragm.  xiv.),  and  indicates  a  higher 
form  of  "  corporate  "  life,  such  as  St  Paul  ex- 
presses by  the  phrase  "in  Christ"  (Gal.  ii.  20; 
Col.  iii.  4).  Comp.  xvii.  3,  note. 

Part  of  the  thought  is  expressed  in  a  saying 
in  the  Talmud :  "  What  has  man  to  do  that 
he  may  live  ?  Let  him  die.  What  has  man 
to  do  that  he  may  die  ?  Let  him  live  "  ('  Ta- 
mid,'  32  a).  The  last  words  of  Edward  the 
Confessor  offer  a  closer  parallel :  "  Weep  not," 
he  said,  "I  shall  not  die  but  live;  and  as  I 
leave  the  land  of  the  dying  I  trust  to  see  the 
blessings  of  the  Lord  in  the  land  of  the  living  " 
(Richard  of  Cirencester,  n.  292). 

shall  never  die']  According  to  the  universal 
usage  of  St  John  this  must  be  the  sense  of  the 
original  phrase  (eir  /iq...«r  TOO  at<5i>a),  and 
not  "  shall  not  die,for  ever."  See  iv.  14,  viii. 
51,52,  x.  28,  xiii.  8. 

Relieves t  thou  this?']  i.e.  Is  this  thy  belief* 
(rovro  Tri(rrfvtis'i)  not  Do  you  admit  my  state- 
ment ?  (rOUT6)  7Tl<TT(V(lS  ])• 

27.  Martha  accepts  the  revelation,  and 
then  falls  back  upon  the  confession  of  the 
faith  which  she  had  won.  She  does  not  say 
simply  "  I  believe,"  repeating  the  form  given; 
but  "  I — even.  I — the  pronoun  is  emphatic — 
Have  believed" — "I  have  made  this  belief 


my  own."  And  the  belief  which  she  expresses, 
though  it  falls  short  technically  of  Christ's 
declaration,  being  real  as  far  as  it  goes,  carries 
all  else  with  it.  He  who  holds  firmly  what 
he  has  gained  will  find  afterwards  that  it  con- 
tains far  more  than  he  has  realised. 

I  have  believed]  Cf.  iii.  18,  vi.  69,  xvi. 
27,  xx.  29;  i  John  iv.  16,  v.  10. 

the  Christ]  of  whom  all  the  prophets 
spake. 

the  Son  of  God]  who  can  restore  the  broken 
fellowship  of  man  and  His  maker. 

'which  should  come  (even  he  that  cometh) 
into  the  world]  for  whom  in  both  aspects  men 
are  ever  looking.  The  title  is  peculiar.  Comp. 
vi.  14;  Matt.  xi.  3;  Luke  vii.  19  f. 

28—32.     The  Lord  and  Mary. 

28.  had  so  said]  had  said  this:  the  con- 
fession in  its  many  parts  is  yet  one. 

she  went  her  way  (away)]  Her  faith  an- 
swering to  the  revelation  left  nothing  more  to 
be  said.  She  had  risen  above  private  grief. 

called... secretly,  saying]  called,  saying 
secretly.  In  the  three  other  places  where 
the  adverb  occurs  (Matt.  i.  19,  ii.  7 ;  Acts 
xvi.  37)  it  precedes  the  word  with  which  it 
is  connected  (Xo%  «V.).  The  message  was 
given  so  that  Mary  might  meet  the  Lord 
alone  and  that  the  ill-feeling  of  the  Jews  might 
not  be  called  out. 

The  Master]  used  absolutely.  Comp.  xx. 
1 6,  xiii.  13  f. ;  Matt.  xxvi.  18,  and  parallels. 
The  title  opens  a  glimpse  into  the  private 
intercourse  of  the  Lord  and  the  disciples: 
so  they  spoke  of  Him. 

calleth  for  (calleth)  thee]  The  conversa- 
tion with  Martha  is  evidently  not  related 
fully.  We  cannot  suppose  (with  Cyril  of 
Alexandria)  that  Martha  herself  framed  the 
message  out  of  the  general  tenor  of  the  Lord's 
wo/ds. 

29.  As  soon  (And  as  soon)... arose ...  and 
came  (set  forth)  unto  him]     The  terms  are 
singularly  vivid.  The  momentary  act  (rjyfpdn, 
contrast  also  dvea-rn,  v-  31)  is  contrasted  with 
the  continuous  action  which  followed  (fo^ro). 

30.  but   was   still  in  that  place...]   as 
though  He  would  meet  the  sisters  away  from 
the  crowd  of  mourners. 


ST.  JOHN.   XI. 


32>  33- 


her,  saying,  She  goeth  unto  the  grave 
to  weep  there. 

32  Then  when  Mary  was  come 
where  Jesus  was,  and  saw  him,  she 


fell  down  at  his  feet,  saying  unto  him, 
Lord,  if  thou  hadst  been  here,  my 
brother  had  not  died. 

33  When  Jesus  therefore  saw  her 


31.  saying,    She   goeth  ...]      supposing 
(8o£ai>res)  that  she  was   going... 

to  weep  (Iva  K\av<rj],  Vulg.  ut  floret)"]  The 
verb  describes  the  continuous,  almost  pas- 
sionate, expression  of  sorrow.  Comp.  xvi.  20, 
xx.  ii  ff.  So  it  is  used  especially  of  wailing 
for  the  dead:  Matt.  ii.  18;  Mark  v.  38  f.  &c., 
Luke  vii.  13,  viii.  52  ;  Acts  ix.  39.  The  word 
must  be  carefully  distinguished  from  that  used 
in  v.  35. 

The  secrecy  of  Martha  became  of  no  avail, 
and  so  it  came  to  pass  that  the  work  was 
wrought  in  the  presence  of  a  mixed  body  of 
spectators  (Cyril). 

32.  Then...<was  come  ...feet .  .  .]      Mary 
therefore,  when  she  came  .  .  .fell  at  his 
feet  with  more  demonstrative  emotion   than 

Martha  (-7;.  21),   as  afterwards  she  is  repre- 
sented as  "weeping,"  v.  33. 

Lord,  .  .  .  died}  The  words  are  identical 
with  those  used  by  Martha  save  for  the  signi- 
ficant transposition  of  the  pronoun  (OVK.  av  pov 
air.  6  d&),  and  represent  without  doubt  what 
the  sisters  had  said  one  to  another:  "If  the 
Lord  had  been  here  .  .  . ." 

(3)     The  Miracle  (33—44). 

The  details  of  the  working  of  the  miracle 
bring  out  several  features  not  so  clearly  seen 
elsewhere.  The  work  is  not  a  simple  exertion 
of  sovereign,  impassive,  power.  It  follows  on 
a  voluntary  and  deep  apprehension  of  the  sor- 
row in  itself  and  in  its  source  (w.  33 — 38). 
At  the  same  time  the  issue  is  absolutely  known 
while  the  present  pain  is  fully  shared  (39,  40). 
Such  knowledge  follows  from  the  perfect  sym- 
pathy between  the  Father  and  the  Son.  The 
Son's  works  are  the  open  expression  of  the 
will  of  the  Father  which  He  has  recognised 
(41,  4*)- 

33 — 40.  The  Lord's  grief.  Faith  on  its 
trial. 

33.  No  conversation  and  no  answer  follows 
the  sister's  address  as  before.    This  was  the 
climax  of  natural  grief  which  called  for  the 
act  of  power  and  not  for  the  word  of  power 
only. 

saw  her  (Mary)  weeping]  Martha  seems  to 
have  calmly  trusted  to  the  promise  of  restora- 
tion which  yet  she  could  not  understand 

(v.  39)- 

groaned  in  the  spirit}  The  word  rendered 
groaned  (here  and  in  -v.  38,  eW/Spi/ifj'craTo  raj 
irvftifiari,  Vulg.  fremuit  or  infremuit  spiritu), 
occurs  in  three  other  places  in  the  New  Testa- 
ment (Matt.  ix.  30;  Mark  i.  43,  xiv.  5,  where 
see  notes). 


In  these  places  there  is  the  notion  of  coercion 
springing  out  of  displeasure.  The  feeling  is 
called  out  by  something  seen  in  another  which 
moves  to  anger  rather  than  to  sorrow.  So 
here  we  may  set  aside  those  interpretations  or 
the  word  which  represent  the  emotion  as 
grief  only.  For  such  a  sense  of  the  word 
there  is  no  authority  at  all.  So  much  is  clear 
that  the  general  notion  of  antagonism,  or 
indignation,  or  anger,  must  be  taken. 

But  further  difficulty  arises  as  to  the  con- 
struction. Is  the  verb  absolute  or  not  ?  Is  the 
spirit  the  sphere,  or  the  instrument,  or  the 
object  of  the  emotion  ? 

1.  In  the  other  passages  of  the  New  Testa- 
ment the  dative  of  the  object  is  always  added 
(and  so  also  in  Isai.  xvii.    13,  Symm.).     If 
"  the  spirit  "  be  the  object  here,  what  must  we 
then  understand  by  "  the  spirit "  to  which  this 
vehement  expression  of  feeling   is  directed  ? 
(a)  Some  have   supposed  that    "the  spirit" 
here  is, the  seat  of  human  feeling,  which  the 
Lord  in  respect  of  His  divine  nature  checked 
in  its  intensity.     But  "  the  spirit "  can  hardly 
describe  the  passionate,  sympathetic  side  of 
human  nature;  and  this  conception  is  inconsist- 
ent with  the  words  "He  troubled  Himself" 
which  follow.     (/3)  Others  again  have  taken 
"  the  spirit"  to  express,  according  to  the  com- 
mon  usage  of   the  word,   that  part  of  the 
Lord's  human  nature  whereby   He  was    in 
immediate  fellowship  with  His  Father.     And 
in  this  case  two  distinct  views  may  be  taken 
of  the  sense  according  as  (i)  the  antagonism 
is  with    that    which    unduly    shrinks    from 
action,  or  (2)  with  that  which  unduly  presses 
forward  to  action.     If  we  follow  the  first  idea 
the  sense  will  be    that  the  Lord   "straitly 
charged,"  summoned  up  to  vigorous  conflict 
with  death  the  spirit  which  might,  humanly 
speaking,   hang  back  from  the  terrible  en- 
counter which  even  through  victory  would 
bring  His  own  death.  If  we  follow  the  second 
the  thought  will  be  that  the  Lord  checked  the 
momentary  impulse  which  arose  within  Him 
to  exert  His  divine  power  at  once,  and  first 
voluntarily   brought   Himself   into  complete 
sympathy  with  the  sorrow  which  He  came 
to  relieve.    According  to  the  first  of  these  two 
interpretations,  "  vehemently  moved  His  spirit" 
would  be  parallel  with  "  He  troubled  Him- 
self:" according  to  the  second,  "He  sternly 
checked  His  spirit "  would  be  the  complement 
of  it.     Both  interpretations  fall  in  with  the 
general  sense  of  the  passage,  but  the  second 
seems  to  be  the  most  natural. 

2.  Against  this  view  of  the  construction, 
which  makes  "the  spirit"  the  object  of  the 


34—37-] 


ST.  JOHN.    XI. 


171 


tGr.  he 

troubled 
himself. 


weeping,  and  the  Jews  also  weeping 
which  came  with  her,  he  groaned  in 
the  spirit,  and  fwas  troubled, 

34  And  said,  Where  have  ye  laid 
him  ?  They  said  unto  him,  Lord, 
come  and  see. 


35  Jesus  wept. 

36  Then    said   the  Jews,   Behold 
how  he  loved  him  ! 

37  And  some  of  them  said,  Could 

not   this    man,    d  which    opened   the  rfchap.g.6. 
eyes  of  the  blind,  have  caused  that 


verb,  it  may  be  urged  that  in  His  Spirit  (T<B 
Tri>fi/p.ari)  is  used  elsewhere  in  parallel  pas- 
sages to  describe  the  sphere  of  feeling  (Mark 
viii.  12;  Luke  x.  21;  John  xiii.  21).  If  then 
the  verb  be  taken  absolutely, which  appears  to  be 
justifiedby  the  use  below  (f'^/3.  ev  «avr<5),  what 
is  the  implied  object  of  the  indignant' antago- 
nism? Various  answers  have  been  given.  Some 
have  supposed  that  the  Lord  felt  indignation 
(a)  with  the  Jews  as  hypocritical  mourners 
at  the  scene,  and  soon  to  become  traitors. 
But  this  seems  to  be  inconsistent  with  the 
general  tone  of  irv.  45  f. :  and  with  the  parallel- 
ism of  the  verse  (weeping,  weeping).  Others 
($)  find  the  cause  of  indignation  in  the  unbe- 
lief or  misapprehension  of  the  Jews  and 
even  of  the  sisters.  But  these  faults  have  not 
been  brought  into  prominence.  The  emotion 
is  stirred  by  the  sight  of  sorrow  as  sorrow, 
and  not  as  unbelief  or  distrust  or  disappoint- 
ment. Others  again  (y)  think  that  the  Lord 
was  indignant  at  the  sight  of  the  momentary 
triumph  of  evil,  as  death,  or  personally  of 
Christ's  adversary  the  devil,  who  had  brought 
sin  into  the  world,  and  death  through  sin, 
which  was  here  shewn  under  circumstances  of 
the  deepest  pathos.  This  interpretation  ac- 
cords well  with  the  scope  of  the  passage. 

On  the  whole,  therefore,  the  choice  seems 
to  lie  between  the  senses  i  (/3)  (2),  "  He 
sternly  checked  His  spirit ;"  and  2  (y),  "  He 
groaned" — expressed,  that  is,  indignant  emo- 
tion— "  in  spirit."  And  the  use  of  the  word 
below  (v.  38)  leads  to  a  decision  in  favour  of 
the  second  or  these  renderings. 

Whichever  view  however  be  taken,  it  must 
be  remembered  that  the  miracles  of  the  Lord 
were  not  wrought  by  the  simple  word  of 
power,  but  that  in  a  mysterious  way  the 
element  of  sympathy  entered  into  them.  He 
took  away  the  sufferings  and  diseases  of 
men  in  some  sense  by  taking  them  upon 
Himself,  as  is  expressed  in  Matt.  viii.  17. 
So  it  is  said  (Luke  viii.  46)  that  He  knew 
that  power  "had  gone  out  from  Him." 
Compare  Hcbr.  v.  7.  It  has  been  suggested 
also  that  in  this  case  the  conflict  was  the 
heavier,  seeing  that  Lazarus  himself  was  called 
upon  to  undergo  a  life  of  suffering.  The 
reader  will  recall  Browning's  interpretation  of 
his  after  life  in  the  '  Epistle  of  Karshish.' 

in  the  spirit]  St  John  distinctly  recognises 
"  the  spirit "  (m/ft/pia,  xiii.  21,  xix.  30)  and 
"the  soul"  O£VYI?,  x.  ii  ff.,  xii.  27)  as  ele- 
ments in  the  Lord's  perfect  humanity,  like  the 
other  Evangelists  (jrvtvpa,  Matt,  xxvii.  50; 


Mark  ii.  8,  viii.  12;    Luke  x.  21,  xxiii.  46; 
•^vxn,  Matt.  xx.  28,  xxvi.  38,  and  parallels). 

was  troubled}  troubled  Himself.  It 
cannot  be  supposed  that  the  peculiar  turn  of 
the  phrase  used  here  (eYapa£ei>  tavrov,  Vulg. 
turbavit  se  if  sum),  is  equivalent  to  was  trou- 
bled (fTapaxdn,  xiii.  21,  Vulg.  turbatus  est). 
The  force  of  it  appears  to  be  that  the  Lord 
took  to  Himself  freely  those  feelings  to 
which  others  are  subject ;  and  this  feeling  of 
horror  and  indignation  He  manifested  out- 
wardly. "  Turbaris  tu  nolens :  turbatus  est 
Christus  quia  voluit"  (Aug.  ad  loc.  Com- 
pare his  note  on  xiii.  21). 

34.  Where  .  .  .  laid  him  ?]    The  question  is 
remarkable  as  being  the  angle  place  in  the 
Gospel  where  the    Lord  speaks  as  seeking 
information.     Yet  see  -v.  17  (found). 

They  said  (say)  . .  .  ]  Apparently  Martha 
and  Mary,  to  whom  we  must  suppose  that  the 
question  was  addressed. 

come  and  see}  The  words  are  a  strange  echo 
of  i.  46.  (Rev.  vi.  i,  5,  7.) 

35.  wept}    The  exact  word   (e8aKpv<rfv, 
Vulg.  lacrimatus  est}  occurs  here  only  in  the 
New  Testament.     It  says  just   so  much  as 
that  "  tears  fell  from  Him."     Once  it  is  re- 
corded that  Jesus  "wept"  with  the  sorrow 
of    lamentation:    Luke  xix.  41    (e/cXavo-ej'). 
This  weeping  was  for  the  death  of  a  people, 
a  church,  and  not  of  a  friend.     Here  too  the 
death  of  Lazarus  is  the  type  of  the  universal 
destiny  of  manhood.     It  must  be  noticed  that 
St  John  notices  incidentally  many  traits  of 
the  Lord's  perfect  manhood:    thirst  (iv.    7, 
xix.  28),  fatigue  (iv.  6),  love  ((J)i\flv,  xx.  2)  ; 
as  in  the  other  Gospels  we  find  mention  of 
hunger  (Matt.  iv.  2),  joy  (Luke  x.  21),  sor- 
row  (Mark  iii.  5;  Matt.    xxvi.    38),     and 
anger  (Mark  iii.  5). 

36.  Then  said  the  Jews . . .  ]     The  Jews 
therefore  said  . . .     From  -w.  45  f-  it  ap- 
pears that  some  had  joined  the  company  who 
were  not  of  Mary's  friends. 

how  he  loved  (t'^iXet,  Vulg.  amabat)  him!'} 
Comp.  xx.  2. 

37.  And  (But)  . . .  Could  not...  not  have 
died   (not   die)?]      It  is  possible  that  the 
words  are  used  in  irony:  as  if  the  speakers 
would  draw  the  conclusion  that  the  former 
miracle  must  have  been  unreal,  because  no 
miracle  was  wrought  when  a  deep  personal 
feeling  must  have  suggested  it.    Tears  shewed 
love,   and    shewed  it    to    be  powerless.    In 


172 


ST.  JOHN.   XL 


[v.  38-42. 


even    this    man    should    not    have 
died  ? 

38  Jesus  therefore  again  groaning 
in  himself  cometh  to  the  grave.     It 
was  a  cave,  and  a  stone  lay  upon  it. 

39  Jesus  said,  Take  ye  away  the 
stone.    Martha,  the  sister  of  him  that 
was  dead,  saith  unto  him,  Lord,  by 
this  time    he   stinketh :  for  he  hath 
been  dead  four  days. 


40  Jesus  saith  unto  her,  Said  I  not 
unto  thee,  that,  if  thou  wouldest  be- 
lieve, thou  shouldest  see  the  elorv  of 
r>   j  5  ' 
God? 

41  Then  they  took  away  the  stone 
from   the  place  where  the  dead  was 

laid.  And  Jesus  lifted  up  his  eyes, 
and  said,  Father,  I  thank  thee  that 
thou  hast  heard  me. 

42  And  I  knew  that  thou  hearest 


favour  of  this  view  >v.  46  (But  some  of  them 
. . . )  may  be  quoted.  But  it  is  equally  pos- 
sible to  regard  the  words  as  spoken  in  sin- 
cerity and  ignorance.  It  can  cause  no  difficulty 
that  the  tidings  of  the  Galilasan  raisings  from 
the  dead  had  not  become  current  at  Jerusalem 
(comp.  Luke  viii.  56). 

of  the  blind'}  of  him  that  was  blind 
(row  T.).  The  phrase  is  a  definite  allusion  to 
the  miracle  recorded  in  ch.  ix. 

38.  Jesus   therefore]    as  standing   in   the 
presence  of  this  conflict  of  grief  and  doubt, 
and  with  a  clear  vision  of  the  realities  of 
death.     His  emotion  at  this  point  has  less 
outward  manifestation.      If  it  be  supposed 
that  the  last  words  were  spoken  in  mockery, 
then  we  can  see  the  occasion  of   the  new 
struggle. 

It  ivas  (Now  it  'was')  a  cave..."]  The  caves 
used  as  tombs  were  closed  by  stone  doors,  and 
in  some  cases  by  stones  which  could  be  rolled 
along  a  ledge  to  the  opening  into  which  they 
were  fitted :  Matt,  xxviii.  2 ;  Luke  xxiv.  % ; 
Mark  xvi.  3,  4  (dvaK€Kv\t<TTqi).  Thus  the 
word  rendered  lay  upon  it  does  not  neces- 
sarily describe  a  pit.  The  sense  may  be 
better  given  by  laid  against  it. 

39.  Jesus  said   (saith),    Take  ye  away'] 
Comp.  xx.    i,   where  the  other   Evangelists 
have  rolled  away  or  rolled  back, 

Martha . . .  saith , . .]  Mary  having  once 
expressed  her  last  hope  remains  silent.  Martha 
too  had  laid  aside  all  present  liope,  at  the 
Lord's  bidding  as  she  thought  (<vv.  23  ff.), 
and  looked  now  for  some  future  restoration, 
connected  it  may  have  been  with  the  mani- 
festation of  Messiah's  glory  (i>.  27). 

the  sister  of  him  that  <was  dead]  The  close 
relationship  is  mentioned  in  order  to  place  in 
a  clearer  light  the  tender  solicitude  with 
which  Martha  shrinks  from  the  disclosure 
of  the  ravages  of  death  on  one  nearly  bound 
to  her. 

for  he  hath  been . . .  ]  It  will  be  observed 
that  the  Evangelist  gives  no  support  to  the 
exaggerated  statements  of  later  interpreters 
(e.g.  Augustine,  'in  Joh.  Tract.'  XLIX.  i, 
*'  recuscitavit  fcetentem").  He  simply  records 
the  natural  words  of  the  sister,  who  speaks  of 


what  she  believes  must  be,  and  not  of  an 
ascertained  fact. 

dead  four  days  (rerapraior,  Vulg.  quadn- 
duanus)~\  The  full  significance  of  the  words 
appears  from  a  passage  of  '  Bereshith  R.' 
(p.  1143),  quoted  by  Lightfoot:  "It  is  a 
tradition  of  Ben  Kaphra's :  The  very  height 
of  mourning  is  not  till  the  third  day.  For 
three  days  the  spirit  wanders  about  the  se- 
pulchre, expecting  if  it  may  return  into  the 
body.  But  when  it  sees  that  the  form  or 
aspect  of  the  face  is  changed  [on  the  fourth 
day],  then  it  hovers  no  more,  but  leaves  the 
body  to  itself."  "  After  three  days,"  it  is 
said  elsewhere,  "  the  countenance  is  changed." 

40.  The  Lord  directs  Martha  to  the  deeper 
meaning  of  His  words.     He  does  not  simply 
say,  Thy  brother  shall  rise  again.     He  answers 
the  suggestion  of  corruption  by  the  promise 
of  "glory."     The  general  description  of  the 
victory  of  faith  (i».  26)  contained  necessarily 
a  special  promise.     The  fulfilment  of   that 
promise  was  a  revelation  of  the  glory  of  God 
(v.  4),   for  which  Christ  had  from  the  first 
encouraged  the  sisters  to  look.     In  this  way 
attention  is  called  to  the  permanent  lesson  of 
the  sign. 

41—44.  The  Son's  fellowship  with  the 
Father.  He  quickens  by  His  word. 

41.  Then   (So)  they  took  away  the  stone"] 
It  was  enough.     No  one  gainsaid  the  Master's 
word.     The  remainder  of  the  clause  {from 
the  place . . .  laid)  must  be  omitted  in  accord- 
ance with  most  ancient  authorities. 

lifted  up  his  eyes']  xvii.  i. 

Father]  xii.  27  f.;  xvii.  i,  24,  25;  Matt, 
xi.  25 ;  Luke  xxiii.  34,  46. 

/  thank  thee  that  thou  hast  heard  (heard- 
est)  me~\  The  prayer  had  been  made  before, 
and  the  answer  to  the  prayer  had  been 
assured  v.  4.  It  was  now  the  occasion  not 
for  supplication  but  for  thanksgiving.  But 
this  thanksgiving  was  not  for  any  uncertain 
or  unexpected  gift  (v.  22}.  It  was  rather  a 
proclamation  of  fellowship  with  God.  The 
sympathy  in  work  (v.  19)  and  thought  between 
the  Father  and  the  Son  is  always  perfect  and 
uninterrupted,  and  now  it  was  revealed  in 
action.  Even  in  this  sorrow  the  Son  knew 


v.  43—46.] 


ST.  JOHN.   XI. 


'73 


me  always  :  but  because  of  the  peo- 
ple which  stand  by  I  said  /V,  that 
they  may  believe  that  thou  hast 
sent  me. 

43  And  when  he  thus  had  spoken, 
he  cried  with  a  loud  voice,  Lazarus, 
come  forth. 

44  And   he  that  was  dead  came 
forth,  bound  hand  and  foot  with  grave- 
clothes  :    and    his    face    was    bound 


about  with  a  napkin.  Jesus  saith 
unto  them,  Loose  him,  and  let 
him  go. 

45  Then  many  of  the  Jews  which 
came  to  Mary,    and    had    seen    the 
things  which  Jesus  did,  believed  on 
him. 

46  But  some  of  them  went  their 
ways  to  the  Pharisees,  and  told  them 
what  things  Jesus  had  done. 


the  end  (I  [tya>  8f]  on  my  part,  whatever  may 
have  been  the  misgivings  of  others,  knew  that 
. . .) ;  but  that  which  He  knew  others  denied, 
and  by  the  open  claim  to  the  cooperation  of 
God  the  Lord  made  a  last  solemn  appeal  to 
the  belief  of  His  adversaries. 

This  passage  may  help  to  an  understanding 
of  the  true  nature  of  prayer  in  the  case  of  the 
Lord,  as  being  the  conscious  realisation  of 
the  divine  will,  and  not  a  petition  for  that 
which  is  contingent  (comp.  i  John  iii.  22). 
In  the  case  of  men  prayer  approximates  to 
this  more  and  more.  It  is  not  the  setting  up 
of  the  will  of  self,  but  the  apprehension  and 
taking  to  self  of  the  divine  will,  which  corre- 
sponds with  the  highest  good  of  the  individual. 
Comp.  xv.  7,  note. 

42.  At  the  close  of  v.  41  we  must  make  a 
pause.   The  reflection  which  follows  is  spoken 
as  a  self-revelation  to  the  disciples.    It  will  be 
noticed  also  that  the  Lord  uses  the  phrase 
"because   of  the  people    (multitude),"  and 
not   "because  of  the  Jews,"    which   would 
have  been  the  natural  phrase  of  the  Evangelist, 
if  this  had  been,  as  some  have  alleged,  a  free 
rendering  of  the  Lord's  words. 

I  said  it]  The  thanksgiving  for  the  prayer 
fulfilled  was  the  proof  of  the  divine  mission  of 
the  Son.  For  by  thanking  God  for  a  work 
not  yet  seen  He  gave  a  crucial  test  of  His 
fellowship  with  God. 

that  they  may  believe'}  xvii.  zx. 

43.  cried]    xii.  13,  xviii.  40,  xix.  6,  12, 

15- 

with  a  loud  -voice]  of  intelligible  command 
(<£o>i/7;).  The  contrast  lies  in  the  muttered 
incantations  of  sorcerers. 

come  forth  (Sevpo  e£o>,  Vulg.  vent  foras)~] 
Comp.  xii.  17;  Luke  vii.  14,  viii.  54.  Death 
is  treated  as  sleep  (v.  n,  v.  25,  28). 

44.  And  be...~]   He ...   The  omission  of 
the  conjunction  by  the  best  ancient  authorities 
increases  the  solemn  emphasis  of  the  state- 
ment. 

It  is  unnecessary  to  speculate  how  Lazarus 
so  bound  came  forth.  The  limbs  may  have 
been  swathed  separately,  as  was  the  Egyptian 
custom. 

graveclothes"]  or,  bands  (Ktipiats,  Vulg. 
institis');  comp.  xix.  40  (odoviois~). 


napkin]  xx.  7.  The  trait  marks  an  eye- 
witness. 

Loose ...  go  (virdyeiv)]  The  simple  com- 
mand, made  necessary  by  the  awe  of  the  by- 
standers, corresponds  with  the  Lord's  action  in 
the  parallel  records,  Luke  vii.  15  (he  gave  him 
to  his  mother);  viii.  55  (he  commanded  that 
something  be  given  her  to  eat).  The  narrative 
leaves  the  sequel  untold. 

(4)  The  immediate  results  of  the  miracle 
(45—57)- 

The  miracle  was  a  decisive  test  of  faith  and 
unbelief  in  those  who  witnessed  it  (45,  46). 
The  Jews  and  the  Lord  prepare  themselves 
for  the  end.  The  Council,  acting  now  under 
the  influence  of  the  Sadducaean  hierarchy, 
decide  on  the  death  of  Christ  (47 — 53);  and 
Christ  withdraws  from  "the  Jews"  and 
waits  "  with  His  disciples  "  in  retirement  for 
the  feast  time,  while  men  anxiously  look  for 
His  appearance  (54 — 57).  Comp.  note  on 
Luke  ix.  51. 

45  f.  Men  judge  of  the  sign  according  to 
their  nature. 

45.  Then  .  .  .  which  came  .  .  .  had  seen  . . .] 
Many  therefore  of  the  Jews,  even  they 
that  came  .  .  .  and  beheld.     "The  Jews," 
as  a  general  term  here  (comp.  v.  37),  seems 
to  include  others  in  addition  to  the  friends  of 
Mary.     Curiosity  may  readily  have  led  some 
to  join  the  company  on  their  way  to  the 
grave. 

to  Mary]  The  phrase  is  different  from  that 
in  v.  19  (to  Martha  and  Mary),  in  order  to 
refer  exactly  to  the  circumstances  of  <v.  31. 

the  things  which  Jesus  did]  that  which  He 
did.  The  singular,  which  has  the  best  ancient 
authority,  as  compared  with  the  things  which 
(v.  46),  marks  the  concentration  of  thought 
upon  the  crowning  work. 

46.  some  of  them]    of  "  the  Jews,"   that 
is,   and  not  as   A.V.  seems  to  express,   of 
"  the  Jews  who  had  come  to  Mary." 

went  their  ways  (away)  to  the  Pharisees'] 
Comp.  v.  15,  ix.  13.  It  is  not  possible  to 
determine  their  motive.  It  may  have  been 
simple  perplexity.  There  is  no  trace  of 
malevolence  (unless  it  be  found  in  v.  37), 
while  there  is,  on  the  other  hand,  no  trace  of 


174 


ST.  JOHN.    XI. 


[v.  47—50- 


47  ^1  Then  gathered  the  chief  priests 
and  the  Pharisees  a  council,  and  said, 
What  do  we  ?   for  this   man   doeth 
many  miracles. 

48  If  we  let  him  thus  alone,  all 
men  will   believe   on   him :   and    the 
Romans  shall  come  and   take  away 
both  our  place  and  nation. 


49  And  one  of  them,  named  Caia- 
phas,  being  the  high  priest  that  same 
year,  said  unto  them,  Ye  know  no- 
thing at  all,     . 

50  *Nor  consider  that  it  is  expe-'chap.  ia. 
dient  for  us,  that  one  man  should  die  M 

for   the  people,  and  that  the  whole 
nation  perish  not. 


faith.  Want  of  sympathy  made  the  messengers 
the  occasion  of  the  final  catastrophe.  Comp. 
v.  15. 

47 — 53.     The  decision  of  the  Sanhedrin. 

47.  Then ...  chief  priests']  The  chief  priests 
therefore,  inasmuch  as  it  was  evident  that 
this  last  work  could  not  but  create  a  popular 
crisis  at  the  coming  feast. 

The  "  chief  priests  " — the  hierarchical  Sad- 
ducaean  party — take  the  lead.  Comp.  vii.  32 
(true  reading).  So  it  is  throughout:  xi.  57, 
xii.  10,  xviii.  3,  35,  xix.  6,  15,  21.  In  the 
whole  record  after  this  chapter  the  Pharisees 
are  mentioned  only  twice  (xii.  19,  42),  and 
then  in  a  very  different  aspect. 

The  same  fact  appears  also  in  the  Synoptic 
narratives.  The  only  mention  of  "  the  Phari- 
sees "  in  the  history  of  the  Passion  is  Matt, 
xxvii.  62  (the  chief  priests  and  Pharisees, 
i.e.  the  Sanhedrin),  while  "the  chief  priests" 
take  the  place  of  the  deadly  enemies  of  Christ 
(Matt.  xxvi.  3,  14,  &c.). 

So  also  in  the  Acts  the  Pharisees  never 
stand  out  as  the  leading  enemies  of  the  Chris- 
tian. On  the  contrary,  in  the  two  scenes 
where  they  appear  they  are  represented  as 
inclined  to  favour  them:  v.  34,  xxiii.  6  ff. 
The  priests  and  the  Sadducees — who  belonged 
to  the  same  party — take  up  the  opposition : 
iv.  i,  v.  17,  xxii.  30,  xxiii.  14,  xxv.  2.  Saul, 
himself  a  Pharisee,  was  their  emissary  (ix.  21, 
xxvi.  10). 

a  council]  that  is,  "  a  meeting  of  the  Coun- 
cil." The  word  (<rvi>f8piov,  Vulg.  concilium) 
occurs  here  only  without  the  article  (Matt.  x. 
17  is  different). 

What  do  <we?~\  Not  simply  "  What  must 
we  do?"  (Acts  iv.  16,  rl  iroifia-o^fv ;)  as  if 
there  were  room  for  quiet  deliberation ;  but, 
"W  hat  are  we  doing  ?  What  course  are  we 
taking  ?  (rt  iroiovpfv ;  Vulg.  Quid  facimus  ?) 
The  crisis  for  action  is  present  and  urgent. 
There  is  no  question  of  considering  Christ's 
claims,  even  when  His  works  are  acknow- 
ledged. The  matter  is  regarded  only  as  it 
affects  themselves. 

this  man}  said  contemptuously :  ch.  ix.  1 6. 

48.  If  we  let...~\  It  is  assumed  that  the 
multitude  will  place  their  own  interpretation 
upon  the  miracles,  and  set  Jesus  at  their  head, 
and  that  He  will  lend  Himself  to  their  zeal. 
This  being  so,  they  argue  that  the  Romans 


will  interfere  with  their  power  because  they 
are  unable  to  suppress  seditious  risings. 

take  a<ujay~\  as  something  which  was  their 
possession.  They  look  at  the  hypothetical 
catastrophe  from  its  personal  side  as  affecting 
themselves.  The  two  finite  verbs  (fXcuo-ovrai 
Kal  apovaiv),  instead  of  the  participle  and 
finite  verb,  give  distinction  to  each  element 
in  the  picture.  Comp.  xv.  16. 

both  our  place  and  our  nation]  the  visible 
seat  of  the  theocracy,  the  Temple  and  the 
City  (comp.  Acts  vi.  13,  xxi.  28  ;  [Matt 
xxiv.  15]),  and  our  civil  organization. 

49.  And  (But)  one  of  them,  named  Caia- 
phas..,~]    Comp.  xviii.  13,  note;  Matt.  xxvi. 
3,  note;  Acts  v.  17. 

being. .  .year]  being  high-priest  that 
year.  The  phrase  is  added  not  as  though 
the  office  were  annual,  but  to  bring  out  that 
at  this  last  crisis  of  the  fate  of  the  Jews 
Caiaphas  was  the  religious  head  of  the  nation. 
So  he  spoke  as  their  mouthpiece.  Nothing 
can  be  more  natural  than  that  in  the  recollec- 
tion of  St  John  the  year  of  the  death  of  Christ 
— the  end  and  the  beginning — should  stand 
out  conspicuously  from  all  history  as  "  the 
year  of  the  Lord."  That  Caiaphas  was  high- 
priest  "in  that  year"  (v.  51,  xviii.  13)  gave 
its  character  to  his  pontificate.  Comp.  c.  xx. 
19  (note);  Mark  iv.  35  (that  day). 

Te  know  nothing']  Ye  (i5/^e?rj,  who  dwell 
on  these  scruples  and  these  fears,  do  not  even 
know  the  simplest  rule  of  statesmanship,  that 
one  must  be  sacrificed  to  many.  The  em- 
phatic pronoun  is  bitterly  contemptuous. 
The  unscrupulous  Sadducee  (Acts  v.  17) 
contrasts  the  timid  irresolution  of  mere  Pha- 
risees with  his  own  clear  policy  of  death 
(comp.  xii.  19).  They  could  not  even  see 
their  own  interest;  they  were  dreaming  of 
some  kind  of  restraint  when  they  might  make 
use  of  a  convenient  victim.  This  thought 
brings  out  the  force  of  the  clause  which  fol- 
lows: '•'•nor  consider  (\oyifco-df)  that  it  is 
expedient  for  you  "  (not  for  us). 

50.  the  people... the... nation...']  The  former 
title  (Xaos)  marks  the  divine  relationship:  the 
latter  (Wvos)  the  civil  organization.     Comp. 
Acts  xxvi.  17,  23;  i  Pet.  ii.  9  f.;  (Lukeii.  10). 

The  word  "  nation  "  is  applied  to  the  Jews : 
Luke  vii.  5,  xxiii.  2,  (John  xviii.  35)  ;  Acts 
x.  22,  xxiv.  2,  10,  17,  xxvi.  4,  xxviii.  19; 


ST.  JOHN.    XI. 


51  And  this  spake  he  not  of  him- 
self :   but  being  high  priest  that  year, 
he  prophesied  that  Jesus   should  die 
for  that  nation  ; 

52  And  not  for  that  nation  only, 
but  that  also  he  should  gather  toge- 
ther in  one  the  children  of  God  that 
were  scattered  abroad. 

53  Then  from  that  day  forth  they 
took  counsel  together  for  to  put  him 
to  death. 

54  Jesus  therefore  walked  no  more 


openly  among  the  Jews ;  but  went 
thence  unto  a  country  near  to  the 
wilderness,  into  a  city  called  Ephraim, 
and  there  continued  with  his  disciples. 

55  11  And  the  Jews'  passover  was 
nigh  at  hand :  and  many  went  out 
of  the  country  up  to  Jerusalem  before 
the  passover,  to  purify  themselves. 

56  Then  sought  they  for  Jesus, 
and  spake  among  themselves,  as  they 
stood  in  the  temple,  What  think  ye, 
that  he  will  not  come  to  the  feast  ? 


and  so  constantly  in  the  LXX.,  e.g.  Exod. 
xxxiii.  i.  This  use  is  wholly  distinct  from  that 
of  the  plural,  "the  nations"  (ra  €$1/77). 

51.  And ...  spake ...  that     nation]     Now 
this  he  said...  the  nation.  The  high-priest 
represented  the  divine  headship  of  the  Jews, 
and   it    was  through  him  that  an   inspired 
decision  was  given   on  questions  of  doubt : 
Num.  xxvii.  21.     The  true  priest  is,  as  Philo 
says,  a  prophet  ('De  Great.  Princ.1 8,  ll.  p.  367). 
Here,  in  virtue  of  his  office,  Caiaphas  so  utters 
his  own  thoughts  as  to  pronounce  a  sentence 
of  God  unconsciously.    By  a  mysterious  irony 
he  interpreted  the  results  of    the  death  of 
Christ    truly,     though    in    a    way    directly 
opposite  to  that  which  he  apprehended.  Some- 
thing of  the  irony  which  reaches  its  climax 
here  is  found  in  other  parts  of  the  Gospel : 
vii.  41,  42,  xix.  21. 

52.  that  nation]    the    nation.      St  John 
does  not  repeat  the  word   "  people."     The 
Jews  at  this  crisis  had  ceased  to  be  "  a  people." 
They  were  a  "nation"  only,  as  one  of  the 
nations  of  the  world.     The  elements  of  the 
true  "  people"  were  scattered  throughout  the 
world,  as  Jews,  and  Jews  of  the  Dispersion, 
and  Gentiles. 

gather  together  Into  one]  Not  as  locally 
united,  but  as  partaking  in  a  common  life  and 
relationship  through  and  to  Him.  Comp.  x. 
16,  xvii.  23.  "  The  Christian  at  Rome  feels  the 
Indian  to  be  one  of  his  members,  and  Christ 
the  Head  of  all"  (Chrysostom). 
'  the  children  of  God...']  These  "scattered 
children  of  God"  were  truly  "children  of 
God,"  though  they  had  not  as  yet  re- 
ceived the  full  knowledge  of  their  Father. 
Comp.  x.  1 6.  The  title  is  not  given  by  an- 
ticipation, but  by  a  revelation  of  the  true 
essence  of  things.  They  were  the  constitu- 
ents of  the  new  "people"  (xii.  32;  i  John 
ii.  2),  even  as  they  witnessed  to  the  original 
filial  relation  of  man  as  man  to  God.  The 
term  scattered  abroad  (Vulg.  flios  del  qui 
grant  dispersi)  marks  a  broken  unity  and  not 
only  wide  dispersion  (Matt.  xxvi.  31;  Acts 
v.  37).  Such  is  the  state  of  mankind  in  rela- 
tion to  its  divine  original. 


53.  'Then  from... took  counsel  together]     So 
from. ..took  counsel.     That  which  had  been  a 

decree  before  (v.  18),  now  became  a  settled 
plan.  St  John  marks  the  growth  of  the  hos- 
tility step  by  step:  v.  16  ff.,  (vii.  i),  vii.  32, 
45  ff.,  viii.  59,  ix.  22,  x.  39. 

54 — 57.  A  space  of  retirement  and  sus- 
pense. 

54.  Jesus  therefore . . .  J  withdrawing  Him- 
self from  unnecessary  perils. 

walked]  vii.  i. 

openly]    Comp.  vii.  4. 

fluent  (departed) . . .  unto  a  (the)  country] 
That  is,  the  country  as  opposed  to  the  parts 
about  Jerusalem,  as  in  the  next  verse. 

Ephraim]  Apparently  the  place  mentioned 
with  Beth-el  in  2  Chro.  xiii.  19  (Ophrah). 
In  this  case  "the  wilderness"  is  the  wild 
country  N.E.  of  Jerusalem. 

continued ...  disciples']  he  abode  (?p,fivfv) 
<with  the  disciples. 

55.  And  (Now)  the  Jews'  passover]    ii.  13 
(otherwise  in  vi.  4).    The  contrast  between 
the    Jewish    passover    and    "the    Christian 
passover  "  is  distinctly  before  the  mind  of  the 
Evangelist  (i  Cor.  v.  7). 

to  purify  themselves']  Acts  xxi.  24  ff. ;  ch. 
xviii.  28.  For  the  passover  absolute  ritual 
purity  was  required  by  the  general  though 
not  by  a  specific  law  of  Moses:  Lev.  vii.  21. 
Comp.  Num.  ix.  10;  2  Chro.  xxx.  17  ff. 
"Everyman,"  saith  R.  Isaac,  "is  bound  to 
purify  himself  for  the  feast"  ('  Rosh  Hashanah' 
xvi.  2.  Lightfoot).  The  phrase  was  trans- 
ferred to  a  spiritual  use,  i  John  iii.  3. 

56.  Then  . . .  Jesus']    They  sought  for  Jesus^ 
therefore... as  remembering  the  events  of 
the  last  Feast,  x.  22 ff.     Comp.  vii.  ii  ff. 

spake  among  themselves']  spake  one  with 
another...  The  phrase  (eXtyov  irpos  dXX.) 
seems  to  describe  the  many  knots  of  questioners 
gathered  from  time  to  time. 

as  they  stood  in  the  temple']  the  scene  of 
Christ's  teaching. 

mat  think  ye  f  think  ye  that...  ?J  The 
words  appear  to  be  spoken  in  mere  curiosity, 
without  love  or  hatred. 


176 


ST.  JOHN.    XI.   XII. 


57—3- 


57  Now  both  the  chief  priests  and 
the  Pharisees  had  given  a  command- 
ment, that,  if  any  man  knew  where 
he  were,  he  should  shew  it,  that  they 
might  take  him. 

CHAPTER  XII. 

i  Jesus  excuseth  Mary  anointing  his  feet.  9  The 
people  flock  to  see  Lazarus.  10  The  high 
priests  consult  to  kill  him.  12  Christ  rideth 
into  Jerusalem.  20  Greeks  desire  to  see 
Jesus.  23  He  foretellelh  his  death.  37  The 
Jews  are  generally  blinded:  42  yet  many 


chief  rulers  believe,  but  do  not  confess  him  : 
44  therefore  Jesus  calleth  earnestly  for  con- 
fession of  faith. 

THEN  Jesus  six  days  before  the 
passover    came    to    Bethany, 
where  Lazarus  was  which  had  been 
dead,  whom  he  raised  from  the  dead. 

2  There  they  made  him  a  supper ; 
and  Martha  served :  but  Lazarus  was 
one  of  them  that  sat  at  the  table  with 
him. 

3  Then  took  Mary  a  pound  of 


57.  Now  (omit  both]  the  chief  priests . . .] 
This  was  known,  and  hence  came  the  anxious 
questionings  of  the  people. 

given  a  commandment]  given  commands. 
The  plural  seems  to  be  on  the  whole  the  most 
probable  reading.  In  either  case  the  phrase 
implies  that  particular  instructions  had  been 
given,  and  not  only  a  general  direction. 

2.     The  close  of  Christ's  public  ministry  (xii.). 

St  John's  narrative  differs  from  that  of  the 
Synoptists  as  to  the  close  of  the  Lord's  minis- 
try, as  it  differs  throughout,  but  in  a  converse 
manner.  Hitherto  he  has  recorded  a  contro- 
versy at  Jerusalem  which  they  omit.  At  the 
last  visit  they  record  a  controversy  which  he 
omits.  The  omission  follows  from  the  struc- 
ture of  his  gospel.  He  has  already  traced 
the  conflict  with  Judaism  in  its  essential  fea- 
tures, and  he  has  therefore  no  need  to  dwell 
on  the  final  discussions  which  made  clear  to 
all  what  he  has  shewn  in  its  successive  stages. 
Hence  he  closes  his  record  of  the  public  mi- 
nistry with  three  typical  scenes  in  which  the 
relation  of  the  Lord  to  the  disciples,  to  the 
multitude,  and  to  the  larger  world  outside  is 
imaged,  with  a  dark  background  of  unbelief 
(xii.  i — 36);  and  then  he  gives  two  summary 
judgments  on  the  whole  issue  of  Christ's  work 
(37—50). 

(i)     The  feast  at  Bethany  (i — n). 

This  narrative  must  be  compared  with  the 
Synoptic  parallels  (Matt.  xxvi.  6  ff. ;  Mark 
xiv.  3  ff.),  and  contrasted  with  Luke  vii.  36  ff. 
The  event  is  transposed  without  any  definite 
mark  of  time  in  the  Synoptic  narrative,  in 
order  to  bring  it  into  close  connexion  with 
the  treachery  of  Judas  which  was  called  out 
by  it.  See  notes  on  the  passages  referred  to. 
In  the  incident  recorded  by  St  Luke  the  cen- 
tral fact  is  the  washing  of  the  Lord's  feet 
"with  tears."  The  sinner  and  the  friend  were 
equal  in  their  devotion,  yet  widely  separated 
in  the  manner  in  which  they  shewed  it 

CHAP.  XII.  1.  Then  Jesus..."]  Jesus 
therefore  ...  or,  So  Jesus  ...  Such  being  the 
time  (xl  55)  and  the  general  circumstances 


(xi.  56  f.).     The  idea  is  suggested  that  "the 
hour"  was  now  come  (viii.  ao). 

six  days  before...'}  That  is,  apparently,  on 
the  8th  Nisan.  See  Matt.  xxi.  i,  note.  If,  as 
has  been  shewn  to  be  the  case  (Matt.  xxvi. 
additional  note),  the  Crucifixion  took  place  on 
the  i4th  Nisan,  and  if,  which  seems  to  be  less 
certain,  that  day  was  a  Friday,  the  date  given 
by  St  John  falls  on  the  Sabbath.  It  must 
then  be  supposed  that  the  feast  took  place 
in  the  evening  after  the  close  of  the  Sabbath. 
If  the  Passion  fell  on  Thursday,  for  which 
strong  reasons  can  be  adduced  ('Introd.  to 
Gospels,'  pp.  344  ff.),  the  arrival  at  Bethany 
took  place  on  Friday.  In  this  case  the  Sabbath 
was  kept  a  day  of  rest,  and  followed  by  the 
feast.  On  either  supposition  the  entrance  into 
Jerusalem  was  made  on  the  Sunday,  the  next 
(natural)  day. 

St  John  appears  to  mark  the  period  as  the 
new  Hexaemeron,  a  solemn  period  of  "  six 
days,"  the  time  of  the  new  Creation.  His 
Gospel  begins  and  closes  with  a  sacred  week 
(comp.  i.  29,  35,  43,  ii.  i). 

came  to  Bethany']  having  joined  the  Paschal 
gathering  from  Galilee  through  Perzea  near 
Jericho :  Luke  xviii.  35  and  parallels.  This 
pause  at  Bethany  is  not  mentioned  in  the 
Synoptists;  but  there  is  nothing  surprising  in 
the  omission.  St  Matthew  and  St  Mark 
mention  that  during  the  days  which  followed 
the  Lord  "went  out  to  Bethany"  at  night. 
(Matt.xxi.  17;  Markxi.  ii.  Comp.  Luke  xxi. 

37.) 

(where  Lazarus... the  dead~]  We  must  read 
with  the  best  ancient  authorities,  where  Laza- 
rus ewas  whom  Jesus  raised  from  the  dead. 
There  is  a  solemn  emphasis  in  the  repetition 
of  the  Lord's  name. 

2.  There  ...  supper]  They  (probably  the 
people  of  the  village)  made  him  therefore... 
supper  there.  The  feast  was  a  grateful  recog- 
nition of  the  work  done  among  them  (there- 
fore). The  mention  of  Lazarus  as  one  of 
those  present  hardly  falls  in  with  the  idea  that 
he  and  his  sisters  were  the  hosts.  From  Matt. 
xxvi.  6,  Mark  xiv.  4,  it  appears  that  the  feast 
was  held  in  the  house  of  "Simon  the  leper." 


v.  4—7-] 


ST.  JOHN.    XII. 


177 


ointment  of  spikenard,  very  costly, 
and  anointed  the  feet  of  Jesus,  and 
wiped  his  feet  with  her  hair  :  and  the 
house  was  filled  with  the  odour  of  the 
ointment. 

4  Then  saith  one  of  his  disciples, 
Judas  Iscariot,  Simon's  son,  which 
should  betray  him, 


5  Why  was  not  this  ointment  sold 
for  three  hundred  pence,  and  given  to 
the  poor  ? 

6  This  he  said,  not  that  he  cared 
for  the  poor ;  but  because  he  was  a 
thief,  and  "had  the  bag,  and  bare  what "  chaP- 
was  put  therein. 

7  Then  said  Jesus,  Let  her  alone : 


2,  3.     Martha  and  Mary  at  this  common 
feast  still  fulfil  their  characteristic  parts. 

3.  Then    took    Mary...~\      Mary   therefore 
took... feeling  by  a  divine  intuition  the  full  sig- 
nificance of  the  festival.     The  act  of  anointing 
was   symbolic    of  consecration    to  a  divine 
work.     This  Mary  felt  to  be  imminent    The 
name  is  not  mentioned  in  the  Synoptic  narra- 
tive. 

a  pound  (\irpav,  Vulg.  litram)~\  xix.  39, 
note.  St  Matthew  and  St  Mark  say  simply, 
"a  flask"  (dXajSaorpov).  The  word  (Xi'rpa) 
was  current  among  Jewish  writers.  Comp. 

Buxtorf,  s.  v.  VFtish. 

of  ipikenard~\  The  original  phrase  which 
occurs  here  and  in  St  Mark  (vdpSov  Trtermtfjr, 
Vulg.  nardi  pistici  here  and  nardt  spicati  in  St 
Mark)  is  of  uncertain  meaning.  See  note  on 
Mark  xiv.  3.  In  later  Greek  the  epithet  (TTJO-- 
TiKoi)  is  used  in  the  sense  of  "trustworthy," 
and  it  may  mean  here  "genuine,"  "pure;"  or 
it  may  mean  "liquid"  (jrtVw).  Perhaps  it  is 
best  to  suppose  that  it  is  a  local  technical 
term. 

the  feet... his  feet...']  The  repetition  is  sig- 
nificant, and  so  is  the  order  of  the  original  in 
the  second  clause :  with  her  hair  bis  feet.  The 
Synoptists  mention  only  the  "pouring  on  the 
head. "  This  was  an  ordinary  mark  of  honour : 
Ps.  xxiii.  5. 

the  house... ointment]  The  detail  is  peculiar 
to  St  John,  and  is  one  of  those  minute  points 
which  belong  only  to  a  personal  impression  at 
the  time.  The  keen  sense  of  the  fragrance 
belongs  to  experience  and  not  to  imagination. 

4.  Then  ...  Judas  Iscariot]  But  Judas 
Iscariot,  one  of  his  disciples  ...  saith  ...  Omit, 
with  the  best  ancient  authorities,  Simon's  son. 
These  words  are  practically  undisturbed  in  the 
three  other  places  where  they  occur:  vi.  71, 
xiii.  2,  26. 

<whic h  should  betray  him]  The  purpose  is 
represented  as  already  present  if  hitherto  un- 
defined. Now  it  took  shape.  Judas  express- 
ed what  others  felt  (the  disciples,  Matt.  xxvi. 
8;  some,  Mark  xiv.  4).  With  him  the  thought 
answered  to  an  evil  spirit :  with  them  it  was  a 
passing  suggestion.  It  is  natural  that  St  John 
should  assign  to  the  one  that  which  truly  be- 
longed to  him  only. 

The  parts  of  Mary  and  Judas  in  respect  to 
the  death  of  Christ  are  brought  into  sharp 


contrast.  Mary  in  her  devotion  unconsciously 
provides  for  the  honour  of  the  dead.  Judas 
in  his  selfishness  unconsciously  brings  about 
the  death  itself. 

5.  three  hundred  pence"]     The  same  sum 
is  mentioned  in  Mark  xiv.  5.     (So  also  Let  her 
alone,  v.  7.)  Comp.  Plin.  'H.  N.'  XII.  54  (25). 

and  given]  i.e.  the  price  of  it. 

the  poor]  The  omission  of  the  definite 
article  in  the  original  gives  emphasis  to  the 
character  as  distinguished  from  the  class. 
Comp.  Matt.  xi.  5 ;  Luke  xviii.  22. 

The  poor  were  not  forgotten,  as  may  be 
gathered  from  xiii.  29.  And  Christ  Himself 
was  the  true  image  of  the  poor,  as  the  poor 
hereafter  were  to  be  of  Him. 

6.  This  he  said. . .]    Now  this  he  said... 
and  had  the  bag,  and  bare...']    and  having 

the  bag  took  what ...  The  word  "took" 
(('Pd(rra£(i>,  Vulg.  portabat  and  exportabaf) 
can  from  the  context  gain  the  sense  took  away: 
ch.  xx.  15 ;  and  so  it  appears  to  be  used  here. 
If  the  simple  meaning,  bare,  be  adopted  the 
force  of  the  addition  will  be:  "He  was  a  thief, 
and  from  his  position  he  could  indulge  his 
avarice  at  the  expense  of  the  disciples." 

the  bag~\  The  box,  or  chest  (•yXoxro-oKo/iop, 
Vulg.  ioculos).  The  word  was  adopted  in 
Rabbinic.  See  Buxtorf,  s.  v.  NDpD1*?X 

The  question  has  been  asked  why  the  office, 
which  was  itself  a  temptation,  was  assigned  to 
Judas?  The  answer,  so  far  as  an  answer  can 
be  given,  seems  to  lie  in  the  nature  of  things. 
Temptation  commonly  comes  to  us  through 
that  for  which  we  are  naturally  fitted.  Judas 
had  gifts  of  management,  we  may  suppose, 
and  so  also  the  trial  which  comes  through  that 
habit  of  mind.  The  work  gave  him  the  oppor- 
tunity of  self-conquest. 

7.  Let  her  alone...]     The  general  sense  of 
the  answer  is  clear.    This  offering  was  but 
the  beginning  of  the  work  indicated  by  it,  and 
yet  in  itself  most  significant.    The  anointing 
to  the  sacred  office  was  an  anointing  for  the 
tomb.     Judas  found  fault  with  an  unfruitful 
expenditure.    The  words  of  the  Lord  shew 
that  there  is  that  which  is  unfruitful  directly, 
and  yet  in  accordance  with  our  instincts.    No 
one  grudges  the  gifts  of  affection  to  the  dead; 
and  this  natural  sacrifice  of  love,  acknowledged 
by  all,  Mary  had   made,  though  she  knew 
not  the  full  import  of  the  act.    The  anointing 


ST.  JOHN.    XII. 


[v.  8—i 


against  the  day  of  my  burying  hath 
she  kept  this. 

8  For  the   poor  always  ye  have 
with    you ;    but    me    ye    have    not 
always. 

9  Much  people  of  the  Jews  there- 
fore knew  that  he  was  there  :   and 
they  came  not  for  Jesus'  sake  only, 
but  that  they  might  see  Lazarus  also, 
whom  he  had  raised  from  the  dead. 


10  ^l   But  the  chief  priests  con- 
sulted that  they   might  put  Lazarus 
also  to  death  ; 

1 1  Because  that  by  reason  of  him 
many  of  the  Jews  went  away,  and 
believed  on  Jesus. 

12  fi  b  On  the  next  day  much  peo- 
ple that  were  come  to  the  feast,  when 
they  heard  that  Jesus  was  coming  to 
Jerusalem, 


*  Matt.  21. 


was  in  truth  the  first  stage  in  an  embalming. 
Death  would  give  the  opportunity  of  com- 
pleting what  was  begun ;  and  that  was  rightly 
done  which  would  find  its  fulfilment  in  the 
preparation  for  the  burial. 

The  words  as  given  in  the  Synoptists  (Matt. 
xxvi.  12;  Mark  xiv.  8)  dwell  on  the  present 
import  of  the  deed.  St  John  recognises  this, 
but  points  also  to  some  further  fulfilment 
which  should  follow. 

against  the  day... she  kept  this']  The  reading 
which  is  supported  by  preponderant  authority 
gives  this  sense:  Suffer  her  to  keep  it  for 
the  day  of  my  preparation  for  burial 
(Vulg.  ut  in  die  sepulture  me<e  servet  illud~). 
The  interpretation  of  these  words  is  difficult. 
If,  as  appears  at  first  sight  from  the  Synoptic 
parallels,  the  ointment  was  poured  out,  in 
what  sense  could  it  be  said  to  be  kept  ?  Two 
explanations  have  been  proposed:  "Let  her 
alone:  she  hath  done  all  this,  she  hath  pre- 
served her  treasure  unsold,  that  she  might  keep 
it  for  my  preparation  for  burial."  And  again: 
"Suffer  her  to  keep  it — this  was  her  purpose, 
and  let  it  not  be  disturbed — for  my  prepara- 
tion for  burial."  Both  explanations  seem  to 
fall  in  with  the  context.  The  latter  perhaps 
with  its  apparent  paradox  is  to  be  preferred, 
and  the  idiom  by  which  a  speaker  throws  him- 
self into  the  past,  and  regards  what  is  done  as 
still  a  purpose,  is  common  to  all  languages.  It 
may,  however,  be  questioned  whether  the  Sy- 
noptists describe  the  consumption  of  the  whole 
of  the  large  amount  of  ointment  mentioned  by 
St  John  (Karexffv,  Matt.  xxvi.  7 ;  Mark  xiv. 
3).  Part  may  have  been  used  for  this  preli- 
minary, unconscious,  embalming,  and  part 
reserved. 

of  my  burying]  of  my  preparation  for 
burial  (evra^taa-nov).  This  preparation, 
the  Lord  implies,  was  now  begun,  though  it 
was  completed  afterwards  (xix.  40).  Mary 
had  done  her  part. 

8.     always  ye  have"]     Comp.  Deut.  xv.  IT. 

me  ye  have  not  always]  For  the  other  side 
of  this  truth  see  Matt,  xxviii.  20,  (xxv.  40). 
The  juxtaposition  by  Christ  of  Himself  and 
the  poor  is  a  revelation  of  His  claims. 

It  is  remarkable  that  the  promise  of  the 
future  record  of  the  act  of  love  (Matt.  xxvi. 


13 ;  Mark  xiv.  9)  is  omitted  by  the  one  evan- 
gelist who  gives  the  name  of  the  woman  who 
shewed  this  devotion  to  her  Master. 

9.  Much. ..Jews']     The  common  people 
(o  o^Xov  TroXvy,  according  to  the  most  pro- 
bable reading,  in  which  the  two  words  o.  TT. 
form  a  compound  noun,  as  in  v.  12)  therefore 
of  the  Jews...  as  contrasted  here  with  their 
leaders  (t;.  10). 

of  the  Jews]  The  original  is  not  a  simple 
genitive.  A  preposition  is  used  (eVc,  Vulg.  ex) 
to  mark  the  class  out  of  which  the  multitude 
was  formed.  Comp.  vi.  60,  xvi.  17,  iii.  i, 
vii.  48. 

therefore]  The  report  of  the  feast  was 
naturally  noised  abroad. 

knew]  i.e.  came  to  know:  learnt. 

came]  perhaps  on  the  evening  of  the  Sab- 
bath, when  the  feast  took  place. 

not  for  Jesus'1  sake  (fiia  r.  '1.)... but  that  (aXX* 
Iva)...  The  Evangelist  gives  the  general  and 
the  specific  purpose. 

10.  the  chief  priests]    Here,  as  before,  they 
are  prepared  for  decisive  measures.     The  sa- 
crifice of  the  "one  man"  (xi.  50)  soon  involved 
the  sacrifice  of  more. 

11.  went    away]     withdrew    from    their 
company  (ynrjyov,  Vulg.  abibant). 

(2)  The  triumphal  entry  into  Jerusalem  (14 — 19). 
In  this  incident  again  St  John's  narrative  is 
parallel  to  that  of  the  Synoptists,  but  more 
exact  in  details.  The  Synoptists  say  nothing 
of  the  rest  at  Bethany ;  and  it  appears  at  first 
sight  as  if  they  placed  the  triumphal  entry  on 
the  same  day  as  the  journey  from  Jericho 
(Matt.  xx.  29  fF.  and  parallels).  And  yet  in 
each  case  there  is  the  sign  of  a  break:  Matt. 
xxi.  i;  Luke  xix.  29.  And  the  return  to 
Bethany  noticed  by  St  Mark  (xi.  n)  suggests 
at  least  that  village  for  the  starting  point.  The 
same  passage  of  St  Mark  shews  that  the  ex- 
pulsion of  the  traders  took  place  on  the  next 
day.  So  that  it  may  be  reasonably  conjec- 
tured that  the  entry  did  not  take  place  till  the 
afternoon,  when  the  Lord  had  time  only  to 
regard  the  whole  state  of  things  without  doing 
any  special  work. 

12.  the  next  day]    The  day  after  the  feast, 
according  to  the  natural  reckoning,  i.e.  on 


v.  13— 19-] 


ST.  JOHN.    XII. 


13  Took  branches  of  palm  trees, 
and  went   forth  to   meet  him,   and 
cried,  Hosanna :  Blessed  is  the  King 
of  Israel  that  cometh  in  the  name  of 
the  Lord. 

14  And  Jesus,  when  he  had  found 
a  young  ass,  sat  thereon ;   as    it   is 
written, 

fZtch.9.9.  15  'Fear  not,  daughter  of  Sion :  be- 
hold, thy  King  cometh,  sitting  on  an 
ass's  colt. 

16  These  things  understood  not  his 
disciples  at  the  first :  but  when  Jesus 


was  glorified,  then  remembered  they 
that  these  things  were  written  of  him, 
and  that  they  had  done  these  things 
unto  him. 

17  The  people  therefore  that  was 
with  him  when   he   called   Lazarus 
out  of  his  grave,  and  raised  him  from 
the  dead,  bare  record. 

1 8  For  this  cause  the  people  also 
met  him,  for  that  they  heard  that  he 
had  done  this  miracle. 

19  The   Pharisees   therefore   said 
among  themselves,  Perceive  ye  how 


the  morning  of  Sunday  the  loth  Nisan,  in 
which  the  lamb  was  set  apart,  if  the  Cruci- 
fixion is  placed  on  Thursday,  Nisan  14: 

much  people  (the  common  people)  that 
•were  come.  .  .]  contrasted  again  with  the  com- 
mon people  of  the  Jews.  These  were  Galileans. 

twben  they  heard]  from  those  who  returned 
from  Bethany.  The  whole  narrative  must 
be  compared  with  Matt.  xxi.  i  ff.  ;  Mark  xi. 
i  fF.  :  Luke  xix.  29  ff.  in  order  to  gain  a  sense 
of  the  tumultuous  excitement  of  the  scene. 
At  last  Christ  yielded  on  the  eve  of  the  Passion 
to  the  enthusiasm  of  the  people:  vi.  15. 

13.  branches  of  palm  trees']  the  branches 
(TO.  /3cua)  of  the  palm-trees  which  grew  by 
the  wayside.  Compare  i  Mace.  xiii.  ji,  the 
triumphal  entry  of  Simon  into  Jerusalem.  In 
Matt.  xxi.  8;  Mark  xi.  8,  the  language  is 
more  general:  "  branches  (KXafious)"  or  "litter 
(oTi/3a&ar)  from  the  trees." 

Hosanna~]  Ps.  cxviii.  (cxvii.)  25  (LXX. 
VUHTOV  817).  This  Psalm  appears  to  have  been 
written  as  the  dedication  Psalm  of  the  Second 
Temple  ;  or,  according  to  others,  at  the  laying 
of  its  foundation-stone.  In  either  case  the 
significance  of  the  reference  is  obvious.  It 
has  also  been  supposed  that  this  Psalm  was 
written  for  the  Feast  of  Tabernacles  after  the 
Return  (Ezra  iii.  i  ff.).  See  note  ad  loc.  If 
this  were  so  the  use  of  the  palm-branches 
would  gain  a  new  force.  The  Psalm  at  pre- 
sent occupies  a  conspicuous  place  in  the  Jewish 
service  for  the  New  Moon. 

The  words  Blessed...  Lord  in  the  Psalm  are 
spoken  by  the  Priest  and  Levites  as  a  welcome 
to  the  worshippers  at  the  temple. 

Blessed...  Lord]  According  to  the  true 
order:  Blessed  Is  He  that  cometh  In  the 
name  of  the  Lord,  even  the  King  of 
Israel  The  divine  mission  and  the  national 
work  are  set  side  by  side,  as  in  i.  49. 

14.  when  he  had  found]  St  John  is  silent 
as  to  the  method  of  "finding"  detailed  by  the 
Synoptists. 

a  young  ass]  Comp.  Mark  xi.  2;  Luke 
xix.  30  (irvXov)]  Matt.  xxi.  a  (ovov...K.a\ 


New  Test.—  VOL.  II. 


15.  Fear  not...']    Zech.  ix.  9.    The  action 
is  a  distinct  symbol  of  humility.     The  Lord 
was  separated  indeed  from  the  crowd,  but  yet 
in  the  humblest  way.     The  stress  must  be 
laid  not  on  the  literal  coincidence,  but  upon 
the  fulfilment  of  the  idea  which  the  sign  con- 
veyed. 

16.  These    things..."]     the    circumstances 
of  the  entry,  the   riding  on   the   ass.     The 
threefold  repetition  of  the  words  is  to  be 
noticed. 

understood  not]  Comp.  ii.  22,  vii.  39 ;  (Luke 
xxiv.  25  f.).  This  entry  was  not  apprehended 
in  its  true  bearing  till  the  Ascension  had  shewn 
the  spiritual  nature  of  the  Lord's  sovereignty. 

glorified]  v.  23  note. 

they  had  done,]  The  Evangelist  assumes  as 
known  the  part  which  the  disciples  had  taken, 
though  he  has  not  himself  spoken  of  it. 

17.  The  people  (multitude)  therefore  that 
was   <witfo  him  when  he... bare  record  (wit- 
ness)]   To  "bear  witness"  is  used  absolutely 
as  in  xix.  35.     The  phrase  seems  to  imply 
more  than  simple  attestation,  and  to  carry 
with  it  some  interpretation  of  the  fact. 

therefore}  as  stirred  by  the  spiritual  excite- 
ment of  this  great  crisis. 

when  he  called... and  raised...']  The  parts 
of  the  miracle  are  distinguished  just  as  they 
would  be  in  the  impressions  of  a  spectator, 
and  the  speciality  brings  the  scene  forward  as 
it  was  now  described  by  those  who  had  seen  it. 

18.  For  this  cause  the  people  (multitude) 
...for  that...']    Comp.  v.  16  note;  x.  17. 

19.  The  Pharisees^  therefore  said...']     In  a 
kind  of  irresolute  despair.    Their  own  plans 
had  failed;  and  only  the  unscrupulous  designs 
of  "the    chief   priests"  remained.     "Signs" 
(v.  1 8)  area  "trial,"  a  "temptation"  in  the 
significant  language  of  Deuteronomy  (HDD, 
Deut.  iv.  34,  vii.  19,  xxix.  3). 

among  themselves]  as  one  body,  and  no 
longer  part  of  a  mixed  assembly. 

Perceive  ye...']  Ye  behold  (^ewptire,  Vulg. 
•videtis) . . .  The  words  are  a  natural  example  of 
the  way  in  which  men  blame  the  leaders  who 


-1 80 


ST.  JOHN.   XII. 


[v.  20 — 24. 


ye  prevail  nothing  ?  behold,  the  world 
is  gone  after  him. 

20  H    And    there    were    certain 
Greeks  among  them  that  came  up  to 
worship  at  the  feast : 

21  The  same  came  therefore  to 
Philip,  which  was   of  Bethsaida   of 
Galilee,  and  desired  him,  saying,  Sir, 
we  would  see  Jesus. 


22  Philip  cometh  and  telleth  An- 
drew :  and  again  Andrew  and  Philip 
tell  Jesus. 

23  II  And  Jesus  answered  them, 
saying,  The  hour  is  come,  that  the 
Son  of  man  should  be  glorified. 

24  Verily,  verily,  I  say  unto  you, 
Except   a   corn   of  wheat    fall    into 
the  ground  and  die,  it  abideth  alone : 


carry  out  their  own  counsels.  Some  have 
strangely  supposed  that  the  words  were  spoken 
by  the  secret  friends  of  the  Lord.  The  verb 
may  be  imperative  (as  A.  V.),  but  the  indica- 
tive appears  to  be  more  likely. 

behold  (lo),  the  world...']  The  confession  of 
the  Samaritans  (iv.  42)  is  fulfilled  by  this  con- 
fession at  Jerusalem.  Wetstein  gives  Talmu- 
dic  examples  of  the  use  of  the  phrase. 

is  gone  away]  So  "they  lost  what  they 
looked  upon  as  their  own"  (Cyril). 

(3)    The  petition  of  the  Greeks.    The  heavenly 
voice.     The  last  warning  (20 — 3 6  a). 

This  section  contains  the  only  incident 
which  St  John  has  recorded  from  the  eventful 
days  between  the  entry  into  Jerusalem  and 
the  evening  of  the  Last  Supper.  The  time  at 
which  it  occurred  is  not  given  distinctly,  but 
from  v.  36  it  appears  to  have  happened  at  the 
close  of  the  conflict.  It  forms  indeed  the  con- 
clusion of  the  history.  New  characters  ap- 
pear on  the  scene,  and  the  method  and  extent 
of  the  Lord's  future  sovereignty  are  plainly 
foreshewn  (v.  32). 

The  narrative  consists  of  three  parts:  the 
request  (20 — 22);  the  answer,  and  the  voice 
from  heaven  (23 — 33);  the  last  warning  (34 — 
36  a). 

20 — 22.  These  Greeks  at  the  close  of 
the  Lord's  Life  bring  the  Gentile  world  into 
fellowship  with  Him  as  the  Magi  had  done  at 
the  beginning.  The  tradition  (Euseb.  '  H.  E.' 
1. 13)  of  the  mission  of  Abgarus  of  Edessa  has 
probably  some  reference  to  their  request.  The 
locality  of  the  scene  is  not  fixed.  It  may 
reasonably  be  placed  in  the  outer  court  of 
the  temple  (v.  29). 

20.  And  (Now).  ..certain  Greeks  ("EXAjji/es)] 
apparently  proselytes  of  the  gate;  not  Greek- 
speaking  Jews  ('EXXijKioraO,  nor  yet  simply 
heathen,  seeing  that  they  "came  up"  to  the 
feast,   though  the  whole   burnt-offerings  of 
Gentiles   were  accepted.     See  Lightfoot  ad 
loc.     Comp.  ch.  vii.  35 ;   Acts  xvii.  4,  (viii. 
*7,  x.  i). 

that  came  up]  that  went  up  (avafiaivovrvv). 
The  Evangelist  places  himself  outside  the  Holy 
City  (ii.  13,  v.  i,  xi.  55). 

21.  to  Philip]     Philip's  Greek  name  may 
indicate  a  foreign  connexion.    There  was  a 


considerable  Greek  population  in  Decapolis; 
and  the  mention  of  Philip's  place  of  abode 
suggests  some  local  reason  for  applying  to  him. 

Sir]  The  glory  of  the  Master  gives  honour 
to  the  disciple. 

we  would  see  Jesus']  They  use  the 
human  name  and  not  the  name  of  the  office : 
the  Christ.  With  them  we  may  suppose  that 
the  Messianic  hope  passed  into  the  larger  hope 
of  the  "Saviour  of  the  world"  (iv.  42),  so  far 
as  it  assumed  any  definiteness. 

see~\  Come  into  the  presence  of  and  then 
lay  our  thoughts  before  him. 

22.  telleth    Andrew]      He    is    unwilling 
without  further  counsel  to  grant  or  to  refuse 
the  strange  request  to  bring  Gentiles  to  the 
Lord.     Comp.  Matt.  xv.  24. 

Andrew]  Andrew  and  Philip  appear  in  con- 
nexion again  i.  44,  vi.  7,  8.  Comp.  Mark  iii.  18. 

and' again... Jesus']  Andrew  cometn  and 
Philip;  and  they  tell  Jesus.  Andrew  takes 
the  first  place.  Comp.  i.  41  ff.  The  change 
from  the  singular  to  the  plural  seems  to  mark 
the  manner  in  which  they  gain  courage  to- 
gether to  bear  the  request  to  their  Master. 

23 — 36  a.  The  answer  involves  far  more 
than  the  mere  admission  of  the  Greeks  to  the 
Lord's  Presence.  The  extension  of  the  Gospel 
to  the  world  rests  on  the  Death  of  Christ,  on 
His  rejection  by  His  own  people.  This  is  on 
all  sides  a  mystery,  partly  intelligible  by  what 
we  see  (23 — 26),  yet,  like  a  divine  voice,  only 
intelligible  to  those  who  receive  it  with  sympa- 
thy (27 — 33),  while  the  time  of  trial  is  short 
(34—36  a). 

23.  Jesus  answered  (answereth)  them] 
the    disciples.     Probably    the    Greeks   came 
with  the  disciples.     The  Lord  then  in  their 
hearing,   and  in    the  hearing  of  the  multi- 
tude,  unfolded  the   deepest    significance    of 
their  request  in  relation  to  the  consumma- 
tion of  His  own  work.     It  is  not  easy  to 
suppose  either  that   the  interview  with  the 
Greeks  preceded  v.  23,  or  that  the  interview 
was  refused,  or  that  it  followed  after  this 
scene.     On  the  other  hand  St  John  has  pre- 
served just  so  much  of  what  was  said  in  reply 
to  their  request  as  gives  the  permanent  inter- 
pretation of  the  incident,  and  no  more. 

The  hour  is  come]  The  inquiry  of  the  Greeks 
heralded  the  proclamation  of  the  Gospel  to 


v.  25—27.] 


ST.  JOHN.   XII. 


181 


but  if  it  die,  it  bringeth  forth  much 
fruit. 

-<  Matt.  10.  25  rfHe  that  loveth  his  life  shall 
lose  it ;  and  he  that  hateth  his  life 
in  this  world  shall  keep  it  unto  life 
eternal. 


26  If  any  man  serve  me,  let  him 
follow  me ;  and  where  I  am,  there 
shall  also  my  servant  be  :  if  any  man 
serve  me,  him  will  my  Father  honour. 

27  Now  is  my  soul  troubled  ;  and 
what  shall  I  say  ?    Father,  save  me 


the  Gentiles.  For  this  the  Passion  and  the 
Resurrection  were  the  necessary  conditions. 
Comp.  x.  15  ff. 

The  hour}     xiii.  i,  note. 

that  the  Son  of  man..."]  The  sentence 
stands  in  contrast  with  xi.  4.  There  the  cen- 
tral idea  is  that  of  the  Son  as  the  representative 
of  the  Father  in  power:  here  that  of  the  Son 
as  the  representative  of  humanity. 

that  (?i/a)... should  be...~]  This  issue  was 
part  of  the  divine  counsel.  Comp.  xiii.  i,  xvi. 
2  note,  32. 

be  glorified'}  The  glory  of  the  Son  of  man 
lay  in  the  bringing  to  Himself  of  all  men 
(v.  32)  by  the  Cross,  and  rising  through  death 
above  death  (comp.  v.  32,  note).  In  this 
victory  over  death  by  death  there  is  the  com- 
plete antithesis  to  the  Greek  view  of  life,  in 
which  death  was  hidden.  Comp.  v.  16,  vii. 
39,  xiii.  31  note,  xvii.  i  note,  ii.  n. 

24 — 27.  The  fact  which  has  been  an- 
nounced in  v,  23  (that. ..be  glorified)  is  illus- 
trated in  three  successive  stages.  It  is  shewn 
that  fuller  life  comes  through  death,  glory 
through  sacrifice,  first  by  an  example  from 
nature  (i>.  24),  then  in  the  experience  of  dis- 
cipleship  (v.  25  f.),  and  lastly  in  relation  to  the 
Lord's  Own  work :  He  came  that  He  might 
lay  down  His  life  in  order  to  take  it  again 
(v.  27.  Comp.  x.  17). 

24.  Verily,  verily...'}     The  law  of  higher 
life  through  death  is  shewn   in  the  simplest 
analogy.     Every  nobler  form  of  being  pre- 
supposes the  loss  of  that  which  precedes. 

a  corn  of  wheat}  the  corn...,  that  element 
which  has  in  it  the  principle  of  the  new  growth. 
Comp.  i  Cor.  xv.  36  f. 

fall  into  the  ground'}  separated,  that  is, 
from  all  in  which  it  had  lived  before.  The 
same  act  is  on  one  side  a  sowing  and  on  the 
other  a  falling. 

it  abldeth  by  itself  alone  (avros  /xovos)] 
In  this  sense  isolation  is  truly  death.  Comp. 
vi.  51,  note. 

25.  The  general  truth  of  v.  24  >s  presented 
in   its  final   antithesis  in   relation  to  human 
life.      Sacrifice,  self-surrender,  death,   is  the 
condition  of  the  highest  life :  selfishness  is  the 
destruction  of  life.     The  language  is  closely 
parallel  to  words  recorded  by  the  Synoptists: 
Matt.  x.  38  f.;  Luke  xvii.  33. 

lo-vetb... hateth  his  life'}  The  original  word 
Of™*1?)  rendered  "  life"  here  and  "  soul  " 
in  «y.  27  is  comprehensive,  and  describes  that 
which  in  each  case  expresses  the  fulness  of 
man's  continuous  being.  He  who  seeks  to 


gather  round  himself  that  which  is  perishable, 
so  far  perishes  with  it  :  he  who  divests  himself 
of  all  that  is  of  this  world  only,  so  far  prepares 
himself  for  the  higher  life. 

shall  lose  if}  loseth  it,  or  perhaps,  de- 
stroyed 'it  ((trroXXvft).  The  selfish  man 
works  his  own  destruction.  Comp.  Matt.  x. 
39,  xvi.  25;  Luke  ix.  24. 

hateth'}     Luke  xiv.  26,  note. 

in  this  'world']  so  far  as  it  is  bound  up  with 
that  which  is  outward  and  transitory.  "This 
world"  is  opposed  to  the  kingdom  of  Christ. 

26.  The  truth  expressed  in  w.  24,  25  is 
applied  specially  to  the  claims  of  discipleship. 
Service  is  progressive  (comp.  xxi.  19  fF.),  and  the 
effort  of  "following"  does  not  fail  of  its  issue. 
Even  now  the  disciple  is  with  his  Master  (Col. 
iii.  3;  comp.  xiv.  3,  xvii.  24).  The  "me"  is 
in  each  case  emphatic;  and  the  repetition  of 
the  pronouns  in  the  original  is  remarkable 


,     -, 

follow']  Comp.  xxi.  19  fF.,  xiii.  33,  36. 
"Ubi  bene  erit  sine  illo  ?  aut  quando  esse  male 
poterit  cum  illo  ?  "  (Aug.  ad  loc.*) 

if  any  man...  my  (the)  Father  honour} 
There  is  a  significant  change  of  order  in  this 
clause.  The  emphasis  lies  on  any  one,  Jew  or 
Greek,  and  not  on  me  as  before.  He  who 
honours  is  not  described  as  "my  Father,"  but 
as  "the  Father,"  the  Father  of  the  Son  and  of 
the  believer.  Comp.  Additional  Note  on  iv.  21. 

27.  That  which  is  true  of  the  believer  is 
true  also  of  Christ.  He  gains  His  glory 
through  suffering  (Phil.  ii.  9);  and  so  He 
turns  now  from  the  general  law  to  its  personal 
application  to  Himself. 

It  will  be  noticed  that  in  the  life  of  the 
Lord  we  constantly  find  transitions  from  joy 
to  sorrow  (comp.  Lukexix.  38  fF.,  41  fF.);  and 
conversely  (Matt.  xi.  20  fF.,  25  fF.). 

my  soul  (^t^)]  in  which  was  gathered  up 
the  fulness  of  present  human  life  (v.  25,  note). 
Comp.  x.  ii  fF.;  Matt.  xx.  28,  xxvi.  38;  Mark 
x.  45,  xiv.  34;  Acts  ii.  27.  With  this  "the 
spirit"  is  contrasted  xi.  33,  note.  The  "soul" 
tyvxn,  Vulg.  animd)  is  the  seat  of  the  human 
affections:  the  "spirit"  (nvev^a,  Vulg.  spirt  - 
tus)  is  the  seat  of  the  religious  affections,  by 
which  man  holds  converse  with  God. 

is...  troubled'}  The  shock  has  come  already, 
but  the  effects  continue  (reraoaKTat,  Vulg.  tur- 
bata  est;  comp.  xi.  33,  note).  The  presence 
and  the  petition  of  the  Greeks  foreshadowed 
the  judgment  on  the  ancient  people,  and 
brought  forward  the  means  by  which  it  would 
be  accomplished.  The  prospect  of  this  cata- 

N2 


182 


ST.  JOHN.    XII. 


[v.  28 — 30. 


from  this  hour:  but  for  this  cause 
came  I  unto  this  hour. 

28  Father,  glorify  thy  name.  Then 
came  there  a  voice  from  heaven,  say- 
ing,  I  have  both  glorified  ;V,  and  will 
glorify  it  again. 


29  The  people  therefore,  that  stood 
by,  and  heard  //,  said  that  it  thundered: 
others  said,  An  angel  spake  to  him. 

30  Jesus  answered  and  said,  This 
voice  came  not  because  of  me,  but 
for  your  sakes. 


strophe  was  perhaps  the  crisis  of  the  Lord's 
present  conflict. 

<what  shall  1  (ivbat  must  7)  iay?~\  The 
conflict,  as  at  the  Temptation,  is  a  real  one. 
The  thought  of  a  possible  deliverance  is  pre- 
sent though  not  admitted. 

Father... hour]  These  words  have  been  in- 
terpreted in  two  very  different  modes.  Some 
have  taken  them  as  part  of  the  interrogation : 
"Shall  I  say,  save  me  from  this  hour?"  and 
others  have  taken  them  as  a  real  prayer. 
Against  the  former  interpretation  it  may  be 
urged  that  it  does  not  fall  in  with  the  parallel 
clause  which  follows:  Father,  glorify  Thy  name; 
nor  with  the  intensity  of  the  passage;  nor  yet 
with  the  kindred  passages  in  the  Synoptists 
(Matt.  xxvi.  39  and  parallels). 

If  then  the  words  be  taken  as  a  prayer  for 
deliverance  it  is  important  to  notice  the  exact 
form  in  which  it  is  expressed.  The  petition 
is  for  deliverance  out  of(aSi(Tov  eVc,  Vulg.  sal- 
vifica  me  ex  bora  hac)  and  not  for  deliverance 
from  (aTro)  the  crisis  of  trial.  So  that  the 
sense  appears  to  be  "bring  me  safely  out  of 
the  conflict"  (Hebr.  v.  7),  and  not  simply 
"keep  me  from  entering  into  it."  Thus  the 
words  are  the  true  answer  to  the  preceding 
question.  "  In  whatever  way  it  may  be  Thy 
will  to  try  me,  save  me  out  of  the  deep  of 
affliction."  There  is  complete  trust  even  in 
the  depth  of  sorrow.  Comp.  Matt.  /.  c . 

If  this  sense  be  adopted  the  adversative  par- 
ticle which  follows  (but...')  has  the  meaning: 
"Nay,  this  I  need  not  say:  the  end  is  known." 
The  petition  might  seem  to  imply  uncertainty, 
but  here  there  was  none.  If,  on  the  other 
hand,  the  words  are  taken  as  a  prayer  for  de- 
liverance from  the  conflict,  or  interrogatively, 
•the  but  is  a  simple  corrective:  "Nay,  this  I 
cannot  say,  for  I  came  to  sustain  it." 

for  this  cause~]  Christ  came  that  He  might 
enter  into  the  last  conflict  with  sin  and  death, 
and  being  saved  out  of  it  win  a  triumph  over 
death  by  dying.  If  the  failure  of  Israel  was 
a  chief  element  in  the  Lord's  sorrow,  this  was 
a  step  towards  the  universal  work  which  He 
came  to  accomplish  (Rom.  xi.  n).  Some 
have  supposed  that  the  words  are  anticipatory 
of  the  prayer  which  follows:  "I  came  that 
Thy  name  might  be  glorified."  This  thought, 
however,  is  more  naturally  included  in  the 
former  interpretation.  The  name  of  the  Father 
was  glorified  by  the  Son's  absolute  self-sacrifice. 

28.  Father,  glorify  thy  name']  Reveal  to  men, 
and  here  to  Greeks  as  the  representatives  of 
the  heathen  world,  in  all  its  majesty  the  fulness 


of  this  Thy  title  shewn  in  the  Son.  How  this 
should  be  is  not  expressed,  but  the  reference 
is  clearly  to  the  thought  of  v.  32.  The  voice 
is  the  assurance  and  not  the  actual  fulfilment. 

Then  came  there..."]  Then  came  there- 
fore... The  expression  of  the  prayer  carried 
with  it  the  appropriate  pledge  of  fulfilment. 

a  voice  from  (out  of)  heaven]  The  utter- 
ance was  real  and  objective,  that  is,  it  was  not 
a  mere  thunder-clap  interpreted  in  this  sense ; 
yet,  like  all  spiritual  things,  this  voice  required 
preparedness  in  the  organ  to  which  it  was 
addressed.  Thus  in  the  Bath  Kol  the  divine 
message  was  not  the  physical  sound  in  itself 
but  the  offspring  of  it.  WUnsche  on  Mark  i. 
1 1  quotes  an  interesting  tradition  of  a  divine 
voice  which  witnessed  to  the  worth  of  Hillel. 

1  have  both  glorified. . .]  Or,  more  closely, 
I  both  glorified  it,  that  is,  My  name  as 
Father,  in  past  time,  and  will  glorify  it.  The 
reference  is  to  historic  facts  in  the  life  of 
Christ,  as,  for  example,  to  the  signs  which  He 
wrought  as  signs  of  the  Father  (comp.  v.  23, 
xi.  40) ;  or  perhaps  more  especially  to  the  great 
crises  in  His  ministry,  the  Baptism  (Matt.  iii. 
17)  and  the  Transfiguration  (Matt.  xvii.  5), 
in  which  His  Sonship,  and  so  the  Father's 
character,  was  revealed. 

twill  glorify  it  again]  This  glorification 
was  not  a  mere  repetition  but  a  corresponding 
manifestation  of  the  Father's  glory.  The 
glorification  during  the  limited,  earthly  mi- 
nistry to  Israel  was  followed  by  a  glorification 
answering  to  the  proclamation  of  the  universal 
Gospel  to  the  world. 

29.  The  -people  (multitude). ..that  stood 
by]  iii.  29  ;  Matt.  xxvi.  73.     They  were  pro- 
bably in  the  outer  court  of  the  temple. 

and  heard~]  Omit  it.  The  object  is  left 
purposely  undefined.  For  the  mass  the  voice 
was  mere  sound.  The  apprehension  of  a 
divine  voice  depends  upon  man's  capacity  for 
hearing.  This  is  seen  specially  in  the  narrative 
of  St  Paul's  conversion :  Acts  ix.  7,  xxii.  9, 
xxvi.  13  f.  Comp.  Acts  ii.  6,  iz  f. 

that  it  had  thundered. ..An  angel  spake 
(hath  spoken)  to  him]  These  last  felt  that 
the  utterance  was  articulate  though  they  could 
not  hear  the  words. 

30.  Jesus    anstwered~]     the    questionings 
which  were  rising  in  the  hearts  of  the  people 
and  of  the  disciples,  while  yet  He  meets  them 
only  by  pointing  to  the  significance  of  the 
voice  for  those  who  received  it. 

This  voice... sakes"]  This  voice  hath  not 
come  for  my  sake,  but  for  your  sakes.  Comp. 


i— 34-] 


ST.  JOHN.   XII. 


183 


31  Now  is  the  judgment  of  this 
world  :  now  shall  the  prince  of  this 
world  be  cast  out. 

32  And  I,  if  I  be  lifted  up  from 
the  earth,  will  draw  all  men  unto  me. 


33  This  he  said,  signifying  what 
death  he  should  die. 

34  The  people  answered  him, '  We  ' Psal- ' IC 
have  heard  out  of  the  law  that  Christ  4' 
abideth    for   ever :    and   how 


sayest 


xi.  42.  It  came  to  test  their  faith  and  to 
strengthen  it ;  and  at  the  same  time  to  make 
clear  the  importance  of  the  crisis  revealed  by 
the  Gentile  request  The  order  of  the  original 
text  is  emphatic :  "  It  is  not  for  my  sake  this 
voice  hath  come..." 

31.  Now  is  the  judgment  of  this  world'] 
Or  rather,  a  judgment,  one  of  many  if  a  most 
solemn  one.     The  Passion  was  the  judgment 
of  the  world  (Luke  ii.  34  f.),  which  shewed 
both  men's  thoughts  towards  Christ,  and  the 
true  position  of  the  world  towards  God. 

this  world"]  Jew  and  Gentile  are  alike  in- 
cluded in  the  sentence;  but  probably  the 
thought  is  most  clearly  expressed  in  the  con- 
demnation of  the  Greek  idolatry  of  beauty 
and  pleasure. 

Now...now~\  The  balanced  form  of  the 
sentence  answers  to  solemn  emotion. 

the  prince  of  this  world]  Comp.  xiv.  30, 
xvi.  ii ;  (Eph.  ii.  2,  vi.  12;  2  Cor.  iv.  4). 
The  title  is  common  in  Jewish  writers 
(D?iyn  It?).  According  to  a  remarkable  tra- 
dition quoted  by  Lightfoot  (ad  /or.)  God 
gave  the  whole  world  except  Israel  into  the 
power  of  the  angel  of  death  (comp.  Hebr.  ii. 
14).  Under  this  image  "the  prince  of  the 
world"  stands  in  absolute  contrast  to  the 
"author  of  life"  (Acts  iii.  15).  It  should 
however  be  added  that  the  angel  of  death  was 
in  no  way  connected  with  Satan. 

shall... be  cast  out]  from  the  region  of  his 
present  sway.  Comp.  i  John  v.  19  ;  (Luke 
x.  1 8). 

32.  And  I. ..unto  me]     The  opposition  to 
the  prince  of  this  world  is  made  as  sharp  as 
possible  (*cayeJ>  ai/  v.).    The  phrase  by  which 
the  Lord  indicates  His  death  (be  lifted  up,  iii. 
14,  viii.  28;  comp.  Acts  ii.  33,  v.  31)  is  cha- 
racteristic of  the  view  under  which  St  John 
represents  the  Passion.    He  does  not  ever,  like 
St  Paul  (e.g.  Phil.  ii.  8,  9),  separate  it  as  a 
crisis  of  humiliation  from  the  glory  which 
followed.     The  "lifting  up"  includes  death 
and  the  victory  over  death.     In  this  aspect 
the  crisis  of  the  Passion  itself  is  regarded  as  a 
glorification  (xiii.  31) ;  and  St  John  sees  the 
Lord's  triumph  in  this  rather  than  in  the 
Return.     Comp.  i  John  v.  4 — 6. 

from  the  earth]  The  original  phrase  (« 
rf)s  yrjs)  expresses  not  only  "  above  the  earth," 
but  "  out  of  the  earth,"  as  taken  from  the 
sphere  of  earthly  action.  Thus  there  appears 
to  be  a  reference  to  the  Resurrection,  and  not 
only  to  the  Crucifixion.  At  the  same  time  it 
is  clear  from  iii.  14  f.  that  it  is  by  the  eleva- 


tion on  the  Cross  that  Christ  is  offered  as  the 
Saviour  to  the  vision  of  believers. 

will  draw']  vi.  44 ;  (Hos.  xi.  4,  Heb.).  The 
Son  "  draws  "  by  the  Spirit  which  He  sends, 
xvi.  7.  And  there  is  need  of  this  loving  vio- 
lence, for  men  are  "  held  back  by  the  enemy." 

all  men]  The  phrase  must  not  be  limited 
in  any  way.  It  cannot  mean  merely  "  Gentiles 
as  well  as  Jews,"  or  "the  elect,"  or  "all  who 
believe."  We  must  receive  it  as  it  stands: 
Rom.  v.  18,  (viii.  32) ;  2  Cor.  v.  15;  (Eph.  i. 
10)  ;  i  Tim.  ii.  6 ;  Hebr.  ii.  9  ;  i  John  ii.  2. 
The  remarkable  reading  "all  things"  (navra, 
Vulg.  omnia)  points  to  a  still  wider  applica- 
tion of  Redemption  (Col,  i.  20),  though  Au- 
gustine explains  it  of  "  creaturae  integritatem, 
idest,  spiritum  et  animam  et  corpus"  (adloc.). 

unto  me~]  unto  myself.  Emphatically  as 
the  one  centre  of  the  Church,  in  whom  all 
find  their  completeness. 

33.  This. ..what  death..."]     But  this...sig- 
ntfy'ng  by  'what- (7roi'o>)  death...,  not  as  if  this 
were  the  primary  end  of  the  words,  but  the 
nature  of   Christ's  atoning  death   was  indi- 
cated in  the  form  of  the  reference  to  it.     Cp. 
xviii.  32,  xxi.  19. 

34.  The  people  answered..."]     The  mult  1- 
tudetherefore  answered. . . ,  when  they  found 
the  claims  to  the  prerogatives  of  Messiahship 
put  forth  by  one  who  called  himself  the  Son 
of  man  (v.  23),  and  spoke  of  his  removal  from 
the  people  whom  he  should  save.  The  difficulty 
was  twofold:  firstly,  that  the  Lord  assumed 
a  universal  and  not  a  special  title  ("  Son  of 
man"  and  not  "Son  of  David"),  and  also 
that  this  sovereignty  was  not  to  be  exercised 
on  earth. 

out  of  the  law]  out  of  the  book  of  the 
Covenant,  the  Old  Testament  generally. 
Comp.  x.  34,  note. 

that  Christ...']  that  the  Christ...  The  be- 
lief that  the  Christ  abideth  for  ever  was  pro- 
bably based  on  Isai.  ix.  7  ;  Ps.  ex.  4,  Ixxxix. 
4  f.;  Ezek.  xxxvii.  25.  Comp.  Luke  i.  32  f. 

how  sayest  thou  (<™)...]  in  opposition  to 
the  Law,  or,  at  least,  in  language  which  we 
cannot  reconcile  with  it. 

The  Son  of  man...]  The  title  is  not  recorded 
by  St  John  as  having  been  used  here  in  this 
connexion  by  the  Lord,  but  the  teaching  in 
v.  32  naturally  led  to  it  (v.  23).  Such  a 
quotation  from  unrecorded  words  is  a  signi- 
ficant illustration  of  the  compression  of  the 
narrative.  The  Evangelist  gives  the  critical 
elements  of  the  discourse  only.  The  com- 
plete phrase  occurs  iii.  14. 


184 


ST.  JOHN.    XII. 


35—38. 


thou,  The  Son  of  man  must  be  lifted 
up  ?  who  is  this  Son  of  man  ? 

35  Then  Jesus  said  unto  them, 
Yet  a  little  while  is  the  light  with 
you.     Walk  while  ye  have  the  light, 
lest  darkness  come  upon  you  :  for  he 
that  walketh  in  darkness  knoweth  not 
whither  he  goeth. 

36  While  ye  have  light,  believe  in 


the  light,  that  ye  may  be  the  children 
of  light.  These  things  spake  Jesus, 
and  departed,  and  did  hide  himself 
from  them. 

37  ^  But  though  he  had  done  so 
many  miracles  before  them,  yet  they 
believed  not  on  him  : 

38  That  the  saying  of  Esaias  the 
prophet  might  be  fulfilled,  which  he 


must...']     Comp.  xx.  9  note. 

be  lifted  up]     Comp.  iii.  14  note. 

(who  is...]  The  question  clearly  shews  that 
the  title  "  the  Son  of  man  "  was  not  neces- 
sarily identified  with  "the  Christ."  Comp. 
Additional  Note  on  ch.  i.  §  6,  p.  34. 

35.  Then  Jesus  said...~]  Jesus  therefore 
said...  meeting  their  difficulties  by  charging 
them  to  use  the  opportunities  which  they  still 
had  for  fuller  knowledge.     There  ,was    yet 
time,  though  the  time  was  short.     The  words 
are  not  described  as  an  "answer"  (v.  30), 
but  as  an  independent  utterance. 

a  little  while}  The  words  correspond 
with  the  plea  "  abideth  for  ever."  Comp.  vii. 
33,  xiii.  33,  xiv.  19,  xvi.  16  ff. 

with  you]  among  you ;  in  your  midst. 
Comp.  i.  14  ;  (Acts  ii.  39). 

WalK\  Progress  was  both  possible  and  a 
necessary  duty  while  the  light  shone,  and  as 
the  light  shone. 

lest... come  upon  you]  that  darkness  over- 
take you  not,  as  it  will  do  if  you  do 
not  advance  to  a  fuller  knowledge  of  myself 
and  my  work  before  the  coming  time  of  trial. 
Then  all  movement  will  be  perilous.  You  will 
wander  in  a  wilderness  without  "  the  pillar  of 
fire."  Comp.  Jer.  xiii.  16. 

overtake  ((taraXa/Sj;?  Vulg.  comprehen- 
dant)~]  The  same  word  is  used  i.  5,  vi.  17 
var.  lect. ;  i  Thess.  v.  4. 

for  he  that. ..in  darkness..."]  and  he  that... 
in  the  darkness...  The  clause  is  added  as 
the  most  general  form  of  the  natural  comple- 
tion of  the  former  sentence :  "  and  ye  may  not 
know  whither  ye  go." 

36.  While  ye  have  the  light]     There  was 
need  of  progress  and  there  was  also  need  of 
faith,  which  should  support  hereafter.    There 
is  a  change  of  order  in  the  repeated  clause: 
Walk  as  ye  ha-ve  the  light,  and  as  ye  have  the 
light  believe  on  the  light. 

that  ye. .  .of  light]  that  ye  may  becomesons 
of  light,  and  so  have  light  in  yourselves. 
Comp.  Luke  xvi.  8 ;  i  Thess.  v.  5 ;  (Eph.  v.  8, 
children).  This  glorious  transformation  is  the 
last  issue  of  faith.  Thus  the  last  re-corded 
words  of  Christ  to  the  world  are  an  exhorta- 
tion and  a  promise.  Comp.  xvi.  33. 

(4)  The  judgment  of  the  Evangelist  (36  b — 43). 
In  this  section  the  Evangelist  speaks  in  his 


own  person  and  connects  the  apparent  failure 
of  the  Lord's  work  with  the  prophetic  teaching 
of  Isaiah.  In  form  the  passage  resembles  xx. 
30  f.,  xxi.  23 — ^s  ;  and,  in  a  less  degree,  iii. 
16 — ai,  31 — 36. 

These  things.. .and  did  hide  himself  (wa,s  hid- 
den, (KpvpT),  Vulg.abscondit se)}vm.  59.  The 
hiding  was  not  His  work  but  the  work  of  His 
adversaries,  as  being  the  result  of  their  want  of 
faith. 

37.  so  many}    This  seems  to  be  the  mean- 
ing of  the  word  (roo-at/ra),  and  not  so  great. 
Comp.  vi.  9,  xxi.  n.     Of  these  many  works 
(comp.  ii.  23,  iv.  45,  vii.  31,  xi.  47,  xx.  30) 
St  John  has  recorded  only  seven  as  types. 

before  them']  There  was  no  excuse  for 
ignorance,  Acts  xxvi.  a  6. 

they  believed  not  on  him}  with  self-devoted, 
trustful,  patient  faith  in  life;  though  many 
did  believe  with  the  concealed  adhesion  of 
conviction,  v.  42. 

38.  That  the  saying  (word)...]     Such  a 
fulfilment  was  a  part  of  the  design  of  God, 
and  so  necessary;  inasmuch  as  the  prophetic 
word  described  the  actual  relation  of  the  divine 
message  to  those  who  heard  it.    This  relation, 
which    was    already  present    to    the    divine 
Vision  and  had  been  fulfilled  in  the  type,  must 
needs  be  realised  in  the  antitype ;  so  that  the 
complaint  uttered  by  Isaiah  against  his  own 
contemporaries  might  have  been  uttered  even 
more  truly  by  Christ. 

The  prophecy  itself  (Isai.  liii.  i)  sets  forth 
the  two  sides  of  the  divine  testimony,  the 
message  as  to  the  servant  of  God  which  ap- 
pealed to  the  inward  perception  of  truth ;  and 
the  signs  of  the  power  of  God  which  appealed 
outwardly  to  those  who  looked  upon  them. 
In  both  respects. the  testimony  failed  to  find 
acceptance.  The  message  was  not  believed ; 
the  signs  were  not  interpreted.  There  is  an 
interesting  examination  of  the  use  of  Isai.  liii. 
in  the  New  Testament  in  Taylor's  '  Gospel  in 
the  Law,'  ch.  v. 

who  hath  believed... hath... been  revealed?'} 
More  exactly  as  a  retrospect  of  failure :  who 
believed... was... revealed? 

our  report  f}  If  the  words  are  spoken  by 
the  prophet,  according  to  the  common  inter- 
pretation, then  our  report  may  mean  either 
"  the  message  which  came  from  us,  which  we 
delivered,*'  or  "  the  message  which  came  to 


v.  39—42-] 


ST.  JOHN.   XII. 


'85 


/i«d.  53-  spake, -Tord,  who  hath  believed  our 
Rom.  10.    report  ?  and  to  whom  hath  the  arm  of 
the  Lord  been  revealed  ? 

39  Therefore  they  could  not  be- 
lieve, because  that  Esaias  said  again, 
f  Matt.  13.      40  ^He  hath  blinded  their  eyes,  and 
hardened  their  heart ;  that  they  should 


not  see  with  their  eyes,  nor  under- 
stand with  their  heart,  and  be  con- 
verted, and  I  should  heal  them. 

41  These  things  said  Esaias,  when 
he  saw  his  glory,  and  spake  of  him. 

42  1T  Nevertheless  among  the  chief 
rulers  also   many  believed  on  him  ; 


us,  which  we  received."  The  former  inter- 
pretation is  the  more  natural.  Comp.  Matt. 
iv.  24,  xiv.  i,  xxiv.  6. 

the  arm  of  the  Lord]  Luke  i.  51;  Acts 
xiii.  17. 

39.  Therefor?...]  For  this  cause,  namely, 
that  in  the  order  of  Providence  the  Gospel 
must  be  met  by  general  unbelief,  they  could  not 
believe...    The  fact  which  has  been  already 
noted  (they  did  not  believe)  is  now  traced  back 
to  its  ultimate  origin  which  lay  in  the  divine 
action.     They  did  not  believe,  and  they  could 
not  believe,  for  that  Isaiah  said  again:  He 
(that  is  God)  hath...    The  want  of  belief  was 
'nvolved  in  the  necessary  truth  of  the  prophe- 
tic word.     This  fulfilment  again  involved  in 
the  incredulous  an  inability  to  believe  conse- 
quent upon  the  actual  working  of  God  ac- 
cording to  His  fixed  laws.    Comp.  Rom.  x.  16. 
And  yet,  further,  this  working  of  God,  as 
we  look  at  it  in  the  order  of  succession,  was 
consequent  upon  man's  prior  unbelief.     The 
Jews  were  already  in  an  unnatural  and  diseased 
state  when  the  prophet  was  sent  to  them. 
Then  came  the    punishment  whereby  those 
who  would  not  give  glory  to  God  by  willing 
faith  were  made  to  subserve  to  His  glory. 
The  revelation  of  Christ,  like  the  preaching  of 
Isaiah,  was  the  very  power  by  which  the  exist- 
ing form  of  unbelief  was  carried  to  its  full 
development. 

Esaias  said]  The  quotation  differs  alike 
from  Heb.  and  LXX.  St  John  transfers  to 
God  what  is  represented  by  Isaiah  as  the 
mission  of  the  prophet  (Isai.  vi.  10) ;  while 
the  healing  on  the  other  hand  is  ascribed  to 
Christ.  Comp.  Matt  xiii.  14  f. ;  Acts  xxviii. 
a6f. 

Augustine's  discussion  of  this  passage  is  full 
of  interest,  though  he  examines  it  from  a 
single  and  limited  point  of  view :  "  hoc  pro- 
pheta  praedixit  quia  Deus  hoc  futurutn  esse 
praescivit...malam  quippe  eorum  voluntatem 
praevidit  Deus." 

40.  tie     bath    blinded... and    hardened.., .] 
The  change  of  tense  in  the  original  is  remark- 
able :  He  bath  blinded,.. and  be  hardened  («ro>- 
puxTfv)...     The  verb  translated  "hardened" 
describes  the  formation  of  a  "  callus  "  (n-wpor) 
in  a  part  of  the  body,  as  the  eyes  (Job  xvii.  7). 
Comp.  Mark  vi.  52,  viii.  17;   Rom.  xi.  7; 
i  Cor.  iii.  14. 

understand]  perceive  (j/or/Voxrti/).  The 
word  in  Mark  iv.  12  is  different  (OMVIWITIV). 


With  regard  to  the  general  scope  of  the 
passage  it  may  be  observed  that :  i.  As  a  fact 
disregard  of  impulses  and  motives  to  right- 
doing  make  it  more  and  more  hard  to  obey 
them.  i.  We  may  regard  this  law  as  acting 
mechanically;  or  we  may  see  in  it,  in  relation 
to  man,  the  action  of  a  divine  power.  3.  The 
latter  supposition  introduces  no  new  diffi- 
culty ;  but  on  the  other  hand  places  this  stern 
law  in  connexion  with  a  wider  scheme  of 
action,  which  makes  hope  possible. 

In  this  connexion  it  is  important  to  observe 
that  a  divine  "  cannot "  answers  to  the  divine 
"must"  (xx.  9,  note).  This  "cannot"  ex- 
presses a  moral  and  not  an  external  or  arbi- 
trary impossibility.  Thus  it  defines  while  it 
does  not  limit  the  action  of  the  Son  (v.  19,  30; 
comp.  Mark  vi.  5) ;  and  so  fixes  the  condi- 
tions of  discipleship  (iii.  5,  vi.  44,  65,  vii.  34 
— 36,  viii.  21  f.),  of  understanding  (iii.  3,  viii. 
43  f. ;  xiv.  17),  of  faith  (as  here;  comp.  v. 
44),  of  fruitfulness  (xv.  4  f.),  of  progress 
(xvi.  12). 

41.  when... glory]    According  to  the  read- 
ing of  the  most  ancient  authorities :  because 
he  saw  his  (Christ's)  glory...     The  prophecy 
was  not  only  given  at  the  time  of  the  celestial 
vision  but  in  consequence  of  it.     The  sight 
of  the  divine  glory  made  clear  the  vast  chasm 
between  God  and  the  people  who  bore  His 
name;. 

he  sa<w  his  glory,  and  spake  uf  him  (Christ)] 
The  Targum  renders  the  original  words  of 
Isaiah,  /  saw  the  Lord,  by  /  saw  the  Lord's 
glory.  St  John  states  the  truth  to  which  this 
expression  points,  and  identifies  the  divine 
Person  seen  by  Isaiah  with  Christ.  Thus 
what  Isaiah  saw  was  the  glory  of  the  Word, 
and  of  Him  he  spoke.  His  message,  that  is, 
was  not  merely  addressed  to  his  contem- 
poraries only,  but  reached  to  the  time  of  the 
fuller  manifestation  to  the  world  of  that  glory 
which  he  himself  saw  in  a  vision.  It  is  un- 
certain whether  the  last  clause  (spake  of  him) 
depends  on  the  because  or  not ;  but  the  posi- 
tion of  the  of  him  in  the  original  points  to  this 
connexion. 

42.  Nevertheless  among  (even  of)  the... 
rulers  (the  members  of  the  Sanhedrin:  iii.  i, 
vii.  26,   48)    many   believed  on    him]     This 
complete  intellectual  faith   (so  to  speak)   is 
really  the  climax  of  unbelief.   The  conviction 
found  no  expression  in  life. 

believed  on  him]     It  is  remarkable  that  St 


i86 


ST.  JOHN.    XII. 


[v.  43—46. 


*  chap.  3. 
44 


but  because  of  the  Pharisees  they  did 
not  confess  him,  lest  they  should  be 
put  out  of  the  synagogue  : 

43  AFor    they    loved    the    praise 
of  men    more   than    the    praise    of 
God. 

44  ^  Jesus  cried  and  said,  He  that 


believeth  on  me,  believeth  not  on  me, 
but  on  him  that  sent  me. 

45  And  he  that  seeth  me  seeth 
him  that  sent  me. 

46  'I  am  come  a  light  into  the  ''chaP 
world,  that  whosoever  believeth   on  I9 
me  should  not  abide  in  darkness. 


John  uses  of  this  belief  the  phrase  which  marks 
the  completeness  of  belief  (eVtor.  ds).  The 
belief  only  lacked  confession,  but  this  defect 
was  fatal.  Comp.  ii.  33,  where  also  a  belief 
complete  in  itself  is  practically  imperfect. 

because  of  the  Pharisees]  Comp.  vii.  13, 
ix.  33  (the  Jews). 

did  not  confess]  did  not  make  confession. 
The  verb  is  used  absolutely.  Comp.  Rom.  x. 
9, 10.  The  imperfect  tense  (a^toXoyoui/,  Vulg. 
confitebantur)  marks  the  continued  shrinking 
from  the  act  of  faith. 

lest  they  should  (that  they  should  not) 
be  put  out  of  the  synagogue]  ix.  aa. 

43.  the   praise    (glory)    of  men... praise 
(glory)  of  God]     Comp.  v.  44.     The  words 
suggest  a  contrast  with    that   vision  of  the 
divine  glory  in  which  God  shewed  what  He 
had  prepared  for  men  (v.  41).     Comp.  Rom. 
iii.  23. 

(5)  The  judgment  of  the  Lord  (44 — 50). 

This  final  judgment  appears  to  contain  a 
summary  of  the  Lord's  teaching  gathered  up  in 
the  view  of  this  crisis,  and  not  to  be  a  new  ut- 
terance. It  falls  into  three  parts:  the  position 
of  the  believer  (44 — 46),  and  of  the  unbeliever 
(47 — 49),  and  the  fruit  of  the  message  (50). 
The  Lord  first  speaks  of  His  Person  (44 — 
46),  and  then  of  His  words  (47 — 50). 

44.  But  Jesus  cried...]     The  witness  of 
the  Lord  is  set  over  against  the  witness  of  the 
prophet  and  the  unbelief  of  the  people.     It 
expresses  as  completely  as  possible  His  abso- 
lute self-sacrifice  as  contrasted  with  the  selfish- 
ness of  His  enemies.     He  is  lost  (so  to  speak) 
in  Him  that  sent  Him.     He  judges  no  man. 
His  teaching  is  simply  the  expression  of  His 
Father's  command. 

cried  ((Kpa£( ,  Vulg.  clamabaf)]  vii.  a8,  37. 
The  testimony  was  so  given  as  to  claim  and 
arrest  attention;  and  it  was  given  once  and 
for  all  (contrast  Luke  xviii.  39). 

believeth  not  on  me,  but...]  He  looks  be- 
neath the  surface  and  acknowledges  a  divine 
presence  realised  in  and  through  me.  As  yet 
it  was  impossible  for  men  to  know  how  faith 
could  repose  in  the  Son  Himself. 

on  him  that  sent  me]  not  simply  on  "the 
Father"  as  representing  a  general  connexion, 
but  on  Him  who  is  the  source  of  the  special 
revelation  of  Christ. 

45.  be  that  seeth  (beholdeth)  me  seeth 


(beholdeth)...]  In  this  case  the  negative 
clause  is  not  found.  So  far  as  the  believer 
beheld  Christ,  he  beheld  Him  from  whom 
Christ  came.  Belief  passed  through  the  veil : 
vision  apprehended  outwardly  God  in  His 
relation  to  men.  Comp.  Matt.  x.  40.  For 
the  sense  of  "  behold  "  see  xvi.  16. 

The  form  of  the  sentence  differs  in  each 
particular  from  xiv.  9  :  beholdeth  occupies  the 
place  of  hath  seen;  Him  that  sent  me  of  the 
Father.  The  thought  here  is  of  the  intent, 
patient,  progressive  contemplation  of  Christ 
leading  to  the  fuller  knowledge  of  Him  from 
whom  He  came ;  thus  the  thought  is  of  the 
one  decisive  moment,  of  which  the  results 
were  permanent. 

The  title  "  Father"  emphasizes  the  idea  of 
the  natural,  essential  relation  to  the  Son  and 
to  men :  the  phrase  "  He  that  sent  me  "  brings 
out  the  idea  of  the  special  mission,  as  involv- 
ing a  peculiar  charge  and  corresponding  au- 
thority. Comp.  iv.  34,  v.  34,  30,  vi.  38,  vii. 
16,  (18),  a8,  33,  viii.  36,  39,  ix.  4,  xiii.  20,  xv. 
31,  xvi.  5  (peculiar  to  St  John,  and  used  only 
by  the  Lord).  The  two  ideas  are  combined, 
v.  23,  37)  yi-  44,  viii.  16,  18,  xii.  49,  xiv.  34 ; 
and  distinguished,  vi.  39,  40. 

46.  I  am  come  a  light  (or  as  light)  into...] 
This  was  the  office  of  Christ,  to  make  all 
things  clear.     His  Person  when  seen  in  its  ful- 
ness illuminates  the  mysteries  of  life.     There 
is  darkness  over  the  world,  and  without  Him 
it  must  remain.     Faith  in  Him  brings  purer 
vision.     Comp.  v.  36.     See  also  iii.  19,  viii. 
la,  ix.  5,  (i.  4). 

There  is  a  significant  contrast  between  I  am 
come  (f\j\v0a)  and  /  came  (%X6ov),  "v.  47. 
The  one  marks  the  abiding  result;  and  the 
other  the  particular  purpose.  For  the  use  of 
the  former  ((\j\vda)  see  v.  43,  vii.  a8,  viii.  42 
(and  tf\6ov),  xvi.  38,  xviii.  37,  (iii.  19)  ;  and 
for  the  use  of  the  latter  (fjXdov),  viii.  14,  ix. 
39,  x.  10,  xii.  47,  47,  (xv.  33). 

should  (may)  not  abide  in  the  dark- 
ness]  as  being  the  normal  state  of  men  with- 
our  Christ.  The  exact  phrase  occurs  only 
here,  yet  see  i  John  ii.  9,  n  (is  in  the  dark- 
ness); and  viii.  xa,  xii.  35;  i  John  ii.  ii 
(walk  in  the  darkness),  Comp.  I  John  iii.  14, 
abide  in  death;  and  the  opposite  i  John  ii.  IQ, 
abide  in  the  light. 

47.  Christ  now  passes  from  the  thought 
of  His  Person  to  that  of  His  words:  frono 


v.  47— So-] 


ST.  JOHN.    XII. 


*chap.  3.  47  *And  if  any  man  hear  my  words, 
and  believe  not,  I  judge  him  not :  for 
I  came  not  to  judge  the  world,  but  to 
save  the  world. 

48  He  that  rejecteth  me,  and  re- 
ceiveth  not  my  words,  hath  one  that 

/Mark  16.  judgeth  him  :  'the  word  that  I  have 
spoken,  the  same  shall  judge  him  in 
the  last  day. 


187 


49  For  I  have  not  spoken  of  my- 
self; but  the  Father  which  sent  me, 
he  gave  me  a  commandment,  what 
I    should    say,    and   what   I    should 
speak. 

50  And  I  know  that  his  command- 
ment is  life  everlasting:  whatsoever 
I  speak  therefore,  even  as  the  Father 
said  unto  me,  so  I  speak. 


me  to  my  sayings.  Faith  is  essentially  personal. 
Unbelief  stops  short  at  the  outward  manifesta- 
tions of  the  Person :  it  deals  with  the  teaching. 
Two  cases  appear  to  be  regarded,  the  first 
that  of  the  respectful  hearer,  who  listens  and 
does  not;  the  second,  that  of  the  man  who 
refuses  to  listen  at  all.  From  this  it  appears 
that  the  reading  "believe"  is  foreign  to  the 
scope  of  -v.  47. 

bear  my  words  (sayings,  pr^ar^v)]  not 
with  true  understanding  of  their  full  import 
(viii.  47),  but  yet  with  attention,  x.  3,  16, 
*7,  &c.). 

and  believe  not}  According  to  the  true 
reading,  and  keep  (<pv\d£rj,  Matt.  xix.  20; 
Luke  xi.  28)  them  not. 

/  (emphatic)  judge  him  not~\  There  is  no 
personal  element  in  the  accomplishment  of  the 
final  issue.  Christ  came  for  judgment  (ix.  39) 
and  yet  not  to  judge  (comp.  iii.  17,  viii.  15). 
The  judgment  followed  naturally  (so  to  speak) 
from  His  manifestation.  The  Law  (in  the 
fullest  sense)  is  the  one  accuser  (v.  45).  Men 
simply  remain  where  they  are  (iii.  36)  if  they 
do  not  come  to  Christ.  Their  sentence  lies  in 
the  nature  of  things.  In  this  case  the  hearers 
were  self-condemned. 

48.  He  that  rejecteth  (6  ddtrav,  Vulg.  qui 
spernit)  me... my  (words  (sayings)...]  Luke 
x.  1 6. 

bath  one  that  judgeth  him]  The  word  may 
be  refused,  but  it  cannot  be  banished.  It 
still  clings  to  the  hearer  as  his  judge.  Its 
work  is  even  now  begun  as  it  shall  hereafter 
be  fully  revealed. 

the  word  that  I  have  spoken  (/spake)...] 
The  "sayings"  are  all  bound  up  in  one  great 
message  (Xoyos),  delivered  and  felt  in  its  en- 
tirety. For  the  unbelieving  Jews  it  was  now 
ended  (spake  is  contrasted  with  speak,  v.  50). 
Comp.  xvii.  6,  8. 

the  word... the  same  (that)  shall  judge 
him...'}  The  resumptive,  isolating  pronoun 
(futlvos)  places  in  emphatic  prominence  the 
teaching  which  is  regarded  as  past  and  sepa- 
rated from  those  to  whom  it  was  addressed. 
It  stands,  as  it  were,  in  the  distance,  as  a 
witness  and  an  accuser.  Comp.  i.  18,  v.  n 
and  note. 

in  the  last  day]  ch.  vi.  39,  40,  44»  54,  xi. 
24.  The  phrase  is  peculiar  to  St  John's  Gos- 


pel.    Comp.  i  Cor.  xv.  52  (the  last  trumpet): 
i  John  ii.  1 8  (the  last  hour). 

49.  For... spoken...']    Because    I  spoke 
not ...    The  essential  inherent  power  of  judg- 
ment lies  in  the  word,  since  there  is  in  it  no 
admixture  of  a  limited  human  personality.    It 
is  wholly  divine. 

of  myself]  The  phrase  («'£  e^avroC,  Vulg. 
ex  me)  is  peculiar  and  unique.  It  describes 
(so  to  speak)  the  source  out  of  which  a  stream 
flows  continuously,  and  not  simply  the  point 
of  origin  from  which  movement  started  (air 
tfj..  v.  30,  vii.  17,  28,  viii.  28,  42,  (x.  18), 
xiv.  10). 

he  gave  me  a  commandment]  himself 
hath  given  me  commandment.  The 
pronoun  (as  in  v.  48)  emphasizes  the  refer- 
ence; and  the  tense  of  the  verb  (8t8a>Ktv) 
marks  the  continuance  of  the  action  of  the 
command. 

what  I  should  say  (f  tn-a>,  Vulg.  dicam),  and 
what  I  should  speak  (AuXqo-oj,  Vulg.  loquar)] 
That  is,  as  to  the  substantial  contents  and  the 
varying  manner  of  my  message. 

50.  And  I  know   (otSa)...]     The  word 
may  find  acceptance  or  rejection,    but  this 
remains    sure.     The    commandment    of  the 
Father,  His  will  manifested  in  my  commission, 
is  eternal  life.     The  Father's  commandment 
not  only  is  directed  towards  life,  to  quicken 
or  to  support  it.     It  is  life.     Truth  realised 
is  that  by  which  we  live.    The  commandment 
of  God  is  the  expression  of  absolute  Truth. 
Comp.  vi.  63,  68,  xvii.  17. 

Life  eternal  is  and  not  simply  shall  be. 
Comp.  iii.  36,  v.  24,  (39),  vi-  54,  xvii.  3  note, 
i  John  v.  12,  13. 

whatsoever  (the  things  which)  /  speak 
therefore...]  The  certainty  of  this  assurance 
furnishes  the  one  rule  of  Christ's  teaching. 
He  in  the  fulness  of  His  divine-human  Person 
(«'yo>)  speaks  in  complete  agreement  with  the 
Father's  injunctions,  who  is  His  Father  and 
our  Father.  In  part  His  message  was  fully 
given  (w.  48  f.):  in  part  it  was  still  to  be 
given  to  the  inner  circle  of  His  disciples. 

THE  SELF-REVELATION  OF  CHRIST  TO 
THE  WORLD  has  now  been  completed.  In 
the  remainder  of  the  Gospel  St  John  records 


i88 


ST.  JOHN.    XIII. 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

I  Jesus  ivasheth  the  disciples*  feet:   exhorteth 
them  to  humility  and  charity.     18  He  for e- 


telleth,  and  discovercth  to  John  by  a  token, 
thai  Judas  should  betray  him  .'31  command- 
eth  them  to  love  one  another,  36  and  fore- 
•warneth  Peter  of  his  denial. 


THE   SELF-REVELATION    OF   CHRIST  TO 
THE  DISCIPLES. 

This  division  of  the  Gospel,  like  the  former, 
falls  into  two  parts,  THE  LAST  MINISTRY 
OF  LOVE  (xiii. — xvii.),  and  THE  VICTORY 
THROUGH  DEATH  (xviii. — xx.) ;  with  an 
EPILOGUE  (xxi.). 

xni. — xvii.    THE  LORD'S  LAST  MINISTRY 
OF  LOVE. 

This  division  of  the  Gospel,  which  is  entirely 
peculiar  to  St  John,  with  the  exception  of  the 
revelation  of  treachery  among  the  twelve,  falls 
into  three  sections: 

I.  THE   LAST   ACTS    OF   LOVE   AND 
JUDGMENT  (xiii.  i — 30). 

II.  THE  LAST  DISCOURSES  (xiii.  31 — 
xvi.  33). 

III.  THE  PRAYER  OF  CONSECRATION 
(xvii.). 

I.    THE  LAST  ACTS  OF  LOVE  AND  JUDG- 
MENT (xiii.  i — 30). 

St  John's  account  of  events  at  the  Last 
Supper  contains  two  scenes.  The  first  is  the 
manifestation  in  act  of  the  Master's  self-sacri- 
ficing love  (i — 30):  the  second  is  the  separa- 
tion of  the  selfish  disciple  (21 — 30). 

The  incidents  are  parallel  with  sections  of 
the  Synoptic  Gospels;  but  there  are  very  few 
points  of  actual  correspondence  in  detail  be- 
tween the  narratives  of  the  Synoptists  and  of 
St  John.  The  discussion  recorded  by  St  Luke 
(xxii.  24  ff.)  has  a  close  connexion  of  thought 
with  the  lesson  of  the  feet-washing.  And  the 
words  announcing  the  betrayal  are  identical  in 
St  Matthew  (xxvi.  31  ;  comp.  Mark  xiv.  18) 
and  St  John  (xiii.  31).  All  the  Evangelists 
record  the  surprise  with  which  this  announce- 
ment was  received  (Matt.  xxvi.  33;  Mark  xiv. 
19;  Luke  xxii.  23;  John  xiii.  33);  and  St 
Matthew  notes  that  Judas  was  designated  as 
the  traitor  (xxvi.  25).  But  the  details  which 
St  John  has  preserved  as  to  the  manner  of  the 
designation  are  peculiar  to  him. 

The  omission  of  the  record  of  the  Institu- 
tion of  the  Lord's  Supper  belongs  to  the  plan 
of  the  Gospel.  It  is  impossible  on  any  theory 
to  suppose  that  the  author  was  unacquainted 
with  the  facts.  But  it  is  difficult  to  deter- 
mine at  what  point  in  the  narrative  of  St  John 
the  Institution  is  to  be  placed.  It  is  scarcely 
necessary  to  refer  to  the  opinion  of  those  who 
have  supposed  (Lightfoot,  &c.)  that  the  sup- 
per described  in  John  xiii.  was  held  at  Bethany 
(Matt.  xxvi.  6  ff.),  and  that  the  journey  to 
Jerusalem  follows  xiv.  31;  so  that  the  Insti- 
tution took  place  on  the  following  day.  This 


view  appears  to  be  directly  opposed  to  xiii. 
38  :  to  the  significant  parallel  with  Luke  xxii. 
34 ff.:  and  to  the  general  unity  of  the  dis- 
courses in  xiii. — xvii. 

But  if  it  be  assumed  that  the  meal  described 
in  ch.  xiii.  is  identical  with  that  described  in  the 
Synoptists,  as  including  the  Institution  of  the 
Lord's  Supper,  where  can  the  Institution  be 
intercalated?  was  it  before  or  after  the  depar- 
ture of  Judas  (xiii.  30)? 

The  evidence  on  this  point  is  extremely 
slender.  In  the  narratives  of  St  Matthew  and 
St  Mark  there  is  nothing  which  tends  to  decide 
the  question  in  one  way  or  the  other.  The 
prophecy  of  the  betrayal  and  the  Institution 
are  introduced  by  the  same  general  words  (as 
they  <were  eating,  Matt.  xxvi.  36;  Mark  xiv. 
33),  and  though  the  former  stands  first  there 
is  nothing  to  shew  that  the  order  is  chrono- 
logical. It  is  also  to  be  noticed  that  in  these 
Evangelists  there  is  no  separation  of  the  bless- 
ing of  the  Bread  and  of  the  Cup.  In  the  nar- 
rative of  St  Luke  the  arrangement  is  different. 
A  cup  is  first  given  for  distribution  (xxii.  17). 
Then  follows  the  giving  of  Bread,  with  the 
words  of  Institution  (i».  19).  Then,  accord- 
ing to  the  present  text,  the  giving  of  the  Cup, 
with  the  words  of  Institution  introduced  by  the 
clause  in  like  manner  also  the  cup  after  supper 
(v.  20);  and  in  close  connexion  with  this  is 
given  the  prophecy  of  the  betrayal.  There  is 
indeed  good  reason  for  thinking  that  the 
second  reference  to  the  Cup  is  a  very  early 
addition  to  the  original  text  of  St  Luke 
taken  from  i  Cor.  xi.  35 ;  and  as  it  stands  it 
may  be  treated  parenthetically.  In  any  case, 
however,  St  Luke  distinctly  places  the  pro- 
phecy of  the  betrayal  after  the  distribution  of 
the  Sacramental  Bread;  and,  like  St  Paul,  he 
places  this  distribution  during  the  supper,  and 
the  distribution  of  the  Sacramental  Cup  after 
the  supper.  The  other  Synoptic  narratives 
are  perfectly  consistent  with  this  view.  Judas 
then,  if  we  adopt  this  interpretation  of  the 
narrative,  was  present  at  the  distribution  of 
the  Sacramental  Bread,  and  not  present  at  the 
distribution  of  the  Sacramental  Cup.  In  other 
words,  the  distribution  of  the  Bread  must  be 
placed  before  v.  30  in  St  John's  narrative,  and 
the  distribution  of  the  Cup  after. 

If  now  we  look  for  a  break  in  xiii.  i — 30,  it 
may  be  found  between  16  and  17,  or  between 
19  and  30 ;  but  hardly  between  22  and  33. 
It  is,  however,  more  in  accordance  with  St 
Luke's  narrative  to  place  the  distribution  of  the 
Bread  before  v.  3.  The  distribution  of  the 
Cup  may  be  placed  after  30,  or  33;  but  it 
seems  on  the  whole  best  to  place  it  after  33. 
The  teaching  of  that  Sacramental  Act  forms  a 
bond  between  the  thoughts  of  33  and  33. 


V.   I,  2.] 


ST.  JOHN.   XIII. 


189 


•Matt ,6.  XTOW  -before  the  feast  of  the  Father,  having  loved  his  own  which 

1  M   passover,  when  Jesus  knew  that  were   in  the  world,  he  loved  them 

his  hour  was  come  that  he  should  unto  the  end. 

depart  out  of  this   world   unto   the  2    And   supper  being  ended,  the 


I.     The  self-sacrifice  of  love  (i — 20). 

The  central  idea  of  this  record  corresponds 
with  one  aspect  of  the  Institution  of  the  Eu- 
charist, that  of  self-sacrifice.  The  incident 
evidently  belongs  to  the  same  spiritual  circum- 
stances. The  form  of  the  narrative  is  marked 
by  extreme  minuteness  and  vividness  of  detail 
(w.  4  if.),  and  by  directness  of  recollection 
(v.  1 1 ).  The  portraiture  of  St  Peter  is  instinct 
with  life:  he  acts  and  is  acted  upon. 

The  narrative  consists  of  two  parts,  the 
action  itself  (a — n),  and  the  commentary 
upon  the  action  (12 — 20).  The  latter  ap- 
proaches very  closely  in  form  to  the  teaching 
preserved  by  the  Synoptists  (e.g.  vv.  16  f.). 
The  former  is  a  parable  in  action  (comp. 
Matt,  xviii.  2  fl'.). 

CHAP.  XIII.  1—4.  These  verses  are 
differently  punctuated.  Some  suppose  that 
the  construction  is  broken,  and  that  the  prin- 
cipal verb  is  rises  in  v.  4,  the  knowing  in  v.  3 
resuming  the  knowing  of  v.  i.  It  seems 
better,  however  (as  A.  V.),  to  take  v.  i  as 
complete  in  itself,  as  it  is  grammatically  com- 
plete, and  to  regard  v.  a  as  a  fresh  beginning. 
On  this  view  v.  i  is  an  introduction  to  the 
whole  cycle  of  teaching  which  follows  (xiii. — 
xvii.),  while  w.  2,  3  are  the  introduction  to 
the  special  incident  of  the  feet-washing,  the 
symbolic  manifestation  of  love. 

Now  before  the  feast..."]  The  disjunctive 
particle  (#e,  Vulg.  auteni)  perhaps  suggests  a 
contrast  with  the  temporary  retirement  no- 
ticed in  xii.  36.  Though  Jesus  had  thus 
withdrawn  Himself,  yet  before  the  crisis  of 
His  Passion  He  fully  prepared  His  disciples 
for  the  issue. 

before  the  feast]  It  is  impossible  to  take 
these  words  either  with  knowing  or  with 
having  loved.  The  clause  can  only  go  pro- 
perly with  the  "principal  verb  loved.  The  note 
of  time  consequently  serves  to  mark  the  date 
of  the  manifold  exhibition  of  love,  of  the  acts 
and  discourses  which  follow  immediately 
afterwards.  All  these  took  place  "before  the 
feast,"  that  is,  on  the  evening  (the  commence- 
ment) of  Nisan  I4th;  and  in  these  last  scenes 
before  the  Passover  at  which  the  Jewish  type 
found  its  perfect  fulfilment,  the  love  of  the 
Lord  was  revealed  in  its  highest  form. 

when  Jesus  knew]  Jesus  knowing,  that 
is,  since  He  knew.  This  knowledge,  which  is 
spoken  of  as  absolute  («tSwv),  prompted  the 
crowning  display  of  love.  The  thought  is 
brought  into  prominence  by  the  repetition  of 
the  word  world.  In  the  world  the  disciples 
were  to  find  their  trial,  and  to  find  it  when 


their  Master  had  passed  out  of  the  world. 
Hence  came  the  necessity  for  such  encourage- 
ments as  follow:  e.g.  xvi.  33. 

In  His  knowledge  of  the  disciples'  suffering 
the  Lord  forgot  His  own  suffering,  though 
foreknowledge  intensifies  sorrow. 

bit  hour]  Just  as  St  John  points  out  the 
moral  conditions  of  the  Lord's  life  in  a  divine 
"cannot"  (see  xii.  40  note),  and  a  divine 
"must"  (xx.  9  note),  he  also  marks  the  divine 
sequence  in  its  events.  The  crises  of  His 
several  manifestations  are  absolutely  fixed  in 
time  (ii.  4 ;  comp.  xi.  9  f.,  ix.  4).  In  each 
case  this  "hour"  is  appointed  with  a  view  to 
the  issue  to  which  it  leads  (xii.  23,  Iva  8ogao-drj, 
and  so  here  Iva  /ifra/3^).  Compare  iv.  21,  23, 
v.  25,  28;  i  John  it.  18;  Rev.  xiv.  7,  15; 


are  powerless  (vii.  30,  viii.  20).  When  it 
has  come  He  recognises  its  advent  (xii.  ay, 
xvii.  i). 

that  he  should  depart...']  The  purpose,  as 
part  of  the  divine  counsel,  is  marked  emphati- 
cally (tea).  Comp.  xii.  23,  xvi.  2  note. 

depart]  The  exact  word  (/uera/3^,  Vulg. 
trantcat)  is  only  used  here  in  this  co'nnexion. 
It  marks  the  transference  from  one  sphere  to 
another:  comp.  v.  24;  i  John  iii.  14.  Death 
for  Christ,  and  in  Him  for  the  Christian,  is 
not  an  interruption  of  being  but  a  change  of 
the  mode  of  being,  a  "going  to  the  Father," 
to  His  Father  and  ours. 

this  'world... the  world]  The  demonstra- 
tive (o  Koo-fMos  ouror,  this  world)  seems  to  lay 
stress  upon  the  present  aspect  of  the  world  as 
transitory  and  unsatisfying.  The  phrase  oc- 
curs viii.  23,  ix.  39,  (xi.  9),  xii.  25,  31,  xvi.  u, 
xviii.  36;  i  John  iv.  17  (and  in  St  Paul). 

unto  the  Father]  as  describing  the  religious 
and  moral  relationship,  and  not  simply  the 
idea  of  power  (to  God). 

his  own]  Acts  iv.  23,  xxiv.  23;  I  Tim.  v. 
8.  '  Compare  xvii.  6fF.  Contrast  i.  n. 

unto  the  end]  to  the  uttermost.  The 
original  phrase  (els  reXor,  Vulg.  in  fineni) 
has  two  common  meanings,  (i)  at  last,  and 
(2)  utterly,  completely.  The  first  sense  ap- 
pears to  be  most  natural  in  Luke  xviii.  5, 
and  the  second  in  i  Thess.  ii.  16.  It  occurs 
very  frequently  in  the  LXX.,  and  most  often 
in  connexion  with  words  of  destruction 
(utterly),  or  abandonment  {forever) :  Ps.  xii.  i, 
(ix.  1 8,  al.  els  TOV  a«5i/a),  &c.  It  occurs, 
however,  in  other  connexions,  Ps.  xv.  ii, 
Ixxiii.  3,  xlviii.  8;  and  constantly  in  later 
Greek  writers,  e.g.  a  Clem.  19 ;  Luc.  'Somn.'9. 


i  go 


ST.  JOHN.    XIII. 


[v.  3-6. 


devil  having  now  put  into  the  heart 
of  Judas  Iscariot,  Simon's  son,  to 
betray  him ; 

3  Jesus  knowing  that  the  Father 
had  given  all  things  into  his  hands, 
and  that  he  was  come  from  God,  and 
went  to  God ; 

4  He  riseth  from  supper,  and  laid 


aside  his  garments ;  and  took  a  towel, 
and  girded  himself. 

5  After  that  he  poureth  water  into 
a    bason,    and    began    to    wash    the 
disciples'    feet,    and    to    wipe    them 
with   the   towel    wherewith    he  was 
girded. 

6  Then  cometh  he  to  Simon  Pe- 


There  appears  to  be  no  authority  for  taking  it 
here  in  the  sense  of  to  the  end  of  His  earthly 
presence  (yet  see  Matt.  x.  aa,  xxiv.  13  f.), 
and  such  a  translation  does  not  suit  the  con- 
nexion with  before  the  feast.  If,  however,  we 
take  the  words  as  expressing  loved  them  with  a 
perfect  love,  then  the  thought  comes  out  clearly, 
"As  Christ  loved  His  disciples,  and  had  be- 
fore shewed  His  love,  so  now  at  this  crisis, 
before  the  day  of  His  Passion,  He  carried  His 
love  to  the  highest  point,  He  loved  them  to 
the  uttermost." 

2.  And  supper   being  ended.. .]     And — as 
one  special  manifestation  of  this  love — during 
a  supper  fdftfrvov  yivo^ievov)... 

the  devil...  him]  Literally,  according  to 
the  most  ancient  text,  the  devil  having 
already  put  It  Into  his  (Judas')  heart 
that  Judas  Iscariot  the  son  of  Simon 
shall  betray  him.  The  transference  of  the 
subject  from  the  former  to  the  latter  clause 
is  not  unnatural  (...into  the  heart  of  Judas... 
that  he  should...);  and  it  seems  to  be  impos- 
sible to  accept  the  rendering  "the  devil  having 
conceived  in  his  heart  that..." 

The  separation  of  "  Iscariot"  from  Judas  in 
the  original  text,  "Judas  the  son  of  Simon, 
Iscariot,"  clearly  marks  the  title  as  local. 
Comp.  vi.  71,  where  it  is  an  epithet  of  Simon. 

3.  Jesus  (omit)  knowing]     That  is,  as  be- 
fore, "since  He  knew."    The  knowledge  that 
He  was  possessed  of  this  divine  authority  was 
the  ground  of  His  act  of  service;  just  as  in 
•v.  i  the  knowledge  of  His  coming  departure 
was  the  ground  of  His  crowning  display  of  love. 

the  Father]  Not  "His  Father."  The  Son 
of  man  (Jesus)  is  now  the  conqueror. 

had  given... ~\  Our  idiom  will  not  bear  in 
the  oblique  the  oiiginal  tense  gave  (found 
in  the  oldest  authorities),  which,  however, 
marks  the  true  idea  of  the  commission  once 
given  eternally.  A  similar  remark  applies  to 
the  verbs  below,  which  are  literally  came 
forth  and  goeth. 

all  things']  The  sense  of  absolute  sovereignty 
is  the  more  impressive  here  in  the  prospect  of 
apparent  defeat.  Even  through  treachery  and 
death  lay  the  way  t!b  the  Resurrection. 

into  his  hands']  to  deal  with  as  He  pleased, 
even  when  He  was  given  "into  the  hands"  of 
men:  Matt.  xvii.  aa,  xxvi.  45. 

The  original  order  is  most  emphatic:  "and 


that  it  was  from  God  He  came  forth,  and 
unto  God  He  is  going."  The  title  of  power 
and  glory  is  used  in  this  clause,  as  that  of 
affinity  (the  Father)  in  the  former. 

was  come]  was  come  forth  on  His  mission 
to  the  world  at  the  Incarnation.  The  prepo- 
sition used  here  («Vo)  marks  a  separation  and 
not  the  source.  Contrast  viii.  42,  note. 

4.  He  riseth  from   the   supper,   and  laid 
(layeth)  aside..."]     There  is  nothing  to  indi- 
cate the  occasion  of  the  action.     The  phrase 
implies  that  the  supper  was  already  begun,  so 
this  feet-washing  cannot  have  answered  to  that 
before  the  meal.     We  may  assume  that  it  was 
a  parable  in  action  exhibited  in  order  to  illus- 
trate some  thought  of  the  coming  kingdom 
which    had   just   found  expression.     Comp. 
Luke  xxii.  24  ff. ;  (Matt,  xviii.  i  if.).    For  this 
reason  each  step  in  the  act  of  service  is  noted 
with  the  particularity  of  an  eye-witness :  the 
rising   from   among  the  group   (ey.  IK),   the 
laying  aside  the  upper  robes  (fyidria),  the  taking 
the  towel,  the  girding,  the  pouring  out  of  the 
water,  the  washing,  the  wiping.  When  Christ 
serves,  He  serves  perfectly. 

and  he  took .. .girded  himself]  The  form  of 
expression  emphasizes  the  preparation  by  Him- 
self. Comp.  Lukexii.  37,  xvii.  8,  and  ch.  xxi. 
18,  with  Acts  xii.  8.  "Quid  mirum  si  prs- 
cinxit  se  linteo  qui  formam  servi  accipiens 
habitu  inventus  est  ut  homo?"  (Aug.  ad  loc.) 

5.  After  that...']  Then  (etra),  xix.  37,  xx. 
27. 

pouretK]  The  original  word  (/3aXX«,  Vulg, 
mittit),  which  is  peculiar,  is  rendered  in  the 
same  connexion  elsewhere  putteth;  Matt.  ix. 
1 7  and  parallels. 

into  a  (the)  bason]  which  stood  ready  for 
this  accustomed  use.  Comp.  a  K.  iii.  u. 

began  to  wash]  The  actual  scene  is  broken 
up  into  its  parts,  just  as  all  the  details  of  pre- 
paration had  been  separately  noticed.  Comp. 
Gen.  xviii.  4,  xix.  a,  xxiv.  32,  xliii.  a4 ;  Judg. 
xix.  ai ;  i  Tim.  v.  10.  Rabbinic  commenta- 
tors dwelt  on  the  significance  of  Ezek.  xvi.  9. 
"Among  men,"  they  said,  "the  slave  washes 
his  master ;  but  with  God  it  is  not  so." 
Comp.  Lightfoot  and  Wetstein,  ad  loc. 

6.  Then  (So)  cometh  he...~]   as  He  passed 
round,  or  rather  as  He  began  to  pass  round, 
the  circle  of  the  disciples.     There  is  nothing 
to  support  the  old  notion  that  the  action  began 


v.    — 


ST.  JOHN.    XIII. 


191 


te'r :  and  Peter  saith  unto  him,  Lord, 
dost  thou  wash  my  feet  ? 

7  Jesus  answered  and  said   unto 
him,  What  I  do  thou  knowest  not 
now ;  but  thou  shalt  know  hereafter. 

8  Peter    saith    unto   him,    Thou 
shalt  never  wash  my  feet.     Jesus  an- 


swered him,  If  I  wash  thee  not,  thou 
hast  no  part  with  me. 

9  Simon    Peter   saith    unto   him, 
Lord,  not  my  feet  only,  but  also  my 
hands  and  my  head. 

10  Jesus  saith  to  him,  He  that  is 
washed  needeth  not  save  to  wash  his 


with  Judas.  It  is  more  natural  to  suppose 
that  the  Lord  began  with  St  Peter.  In  that 
case  his  refusal  to  accept  the  service  is  more 
intelligible  than  it  would  be  if  others  had 
already  accepted  it. 

and  Peter  saith  (he  saith)  unto  him}  The 
abruptness  of  the  clause  suits  the  vivid  narra- 
tive. 

dost  thou...'}  The  position  of  the  pronouns 
in  the  original  (<rt5  pav  v.  T.  TT.,  Vulg.  tu  mlhi 
I.  p.,  thou  my  feet)  brings  out  the  sharp  con- 
trast of  the  persons.  The  thought  of  the  kind 
of  service  is  subordinated  to  the  fact  of  service 
rendered  by  the  Master  to  the  servant. 

7.  What  I  do~\     The  chasm  between  the 
thoughts  of  the  Lord  and  of  the  disciple  is 
marked  by  the  emphatic  pronouns  (o  e'yo'  TT. 

(TV  OVK  O?.). 

The  meaning  of  the  act  could  not  be  under- 
stood till  the  Lord  was  glorified.  The  inter- 
pretation depended  on  a  full  view  of  His 
Person  and  His  work.  Knowledge  as  abso- 
lute and  complete  (OVK  oiSaj)  is  contrasted 
with  the  knowledge  which  is  gained  by  slow 
experience  (yvtio-g  "thou  shalt  learn"  or 
"understand").  Comp.  iii.  10,  n,  note. 

hereafter']  Literally,  after  these  things:  iii. 
42,  v.  i,  14  (afterward),  vi.  i,  vii.  I,  xix.  38, 
xxi.  i.  In  these  places  reference  is  made  to  a 
group  of  incidents,  and  not  to  one  single 
scene.  We  must  then  understand  here  by 
"these  things"  all  the  circumstances  of  the 
Passion  which  was  now  begun.  Even  the 
interpretation  given  in  w.  u  ff.  was  only 
partially  intelligible,  until  Christ's  sacrifice  of 
Himself  was  completed.  Perfect  knowledge 
began  with  the  day  of  Pentecost. 

8.  St  Peter  takes  up  the  thought  of  "  here- 
after."    Nothing,  he  would  argue,  can  ever 
alter  my   position  in  regard    to  my   Lord. 
This  is  fixed  eternally.     Thou  shalt  not  wash 
my  feet  while  the  world  lasts  (ov  fiij...fls  rov 
altova).     He  assumed  that  he  could  foresee 
all ;   hence  his  reverence  takes  the  form  of 
self-will,  just  as  in  the  corresponding  incident 
in   Matt.  xvi.  22,  where  also  his  self-willed 
reverence  for  Christ,  as  He  interpreted  His 
office,  brings  down  a  stern  reproof. 

If  I  wash  thee  not...']  Christ  meets  the 
confidence  of  the  Apostle  with  a  declaration 
of  the  necessary  separation  which  must  ensue 
from  the  want  of  absolute  submission.  "  Un- 
less I  render  thee  this  service,  unless,  that  is, 
thou  receivest  that  which  I  offer,  even  when 


thou  canst  not  understand  my  purpose,  thou 
hast  no  part  with  me."  The  first  condition 
of  discipleship  is  self-surrender. 

It  appears  to  be  foreign  to  the  context  to 
introduce  any  direct  reference  to  the  washing 
in  Christ's  blood  (see  <vv.  13  ff.).  Though, 
as  Cyril  says,  we  may  see  some  such  thought 
suggested  by  the  words. 

wash  thee']  not  thy  feet.  Christ  Himself 
chooses  the  manner  in  which  He  accomplishes 
the  work  which  is  effectual  for  the  whole  and 
not  for  a  part. 

thou  hast  no  part...'}  thou  hast  no  share 
in  my  kingdom,  as  a  faithful  soldier  in  the 
conquests  of  his  captain.  Comp.  Matt.  xxiv. 
51 ;  Deut.  xii.  12,  xiv.  27  ;  Ps.  1.  18. 

9.  St  Peter,  with  characteristic  impulsive- 
ness, still  answers  in  the  same  spirit  as  before. 
Just  as  he  had  wished  to  define  what  the 
Lord  should  not  do,  so  now  he  wishes  to 
define  the  manner  in  which  that  should  be 
done  which  he  admitted  to  be  necessary.     He 
would  extend  in  detail  to  every  part  the  action 
which  Christ  designed  to  fulfil  in  one  way 
according  to  His  Own  will. 

10.  The  reply  of  the  Lord  introduces  a 
new  idea.     From  the  thought  of  the  act  of 
service  as  such,  we  are  led  to  the  thought  of 
the  symbolic  meaning  of  the  special  act  as  a 
process  of  cleansing.     The  "washing"  of  a 
part  of  the  body,  feet,  or  hands,  or  head,  is 
contrasted  with  the  "bathing"  of  the  whole. 
The  "washing"  in  itself  does  not  mark  an 
essential  change,  but  is  referred  to  the  total 
change  already  wrought.     He  that  is  bathed 
(o   \e\ovfJLfvoi)    needeth   not    save    to    wash 
(vfyaa-dai)  his  feet. 

Some  important  authorities  omit  save  and 
his  feet.  If  this  reading  be  adopted  the  em- 
phasis will  lie  on  needeth  not.  The  after- 
cleansing  may  be  an  act  of  divine  love,  but  it 
is  not  to  be  required  at  man's  will.  The 
form  of  the  verb  in  some  degree  suggests  this 
turn  of  meaning.  It  is  not  "  to  be  washed." 
corresponding  with  the  former  phrase,  but 
"to  wash  himself,"  or  "to  wash  his  own 
feet "  (Matt.  xv.  2 ;  Mark  vii.  3).  But  it  is 
more  probable  that  the  omission  was  occa- 
sioned by  the  difficulty  of  reconciling  tl»e 
phrase  with  "  clean  every  whit." 

If  however  the  common  reading  be  retained, 
the  sense  will  be  that  the  limited  cleansing,  as 
now  symbolized,  is  all  that  is  needed.  He 
who  is  bathed  needs,  so  to  speak,  only  to 


192 


ST.  JOHN.    XIII. 


[v.  11—15. 


feet,  but  is  clean  every  whit :  and  ye 
are  clean,  but  not  all. 

11  For  he  knew  who  should  be- 
tray him  j  therefore  said  he,  Ye  are 
not  all  clean. 

12  So  after  he  had  washed  their 
feet,  and   had   taken    his   garments, 
and   was   set   down    again,    he    said 


unto  them,  Know  ye  what  I  have 
done  to  you  ? 

13  Ye  call  me  Master  and  Lord  : 
and  ye  say  well ;  for  so  I  am. 

14  If  I  then,  your  Lord  and  Mas- 
ter, have  washed  your  feet ;  ye  also 
ought  to  wash  one  another's  feet. 

15  For  I  have  given  you  an  ex- 


remove  the  stains  contracted  in  the  walk  of 
life;  just  as  the  guest,  after  the  bath,  needs 
only  to  have  the  dust  washed  from  his  feet 
when  he  reaches  the  house  of  his  host. 

is  clean  every  <whit}  The  partial  and  super- 
ficial defilements,  of  hands,  or  head,  or  feet, 
do  not  alter  the  general  character.  The  man, 
as  a  whole,  the  man  as  man,  is  clean. 

and  ye  are  clean,  but  not  all'}  The  thought 
of  the  partial  defilement  of  the  person  passes 
into  the  thought  of  the  partial  defilement  of 
the  society.  The  apostles  as  a  body  were 
clean.  The  presence  of  one  traitor,  the  stain- 
spot  to  be  removed,  did  not  alter  the  character 
of  the  company  any  more  than  the  partial 
soiling  of  the  feet  alters  the  essential  cleanness 
of  the  man. 

Taken  in  this  connexion  the  passage  throws 
light  on  the  doctrine  of  the  holiness  of  the 
visible  Church.  And  this  the  more  because  it 
seems  impossible  not  to  see  in  the  word  bathed, 
as  contrasted  with  washed,  a  foreshadowing 
of  the  idea  of  Christian  Baptism  (Hebr.  x.  22 ; 
comp.  Eph.  v.  26 ;  Titus  iii.  5).  There  is 
however  no  evidence  to  shew  that  the  apostles 
themselves  were  baptized  unless  with  John's 
baptism.  The  "bathing"  in  their  case  con- 
sisted in  direct  intercourse  and  union  with 
Christ.  For  them  this  one  special  act  of 
service  was  but  an  accessory  to  the  continuous 
love  of  that  companionship.  (Comp.  xv.  3.) 

11.  be  knew  <who  should  betray  him}  More 
strictly,   him   that  <was  betraying  him.     The 
act  of  treason  was  already  in  process.     Con- 
trast vi.  64  (fut.),  vi.  71,  xii.  4.     The  render- 
ing "  betray  "  adds  something  to  the  force  of 
the  original  word.   The  exact  word  "traitor" 
(TTpoSor?;?)  is  applied  to  Judas  only  in  Luke 
vi.  1 6.     Elsewhere  the  word  used  of  him  is 
some  part  of  the  verb  "  to  deliver  up  "  (irapa- 
diftovai),  and  not  of  the  word  "to  betray" 
(jrpo8i86vai). 

therefore  said  he...~\  The  addition  is  quite 
natural  if  the  writer's  vivid  recollection  of  the 
scene  carries  him  back  to  the  time  when  the 
words  arrested  the  attention  before  they  were 
fully  intelligible.  Otherwise  it  is  difficult  to 
account  for  the  obvious  explanation.  No  one 
who  had  always  been  familiar  with  the  whole 
history  would  have  added  them. 

12.  Knoiuye...~\     Do  you  apprehend,  per- 
ceive,   understand    the    meaning    of    (y«/w- 


o-KfTf. ..;)...?     See  v.  7.     The  word  in -v.  1 7 
is  different  (oidare). 

13.  Master  (I. e.  Teacher)  and  Lord~\    Ac- 
cording to  the  common  titles  Rabbi  and  Mar, 
corresponding  to  which  the  followers  were 
"disciples"  or  "servants"   (v.  16). 

14.  If  I  then,  your  Lord  (the  Lord)  and 
the  Master...']    If  I,  the  one  who  am  by  con- 
fession supreme,  washed  (ei/i^a)  even  now 
your  feet... 

ye  also  ought...'}  The  obligation  is  of  a 
debt  incurred  (o^ci'Xerc)  :  Matt,  xxiii.  16,  18. 
Comp.  ch.  xix.  7  ;  i  John  ii.  6,  iii.  16,  iv.  n  ; 
Luke  xvii.  10;  Rom.  xv.  i,  &c.  The  inter- 
pretation given  is  thus  that  of  the  duty  of 
mutual  subjection  and  service,  and  specially 
with  a  view  to  mutual  purifying.  Comp. 
i  Pet.  v.  5. 

15.  /  have  given  you   (I  gave)  you  an 
example. . .]  Three  different  words  are  rendered 
"  example  "  in  New  Testament.     That  which 
is  used  here  (vn-oSety/xa)  is  applied  to  separate, 
isolated  subjects  (comp.  Hebr.  iv.  n,  viii.  5, 
ix.  23  ;  James  v.  10 ;  2  Pet.  ii.  6).     Contrast 
i  Cor.  x.  6,  II  (TUTTOV)  ;  Jude  7  (Seryjua). 

It  will  be  observed  that  the  example  ot 
Christ  is  always  offered  in  connexion  with 
some  form  of  self-sacrifice. 

that... to  you]  Literally,  that  as  I  did  to  you, 
ye  also  do.  The  parallel  is  between  "  I  "  and 
"  ye,"  and  hence  the  words  "  to  one  another  " 
are  not  added. 

The  custom  of  "  feet- washing  "  has  been 
continued  in  various  forms  in  the  Church. 
See  Bingham,  xn.  4,  §  10.  By  a  decree 
(Can.  3)  of  the  xviith  Council  of  Toledo 
(694)  it  was  made  obligatory  on  the  Thursday 
in  Holy  Week  "throughout  the  Churches  of- 
Spain  and  Gaul "  (pedes  unusquisque  pontifi- 
cum  seu  sacerdotum,  secundum  hoc  sacro- 
sanctum  exemplum,  suorum  lavare  studeat 
subditorum).  In  1530  Wolsey  washed,  wiped 
and  kissed  the  feet  of  59  poor  men  at  Peter- 
borough (Cavendish,  'Life,'  I.  p.  242).  The 
practice  was  continued  by  English  sovereigns 
till  the  reign  of  James  II.;  and  as  late  as  1731 
the  Lord  High  Almoner  washed  the  feet  of 
the  recipients  of  the  royal  gifts  at  Whitehall 
on  "  Maundy  Thursday."  The  present  cus- 
tom of  "  the  feet-washing "  in  St  Peter's  is 
well  known.  The  practice  was  retained  by  the 
Mennonites ;  and  also  by  the  United  Brethren, 


V.   1 6 21.] 


ST.  JOHN.   XIII. 


193 


ample,  that  ye  should  do  as  I  have 
done  to  you. 

•  Matt.  10.      !$  b  Verily,  verily,  I  say  unto  you, 
chap.  15.    The  servant  is  not  greater  than  his 
lord ;  neither  he  that  is  sent  greater 
than  he  that  sent  him. 

17  If  ye  know  these  things,  happy 
are  ye  if  ye  do  them. 
.  1 8   11  I  speak  not  of  you  all :   I 

know  whom  I  have  chosen  :  but  that 
.  the  scripture  may  be 


that  eateth  bread  with  me  hath  lifted 
up  his  heel  against  me. 

iq  I  Now  I  tell  you  before  it  come,  *Or» 

."..-'  '  From 

that,  when  it  is  come  to  pass,  ye  may  hence- 
believe  that  I  am  he. 

20  d  Verily,  verily,  I  say  unto  you.  rfMatt.  t 

TT  1  •  1  I  T  1    4°- 

He  that  receiveth  whomsoever  1  send 
receiveth  me ;  and  he  that  receiveth 
me  receiveth  him  that  sent  me. 

21  'When  Jesus  had  thus  said, ' Matt- 2 
he  was  troubled  in  spirit,  and  tes- 


among  whom  it  has  now  fallen  into  disuse. 
There  is  an  interesting  account  of  Lanfranc's 
rule  at  Bee  in  Church's  'Anselm,'  pp.  49  ff. 
The  ancient  English  usage  is  illustrated  by 
Chambers,  '  Divine  Worship  in  England,'  p. 
xxvi.  The  Roman  Service  is  given  by  Daniel, 
'Cod.  Lit.' I.  412. 

16.  Verify,  verily...']  The  words,  as  usual, 
preface  the  new  lesson. 

The  servant  (A  servant)  is  not...']  Comp. 
Matt.  x.  24;  (Luke  vi.  40). 

be  that  is  sent]  one  that  is  sent  (an-do-roXoy) 
— an  apostle. 

17.  If  ye  know  (o?8are)  these  things..."]  the 
lessons  conveyed  by  the  feet-washing.     The 
"  knowledge  "  here  is  that  which  a  man  has 
and  not  that  which  he  acquires. 

happy  are  ye..J]  The  original  word  is  that 
used  in  the  "beatitudes"  (/xaicaptoi,  Vulg. 
beati).  Knowledge  is  a  blessing  as  the  help 
to  action.  There  is  a  Jewish  saying :  "  If  a 
man  knows  the  Law  but  does  not  do  there- 
after, it  had  been  better  for  him  that  he  had 
not  come  into  the  world"  ('Shemoth  R.' 
quoted  by  WUnsche). 

18.  /  speak  not  of  you  all]     The  treachery 
of  Judas  was  as  yet  manifest  only  to  Christ  ; 
but  to   Him  all  was  clear  and  open.     For 
Judas  knowledge    would    not    issue  in    the 
happiness  of  doing. 

I  know  whom  I  have  chosen  (I  chose)]  and 
so  I  know  that  even  of  these  twelve  chosen 
one  is  false  (vi.  70).  The  choice  here  spoken 
of  is  the  historical  choice  to  the  apostoJate. 
The  thought  of  "election  to  salvation"  is 
quite  foreign  to  the  context.  Hence  the  stress 
lies  on  7  («yo>)  know.  There  was  no  surprise 
to  Christ  in  the  faithlessness  of  Judas,  though 
there  was  to  others.  See  Additional  Note. 

but  that...']  but  my  choice  was  so  made 
that...  or  more  generally,  but  this  has  so  come 
to  pass  /£«/... (xix.  36).  There  is  a  necessary 
correspondence  between  the  fortunes  of  the 
servants  of  God  at  all  times.  It  was  neces- 
sary that  Christ  should  fulfil  in  His  own 
experience  what  David  (or  perhaps  Jeremiah) 
had  felt  of  the  falseness  of  friends. 

The  words  may  also  be  taken:  " but,  that 


the  scripture  may  be  fulfilled,  he  that..." 
This  construction  however  seems  to  be  less 
natural  and  obscures  the  contrast. 

He  that... me']  The  Greek  in  St  John 
closely  renders  the  Hebrew.  See  Introd.  p.  xiv. 

He  that  eateth  bread  with  me..."]  Accord- 
ing to  the  better  reading,  my  bread.  The 
phrase  means  simply,  my  friend  bound  to  me 
by  the  closest  and  most  sacred  ties. 

hath  lifted  up  (lifted  up)...]  The  notion 
is  that  of  brute  violence,  and  not  of  the  cun- 
ning of  the  wrestler. 

19.  Now...]     From     henceforth    (OTT* 
5pr»,  Vulg.  a  modo,  Matt.  xxvi.  64,   note). 
Hitherto  the  Lord  had  borne  His  sorrow  in 
secret.     Now  it  was  necessary  to  anticipate 
the  bitterness  of  disappointment.    The  crisis 
was  reached  from  which  silence  henceforward 
was  impossible.     Comp.  Matt.  xxvi.  64;  ch. 
xiv.  7. 

before  it  come  to  pass,  that..."]  that  is,  in 
order  that  what  might  have  seemed  to  be  a 
fatal  miscarriage,  should  be  shewn  to  have 
been  within  the  range  of  the  Master's  fore- 
sight. Thus  the  disciples  would  be  enabled  to 
trust  in  Him  absolutely.  His  knowledge  was 
not  only  of  the  main  fact  but  of  the  details. 

believe  that  I  am  he]     Comp.  viii.  24,  note. 

20.  Verily,  verily..."]     The  verse  appears 
to  contain  the  converse  truth  to  v.  16,  arising 
however  directly  out  of  v.  19.     The  know- 
ledge of  the  Master's  greatness  furnishes  the 
measure  of  the  envoy's    greatness.     If   the 
treachery  of  one  shook  the  confidence  of  the 
others,  the  assurance  of  what  their  office  truly 
was  served  to  restore  it.    Comp.  Matt.  x.  40 ; 
and  especially  Luke  xxii.  24 — 30. 

2.     The  separation  of  the  selfish  apostle 

(21—30). 

The  act  of  complete  sacrifice  was  followed 
by  an  act  of  righteous  judgment.  Service 
rests  on  love.  Apostacy  is  the  fruit  of  self- 
seeking.  To  the  last  Judas  appears  to  take 
to  himself  honour  without  misgiving  (v.  26). 
The  details  (w.  22,  34,  25)  continue  to 
reflect  the  vivid  impressions  of  an  eye-witness. 

21.  was  troubled  in  spirit]     Compare  xi. 


194 


ST.  JOHN.    XIII. 


[V.   22 —  26. 


tified,  and  said,  Verily,  verily,  I  say 
unto  you,  that  one  of  you  shall  be- 
tray me. 

22  Then  the  disciples  looked  one  on 
another,  doubting  of  whom  he  spake. 

23  Now  there  was  leaning  on  Je- 
sus' bosom  one  of  his  disciples,  whom 
Jesus  loved. 


24  Simon  Peter  therefore  beckoned 
to  him,   that  he  should  ask  who  it 
should  be  of  whom  he  spake. 

25  He  then  lying  on  Jesus'  breast 
saith  unto  him,  Lord,  who  is  it  ? 

26  Jesus  answered,    He   it  is,    to 
whom  I   shall  give  a  "  sop,  when  I '  Or> 

i  i  •  i     •  A       i         ii        11  wrs 

have  dipped  it.     And  when  he  had 


33,  xii.  27,  which  are  however  both  different. 
The  emotion  belongs  to  the  highest  region 
(r<5  7n»«5fiari),  as  it  is  called  out  by  the  pros- 
pect of  a  spiritual  catastrophe.  This  agony 
is  peculiar  to  St  John.  "Pereant  argumenta 
philosophorum,"  Augustine  exclaims,  "qui  ne- 
gant  in  sapientem  cadere  perturbationes  ani- 
morum." 

testified"]  Comp.  iv.  44.  The  revelation  is 
here  made  with  solemn  assurance,  where  the 
clear  statement  follows  the  general  warnings 
in  *w>.  10,  ii.  At  the  same  time  the  effect 
upon  the  disciples  is  different.  They  seek 
now  for  some  explanation  of  the  words. 

22.  Then  (omit)  the  disciples  looked  (e/3Xe- 
TToi',  Vulg.  aspiciebanf)  one  on  another}     The 
words  give  a  vivid  reminiscence  of  the  actual 
scene.     The  first  effect  of  the  Lord's  words 
was  silent  amazement  and  perplexity. 

doubting]  "  Their  consciousness  of  inno- 
cence," as  has  been  well  said,  "  was  less  trust- 
worthy than  the  declaration  of  Christ."  The 
same  word  (diropelo-dai)  occurs  Luke  xxiv.  4  ; 
Acts  xxv.  20  ;  2  Cor.  iv.  8  ;  Gal.  iv.  20,  and 
expresses  rather  bewilderment  than  simple 
doubt.  The  parallel  in  Luke  xxii.  23  shews 
that  the  rendering  "about  whom"  and  not 
"  about  which  "  is  right. 

23.  Now  there  ...  bosom]      There    was 
at    table  reclining    on  Jesus'    bosom. 
At  this  time,  and  for  some  time  before  and 
after,  the  Jews  appear  to  have  adopted  the 
Western  mode  of  reclining  at  meals.     Light- 
foot  (ad  /or.)  quotes  Talmudic  glosses  which 
shew  that  the  guests  lay  resting  on  their  left 
arms,  stretched  obliquely,  so  that  the  back  of 
the  head  of  one  guest  lay  in  the  bosom  of  the 
dress  of  the  guest  above  him.  If  three  reclined 
together  the  centre  was  the  place  of  honour, 
the  second  place  that  above  (to  the  left),  the 
third  that  below  (to  the  right).     If  the  chief 
person  wished  to  talk  with  the  second  it  was 
necessary  for  him  to  raise  himself  and  turn 
round,  for  his  head  was  turned  away  as  he  re- 
clined.    St  Peter  then,  sitting  in  the  second 
place,   was  not  in  a  favourable  position  for 
hearing  any  whisper  from  the  Lord,   which 
would  fall  naturally  on  the  ears  of  St  John. 
This  very  incident  therefore,  in  which  it  has 
been  supposed  that  St  John  claims  precedence 
over  St  Peter,  shews  on  the  contrary  that  he 
sets  himself  second  to  him. 


whom  Jesus  loved]  xix.  26,  xxi.  7,  20 
(rjyana,  Vulg.  diligcbaf).  The  word  in  xx.  2 
is  different,  and  marks  a  different  relationship 
(see  note  there).  The  title  is  first  used  here, 
and  is  naturally  suggested  by  the  recollection 
of  this  special  incident.  It  marks  an  acknow- 
ledgment of  love  and  not  an  exclusive  enjoy- 
ment of  love.  Comp.  xiii.  i,  34,  xv.  12,  xi.  5. 

24.  beckoned]  beckoneth  (Acts  xxiv.  10), 
as  the  eyes  of  the  disciples  were  turned  in  sur- 
prise from  one  to  another. 

that  he  should... spake~]  According  to  the 
true  reading:  and  saith  to  him,  Tell  us 
who  it  is  of  whom  He  speaketh.  St  Peter 
thought  that  the  Lord  had  already  revealed  to 
St  John  in  an  undertone  the  name  of  the  false 
apostle. 

25.  He  then... breast]    He  leaning  back 
as   he   was   on    Jesus'1   breast.     The   phrase 
marks    the    recollection    of  an    eye-witness. 
The  sudden  movement  (avairea-tov  tVt)  is  con- 
trasted with  the  position  (avaKfiptvos  eV)  at 
the  table  (ourw?,   as  he  was,  iv.  6) ;    the 
"bosom"  (fv  T<a  KoXTrw),  the  full  fold  of  the 
robe,  with  the  ''  breast "  («rt  TO  a-rf/dos),  the 
actual  body.     Before  this  change  of  posture 
the  disciple  was  so  placed  as  to  hear  a  whisper 
from  the  Lord,  but  not  so  as  to  address  Him 
easily.     The  act  rather  than  the  place  at  table 
was  preserved  in  tradition,  xxi.  20.     Polycr. 
ap.  Euseb.  '  H.  E.'  v.  24;  Iren.  in.  i;  Euseb. 
'  H.  E.'  v.  8.     Hence  the  title  "  the  disciple 
that  leant  on  Christ's  breast "  (o  eVttmjtftos). 
Comp.  Routh,  '  Rell.  Sacr.'  I.  42. 

26.  Jesus   answered]    Jesus   therefore 
answer  eth...     The  question  was  not  now 
to  be  put  aside,  but  it  was  answered  only  for 
those  who  put  it. 

to  whom... dipped  if]  for  whom  I  shall 
dip  (cf.  Ruth  ii.  14)  the  sop  and  give  it 
him.  The  emphatic  pronoun  marks  the  sig- 
nificance of  the  action.  It  is  an  Eastern 
custom  at  present  for  the  host  to  give  a  small 
ball  of  meat  to  the  guest  whom  he  wishes  to 
honour.  The  reference  here  mav  be  to  this 
custom.  By  this  act,  which  is  not  mentioned 
in  the  other  Gospels,  Christ  answered  the 
question  of  St  John,  Matt.  xxvi.  25.  Comp. 
Matt.  xxvi.  23  ;  Mark  xiv.  20. 

And. ..of  Simon]  So  having  dipped  the 
sop  he  taketh  it  and  giveth  it  to  Judas 
the  son  of  Simon  Iscariot. 


v.  27—30.] 


ST.  JOHN.   XIII. 


dipped  the  sop,  he  gave  /'/  to  Judas 
Iscariot,  the  son  of  Simon. 

27  And   after   the  sop  Satan  en- 
tered  into   him.     Then    said   Jesus 
unto     him,     That    thou    doest,    do 
quickly. 

28  Now    no    man   at   the   table 
knew  for  what  intent  he  spake  this 
unto  him. 


29  For  some  of  them  thought,  be- 
cause Judas  had  the  bag,  that  Jesus 
had  said  unto  him,  Buy  those  things 
that  we    have  need    of  against   the 
feast ;  or,  that  he  should  give  some- 
thing to  the  poor. 

30  He  then  having  received   the 
sop  went   immediately  out :    and  it 
was  night. 


27.  then.  Satan  entered  into  him]    Comp. 
Luke  xxii.  3.     In  that  passage  is  the  begin- 
ning (comp.  v.  2),  in  this,  the  consummation 
of  the  design.     Judas  in  his  self-will  appears 
to  have  interpreted  the  mark  of  honour  so  as 
to  confirm  him  in  his  purpose.     So  St  John 
emphasizes  the  moment:   after  the  sop  then 
(roTf)...   at   that   moment  the  conflict  was 
decided.     It  is  to  be  noticed  that  the  pro- 
noun   here  and    in    v.  30   (entivos)   isolates 
Judas  and  sets  him  as  it  were  outside  the 
company.     Satan  is  mentioned  here  only  in 
the  Gospel.     "  Enter"  of  evil  spirits  occurs 
Matt.  xii.  45 ;  Mark  v.  12  f. ;  Luke  viii.  30  fF., 
xi.  26.     Comp.  Rev.  xi.  n. 

Then  said  Jesus. .J]  Jesus  therefore 
saith...  knowing  the  final  resolve  of  Judas. 

That  thou  doest,  do  quickly]  The  work  was 
in  essence  already  begun.  Therefore  the 
Lord  now  removes  the  traitor  from  His  pre- 
sence. The  command  is  not  to  do  the  deed 
as  if  that  were  any  longer  uncertain,  but  to 
do  in  a  particular  way  what  is  actually  being 
done.  Repentance  is  no  longer  possible ;  and 
Christ  welcomes  the  issue  for  Himself.  These 
words  were  spoken  openly;  those  in  24 — 6 
secretly. 

28.  Now  no  man...']  not  even  St  John, 
who  did  not  connect  this  injunction  with  the 
announcement  which  he  had  just  received. 

29.  For  some...']     They  were  so  far  from 
a  suspicion  of  the  true  import  of  the  words 
that  they  interpreted  them  in  different  ways. 

the  bag]     Comp.  xii.  6. 

bad  said  (e&lCi)... Buy... against  (for,  fly) 
the  feast]  The  words  shew  that  the  meal 
cannot  have  been  the  passover.  Moreover  if 
it  had  been,  Judas  would  not  have  left  while 
the  meal  was  as  yet  unfinished. 

to  the  poor]  xii.  5  fF. ;  Gal.  ii.  10. 

30.  He  then  (So  he)  having  received...'] 
Rather,    having   taken   (Aa/Sav).     The  word 
marks  that  Judas  on  his  part  appropriated  the 
gift,  which,  from  the  repeated  mention,  was 
evidently  significant.    Comp.  xx.  22,  vii.  39, 
i.  12,  v.  43,  &c. 

and  it  was  night']     The  words  cannot  but 

mark  the  contrast  of  the  light  within  with  the 

outer   darkness    into    which    Judas    "went 

forth."  Comp.  Rev.  xxi.  25,  xxii.  5 ;  i  Thess. 

New  Test.— VOL.  II. 


v.  5;  (ch.  ix.  4,  xi.  10).  See  also  Luke  xxii.  53. 
"  Erat  autem  nox:  et  ipse  qui  exivit  erat  nox" 
(Aug.  adloc^). 

II.    THE  LAST  DISCOURSES  (xiii.  31 — xvi.). 

The  last  discourses  of  the  Lord  are  divided 
into  two  portions  by  the  change  of  place  at  the 
close  of  ch.  xiv.  Thus  we  have 

i.  THE  DISCOURSES  IN  THE  UPPER 
ROOM  (xiii.  31 — xiv.  31). 

ii.  THE  DISCOURSES  ON  THE  WAY  (xv., 
xvi.). 

These  two  groups  of  revelations,  while  they 
have  much  in  common,  are  distinguished  both 
by  their  external  form  and  by  a  pervading 
difference  of  scope.  The  first  group  consists 
in  a  great  degree  of  answers  to  individual 
apostles.  St  Peter  (xiii.  36),  St  Thomas 
(xiv.  5),  St  Philip  (xiv.  8),  and  St  Jude  (xiv. 
22),  propose  questions  to  which  the  Lord 
replies.  In  the  second  group  the  case  is  far 
different.  After  the  little  company  had  left 
the  room  a  solemn  awe  seems  to  have  fallen 
upon  the  eleven  (comp.  Mark  x.  32).  They 
no  longer  dared  to  ask  what  they  desired  to 
know  (xvi.  17) ;  and  when  they  spoke  it  was  as 
a  body,  with  an  imperfect  confession  of  grate- 
ful faith  (xvi.  29  f.).  This  outward  difference 
between  the  two  groups  corresponds  with  an 
inward  difference.  In  the  first  group  the 
thought  of  separation,  and  of  union  in  separa- 
tion, predominates.  In  the  second  group  the 
main  thought  is  of  the  results  of  realised  union, 
and  of  conflict  carried  on  to  victory.  This 
progress  in  the  development  of  the  central  idea 
of  the  discourses  influences  the  treatment  of 
the  subjects  which  are  common  to  the  two 
sections.  This  will  appear  clearly  when  the 
parallel  teaching  on  the  "new  commandment" 
of  love  (xiii.  34,  xiv.  15,  21,  23  f.  Comp. 
xv.  9  fF.,  1 7),  on  the  world  (xiv.  22  fF.  Comp. 
xv.  1 8  fF.;  xvi.  i  fF.),  on  the  Paraclete  (xiv. 
16  f.,  25  f.;  comp.  xv.  26,  xvi.  8  fF.),  and  on 
Christ's  coming  (xiv.  3,  18,  28;  comp.  xvi. 
1 6,  22),  is  examined  in  detail. 

These  last  discourses  in  St  John  bear  the 
same  relation  to  the  fourth  Gospel  as  the  last 
eschatological  discourses  to  the  Synoptic 
Gospels  (Matt,  xxiv.;  Mark  xiii.;  Luke  xxi.). 
The  two  lines  of  thought  which  they  repre- 


ST.  JOHN.   XIII. 


[v.  31— 33- 


3 1  fl  Therefore,  when  he  was  gone 
out,  Jesus  said,  Now  is  the  Son  of 
man  glorified,  and  God  is  glorified  in 
him. 


32  If  God  be  glorified  in  him,  God 
shall  also  glorify  him  in  himself,  and 
shall  straightway  glorify  him. 

33  Little  children,  yet  a  little  while 


sent  are  complementary,  and  answer  to  the 
circumstances  by  which  they  were  called  out. 
Speaking  in  full  view  of  the  city  and  the 
temple  the  Lord  naturally  dwelt  on  the  revo- 
lutions which  should  come  in  the  organization 
of  nations  and  the  outward  consummation  of 
His  kingdom.  Speaking  in  the  Upper  Room 
and  on  the  way  to  Gethsemane  to  the  eleven, 
now  separated  from  the  betrayer,  He  dwelt 
rather  on  the  inward  consummation  of  His 
work  and  on  the  spiritual  revolution  which 
was  to  be  accomplished.  In  the  last  case  the 
situation  no  less  than  the  teaching  was  unique. 
See  Introduction,  pp.  Ixiii.  if. 

i.    THE  DISCOURSES  IN  THE  UPPER  ROOM 
(xiii.  31— xiv.  31). 

This  first  group  of  discourses  may  be  ar- 
ranged naturally  in  four  sections. 

i.  Separation:  its  necessity  and  issue  (xiii. 
31-38). 

a.     Christ  and  the  Father  (xiv.  i — u). 

3.  Christ  and  the  disciples  (xiv.  ia — ai). 

4.  The  law  and  the  progress  of  Revelation 
(xiv.  a  a — 31). 

i.     Separation:  its  necessity  and  issue  (xiii. 
31—38). 

This  first  section  of  the  Lord's  final  re- 
velation of  Himself  and  of  His  work  contains 
in  germ  the  main  thoughts  which  are  after- 
wards unfolded.  He  declares  (w.  31 — 35) 
His  victory  (w.  31,32),  His  departure  (^.33), 
the  characteristic  of  His  Society  (w.  34,  35); 
and  then,  by  the  example  of  St  Peter,  He  lays 
open  the  need  of  long  and  painful  discipline 
for  the  disciples,  in  order  that  they  may 
realise  at  last  fellowship  with  Him  (vv.  36 — 
38).  The  central  idea  is  that  of  separation, 
its  nature,  its  necessity,  its  consequences;  so 
that  the  whole  current  of  the  discourses  flows 
directly  from  the  historical  position  with 
which  they  are  connected. 

In  this  section,  as  afterwards,  the  absence  of 
connecting  particles  is  a  characteristic  feature 
of  the  narrative. 

31.  Therefore,  when  (When  therefore) 
...Jesus  said  (saith)]  The  departure  of  Judas 
marked  the  crisis  of  the  Lord's  victory.  By 
this  the  company  was  finally  "cleansed" 
(•u.  10) :  and  not  only  was  the  element  of  evil 
expelled,  but  it  was  used  for  the  fulfilment  of 
its  appropriate  part. 

gone  out]  The  departure  was  the  free  act 
of  Judas.  Contrast  ix.  34  (e|e/3aXoi'). 

Now  is...'}  This  "now,"  with  which  the 
Lord  turns  to  the  faithful  eleven,  expresses  at 


once  the  feeling  of  deliverance  from  the  traitor's 
presence  and  His  free  acceptance  of  the  issues 
of  the  traitor's  work.  Judas  was  the  represen- 
tative of  that  spirit  of  wilful  self-seeking  which 
was  the  exact  opposite  of  the  spirit  of  Christ. 
By  his  removal  therefore  the  conflict  with 
evil  which  Christ  had  sustained  in  His  human 
nature  (the  Son  of  Man)  was  essentially  decided. 
As  very  Man  and  the  representative  of 
humanity  He  had  finally  overcome.  At  the 
moment  when  Judas  went  out,  charged  to 
execute  his  purpose,  the  Passion,  as  the  su- 
preme act  of  self-sacrifice,  was  virtually  ac- 
complished. 

the  Son  of  man]  This  title,  as  has  been 
already  implied,  is  the  key  to  the  interpreta- 
tion of  the  passage.  The  words  are  spoken 
of  the  relation  of  "the  Son  of  man"  to 
"God,"  and  not  of  that  of  "the  Son"  to 
"  the  Father." 

glorified']  Perfect  self-sacrifice  even  to 
death,  issuing  in  the  overthrow  of  death,  is 
the  truest  "glory"  (comp.  xii.  23  f.,  x.  17  f. ; 
comp.  vii.  39,  xii.  16,  xvii.  5).  Even  the 
disciple  in  his  degree  "  glorifies  God "  by 
his  death  (xxi.  19).  Hence  the  attainment 
of  glory  by  the  Son  of  Man  is  rightly  spoken 
of  as  past  (was  glorified,  e'8o£ao-&7,  Vulg.  cla- 
rificatus  est,  not  simply  is  glorified)  in  relation 
to  the  spiritual  order,  though  it  was  yet  future 
in  its  historical  realisation.  The  thought 
throughout  these  last  discourses  is  of  the 
decisive  act  by  which  the  Passion  had  been 
embraced.  The  redemptive  work  of  Christ 
essentially  was  completed  (xvii.  4,  &c.). 

and  God  is  (was)  glorified  in  him]  The 
divine  counsel  (if  we  may  so  speak)  was  jus- 
tified in  Christ  as  man.  Comp.  xiv.  13,  xvii. 
4. 

32.  If  God.. .in  him]  This  clause  is 
omitted  by  the  most  ancient  authorities,  and 
mars  the  symmetry  of  the  structure  of  irv. 
31,  32,  which  is  seen  to  be  most  remarkable 
by  a  literal  rendering : 

Now  was  glorified  the  Son  of  Man, 
And  God  was  glorified  in  Him : 
And  God  shall  glorify  Him  in  Himself, 

And  straightway  shall  He  glorify  Him. 

God  shall  also  ...  and  shall  straightway  ...] 
And  God  shall. . . and  straightway  shall  He... 
The  "glory"  realised  in  absolute  sacrifice 
must  necessarily  be  regarded  under  two  as- 
pects, subjectively  and  objectively.  The  in- 
ward victory  carried  with  it  the  outward 
triumph.  Even  as  God  was  glorified  in  the 
Son  of  Man,  as  man,  when  He  took  to  Him- 
self willingly  the  death  which  the  traitor  was 
preparing,  so  also  it  followed  that  God  would 


34-] 


ST.  JOHN.   XIII. 


197 


I  am  with  you.    Ye  shall  seek  me  :         34  s  A  new  commandment  I  give  *8Lev-  '9 
/chap.  7.  /and  as  I  said  unto  tne  Jews,  Whi-     unto  you,  That  ye  love  one  another ;  chap.  i5. 
ther  I  go,  ye  cannot  come  ;  so  now  I     as  I  have  loved  you,  that  ye  also  love  i7j0hn  4. 


say  to  you. 


one  another. 


glorify  the  Son  of  Man  in  His  own  divine 
Being,  by  taking  up  His  glorified  humanity 
to  fellowship  with  Himself  (Acts  vii.  55). 
This  second  clause  is  the  complement  of  the 
first,  was  glorified... shall  glorify,  not  separable 
from  it  in  the  divine  counsel,  though  distin- 
guished in  man's  apprehension.  The  glory  of 
Christ  is  one,  whether  it  is  seen  in  the  Be- 
trayal, or  in  the  Cross,  or  in  the  Resurrection, 
or  in  the  Ascension.  Each  fact  contemplated 
in  its  true  character  includes  all.  Comp. 
Phil.  ii.  9. 

in  himself]  The  preposition  (eV  cavrw) 
marks  unity  of  being,  and  not  simply  unity  of 
position  (napa  <roi,  xvii.  5).  The  "  in  him  " 
here  corresponds  with  "  forth  from  Him  "  (e'£ 
auroO)  in  ch.  xvi.  28. 

straightway]  The  sufferings  and  the  glories 
(i  Pet.  i.  n)  henceforth  followed  one  another 
in  unbroken  succession.  Comp.  xii.  23. 

33.  Christ's  revelation  of  the  nature  of  the 
crisis  as  affecting  Himself,  is  followed  by  a 
revelation  of  it  as  affecting  His  disciples.  The 
realisation  of  His  heavenly  glory  involved  His 
withdrawal  from  earth.  The  time  therefore 
was  come  in  which  it  was  necessary  for  Him 
to  announce  His  departure  to  those  who  were 
nearest  to  Him,  as  He  had  done  before  with 
another  purpose  to  the  Jews.  In  this  His 
friends  and  His  enemies  were  alike,  that  they 
could  not,  being  what  they  were,  follow  Him. 

Little  children]  The  exact  word  (racvia, 
Vulg.  fltolt)  occurs  here  only  in  the  Gospels 
(xxi.  5,  mud/a);  but  in  i  John  it  is  found  six 
(or  seven)  times:  in  Gal.  iv.  19  the  reading  is 
doubtful.  The  word  (like  reVci/ov,  i.  12,  note) 
emphasizes  the  idea  of  kinsmanship ;  and  the 
diminutive  conveys  an  expression  at  once  of 
deep  affection  and  also  of  solicitude  for  those 
who  as  yet  are  immature.  By  using  it  here 
the  Lord  marks  the  loving  spirit  of  the  com- 
munication which  He  makes,  and  assures 
those  whom  He  leaves  of  His  tender  sym- 
pathy with  them  in  their  bereavement.  At 
the  same  time  He  indicates  that  they  stand  to 
Him  in  a  relation  corresponding  to  that  in 
which  He  stands  to  the  Father:  comp.  x.  14, 
xiv.  20,  xvii.  21,  23. 

yet  a  little  while']  i.e.  it  is  but  for  a  little 
while  that  I  am  with  you:  the  moment  of 
separation  is  at  hand.  Comp.  vii.  33. 

Ye  shall  seek  me~]  in  the  coming  times  of 
trial  after  the  Passion,  and  after  the  Resur- 
rection, and  after  the  Ascension,  and  even  to 
the  consummation  of  the  age,  in  the  manifold 
loneliness  of  toil.  Comp.  Luke  xvii.  22.  It 
must  be  noticed  that  the  second  clause,  which 


was  addressed  to  the  Jews,  "  and  ye  shall  not 
find  me"  (vii.  34),  is  not  added  here.  The 
search  of  the  disciples,  if  in  sorrow,  would 
not  be  finally  in  vain.  The  words  recorded 
in  Luke  xxii.  35,  36  point  to  a  similar  con- 
trast between  the  position  of  the  disciples  with 
the  Lord  and  their  position  without  Him. 
Augustine's  epigrammatic  comment  is  most 
worthy  of  notice:  "  Quaeramus  inveniendum ; 
quaeramus  inventum.  Ut  inveniendus  qua=- 
ratur,  occultus  est;  ut  inventus  quaeratur, 
immensusest...  Satiat  quaerentem  in  quantum 
capit,  et  invenientem  capaciorem  facit..." 

as  I  said]  viii.  21.     Comp.  vii.  34. 

the  Jews']  iv.  22,  xviii.  20,  36  note. 

so  now]  Of  the  two  particles  which  are 
rendered  "  now,"  one  (wi>)  marks  a  point  of 
time  absolutely ;  and  the  other  (aprt,  Vulg. 
modo),  which  is  used  here,  marks  a  point  of 
time  relatively  to  past  and  to  future,  and  thus 
includes  the  notion  of  development  or  pro- 
gress. Comp.  ix.  19,  25  (aprt),  21  (vvv), 
and  see  also  xiii.  7,  xvi.  12,  31?  RCV-  x»-  I0 
(apTi). 

The  exact  force  of  the  "  now  "  here  there- 
fore is  that,  in  the  due  advance  of  the  divine 
plan,  the  time  was  come  for  the  disciples  to 
learn  that  they  must  be  left  behind  by  their 
Master. 

34,  35.  The  announcement  of  the  coming 
separation  leads  to  the  indication  of  its  pur- 
pose. The  season  of  bereavement  was  to  be  a 
season  of  spiritual  growth.  To  this  end  Christ 
gave  a  commandment  fitted  to  lead  His  dis- 
ciples to  appropriate  the  lessons  of  His  life, 
and  so,  by  realising  their  true  character,  to 
follow  and  to  find  Him.  In  giving  this  com- 
mandment He  speaks  both  as  a  Master  and 
as  a  Father  (v.  33,  little  children)  who  gives 
instructions  to  the  various  members  of  his 
household  on  the  point  of  his  departure. 

34.  A  new  commandment... That  ye  love  one 
another]  The  last  clause  is  commonly  taken 
to  convey  the  substance  or  scope  of  the  com- 
mandment. In  this  case  the  "newness"  ot 
the  commandment  (which  was  old  in  the  letter, 
Lev.  xix.  18;  Luke  x.  27)  must  be  sought  in 
the  newness  of  the  motive  and  of  the  scope, 
inasmuch  as  the  example  of  the  self-sacrifice 
of  Christ,  begun  in  the  Incarnation  and  con- 
summated at  His  death,  revealed  to  men  new 
obligations  and  new  powers.  Comp.  i  John 
ii.  7  f.  A  man's  "neighbour"  was  at  last 
seen  to  be  simply  his  fellow  man  (Luke  x.  36), 
while  this  universal  love  was  based  upon  a 
special  love  realised  in  the  Christian  society 
(aXXi/Xovs).  Thus  Christ  was  recognised  first 

O  2 


198 


ST.  JOHN.   XIII. 


35>  3*5- 


35  By  this  shall  all  men  know  that 
ye  are  my  disciples,  if  ye  have  love 
one  to  another. 


36  11  Simon  Peter  said  unto  him, 
Lord,  whither  goest  thou  ?  Jesus  an- 
swered him,  Whither  I  go,  thou  canst 


as  the  life  of  the  Church,  and  then  as  the  life 
of  humanity.  In  this  way  the  full  conception 
of  His  Person  was  gradually  called  out,  as  the 
sense  of  "brotherhood"  was  fulfilled  in  Him, 
and  love  became  active  as  an  inward  power 
and  not  as  a  duty  imposed,  as  self-sacrifice 
resting  on  universal  and  not  on  relative  claims. 
Nothing  in  the  context  suggests  that  the  in- 
tensity of  the  commandment  was  increased,  as 
if  men  were  now  to  love  their  neighbours  more 
than  themselves. 

It  has  however  been  conjectured  that  the 
"  new  commandment "  is  the  ordinance  of  the 
Holy  Communion  which  was  instituted  to  the 
end  that  Christians  "  might  love  one  another," 
by  recalling  in  that  the  crowning  act  of  Christ's 
love.  If  this  be  so,  the  words,  that  ye  love 
one  another,  give  the  purpose  and  not  the  sub- 
stance of  the  commandment.  It  is  however 
difficult  to  suppose  that  such  an  Institution 
would  be  spoken  of  as  a  "commandment" 
(eVroX»7,  i  John  ii.  7,  iii.  22  ft".)  ;  but  even  if 
this  definite  reference  be  not  accepted,  it  seems 
best  to  preserve  the  force  of  the  final  particle 
(iva  aya.ira.Ti)  as  marking  the  scope  and  not 
simply  the  form  of  the  new  commandment. 

The  force  of  "the  new  commandment"  is 
illustrated  by  the  well-known  answer  of  Hillel : 
"That  which  is  hateful  to  thee  thou  shalt  not 
do  to  thy  neighbour  (comrade,  "pll"!?).  This 
is  the  whole  Law :  the  rest  is  only  comment- 
ary "  (Buxtorf,  '  Lex.'  s.  v.  »3D).  The  posi- 
tive and  the  absolute  takes  the  place  of  the 
negative  and  the  relative. 

"Mandatum  novum  do  vobis,  ut  vos  invicem 
diligatis:  non  sicut  se  diligunt  qui  corrum- 
punt,  nee  sicut  se  diligunt  homines  quoniam 
homines  sunt;  sed  sicut  se  diligunt  quoniam 
dii  sunt  et  filii  Altissimi  omnes,  ut  sint  Filio 
eius  unico  fratres..."  (Aug.  ad  Joe.'). 

A. .  .commandment]  This  one  commandment 
includes  the  sum  of  the  old  Law.  Comp. 
Rom.  xiii.  10.  It  is  universal  in  its  scope, 
and  universal  also  in  its  application.  It  belongs 
to  common  life.  The  transition  from  the 
plural  to  the  singular  in  i  John  ii.  3,  7  is  to 
be  noticed. 

even  as  I  have  loved you]  This  clause  also 
is  ambiguous.  It  may  express  either  the  cha- 
racter or  the  ground  of  the  love  of  Christians. 
In  the  former  case  it  is  supposed  that  this 
clause  is  transposed  and  placed  in  the  front 
for  emphasis:  "that  ye  also  may  love  one 
another  even  as  I  have  loved  you,"  that  is, 
with  absolute  devotion.  Such  a  transposition 
however  is  foreign  from  St  John's  manner, 
and  in  this  interpretation,  ye  also  loses  its 
force.  Thus  it  seems  better  to  take  the  clause 
as  parallel  with  a  new  commandment  give  I 


unto  you.  The  commandment  is  thus  enforced 
by  the  example:  "I  enjoin  the  precept  (or  I 
appoint  the  ordinance),  even  as  up  to  this  last 
moment  I  loved  you,  in  order  that  you  also, 
inspired  by  me,  may  imitate  my  love,  one 
towards  another."  Comp.  i  John  iii.  16. 

I  have  loved  you]  The  exact  form  (ijyajrrjo-a, 
I  loved)  implies  that  Christ's  work  is  now 
ideally  finished.  Comp.  xv.  9,  12,  xvii.  4. 

35.  By  (eV)  this}     By  the  manifestation  of 
love  in   the   Christian  society   (eV  a'XX»;Xoiy, 
Mark  ix.  50 ;  Rom.  xv.  5),  and  not  charac- 
teristically by  works  of  power,  the  Master 
would  be  seen  to  be  still  present  with  the 
disciples.     Comp.  i  John  iii.  10. 

The  well-known  anecdote  of  St  John's 
extreme  old  age  preserved  by  Jerome  ('  ad 
Galat.'  vi.  10)  is  a  striking  comment  on  the 
commandment.  It  is  related  that  the  disciples 
of  the  apostle,  wearied  by  his  constant  repetition 
of  the  words  "  Little  children,  love  one  an- 
other," which  was  all  he  said  when  he  was  often 
carried  into  their  assembly,  asked  him  why  he 
always  said  this.  "  Because,"  he  replied,  "  it 
is  the  Lord's  commandment ;  and  if  it  only 
be  fulfilled  it  is  enough." 

all  men]  The  spectacle  of  love  was  a  wit- 
ness to  the  world  (comp.  xiv.  31,  xvii.  21), 
and  so  it  was  treated  by  the  early  apologists ; 
as,  for  example,  in  the  famous  passage  of 
Tertullian:  "The  heathen  are  wont  to  ex- 
claim with  wonder,  See  how  these  Christians 
love  one  another !  for  they  hate  one  another ; 
and  how  they  are  ready  to  die  for  one  ano- 
ther! for  they  are  more  ready  to  kill  one  ano- 
ther..." ('  Apol.'  39).  This  idea  of  the  wit- 
ness of  Christian  love  is  made  prominent  by 
the  fact  that  the  Lord  says  "  all  men  shall  per- 
ceive (yvcoa-ovrai)  that  ye  are,"  and  not  simply 
"ye  shall  be."  At  a  later  time  Chrysostom 
drew  a  remarkable  picture  of  the  divisions  of 
Christians  as  hindering  the  conversion  of  the 
heathen  ('  Horn,  in  Joh.'  71  fin.). 

my  disciples'}  The  original  form  of  expres- 
sion (e'/iot  (j.adr)Tai)  is  peculiar  and  emphatic. 
Comp.  xv.  8,  iv.  34.  This,  it  is  implied,  was 
the  loftiest  title  to  which  they  aspired. 

36 — 38.  The  view  of  the  position  of  the 
Lord — of  His  victory,  His  departure,  the  per- 
petuation of  His  work — is  completed  by  a 
view  of  the  position  of  the  disciples  as  seen 
in  their  representative,  of  their  doubts,  their 
future  attainment,  their  present  weakness. 

36.  said  (saitli)...'u;£/Yjfer  goest  thou?] 
St  Peter  feels  rightly  that   the  fact  of  the 
Lord's  departure  (v.  33)  is  the  central  point 
of  all  that  He  has  just  said.     In  the  prospect 
of  this  separation  he  cannot  rest  satisfied  with 


*  Matt.  26. 
33- 


37,  38-] 


ST.  JOHN.    XIII. 


199 


not  follow  me  now ;  but  thou  shalt 
follow  me  afterwards. 

37  Peter  said  unto  him,  Lord,  why 
cannot  I  follow  thee  now?  I  will 
Alay  down  my  life  for  thy  sake. 


38  Jesus  answered  him,  Wilt  thou 
lay  down  thy  life  for  my  sake  ?  Ve- 
rily, verily,  I  say  unto  thee,  The 
cock  shall  not  crow,  till  thou  hast  de- 
nied me  thrice. 


the  implied  promise  of  support  and  of  the 
realisation  by  the  disciples  of  the  character  of 
their  absent  Master.  If  Christ  were  indeed 
"the  King  of  Israel"  (comp.  xii.  15),  where 
could  His  kingdom  be  established  if  not  at 
Jerusalem  (comp.  vii.  35)  ?  How  could  the 
King  leave  those  who  had  followed  Him  till 
He  had  claimed  and  received  His  throne? 
The  Latin  rendering  of  the  words  (Domine 
quo  vadis?)  recalls  the  beautiful  legend  of 
St  Peter's  martyrdom  (Acta  Fault,  Hilgfd., 
'  N.  T.  extra  Can.'  iv.  72).  For  the  incom- 
pleteness of  St  Peter's  question  see  xvi.  5. 
His  thoughts  were  fixed  upon  the  material  and 
not  upon  the  spiritual  departure  and  following. 

answered  him~\  Omit  him.  The  question 
itself  is  not  directly  answered,  but  rather  the 
thought  which  St  Peter  cherished  as  he  made 
it.  "  Let  me  only  know  whither  Thou  goest," 
he  seems  to  say,  "and  I  will  go  with  Thee." 
So  the  reply  of  the  Lord  checks  and  yet  en- 
courages the  apostle.  It  is  enough  for  him  to 
know  that  he  shall  follow  his  Master,  though 
not  now.  It  was  impossible  for  him  to  follow 
Christ  at  once,  because  he  was  as  yet  unfitted. 
The  work  which  he  had  to  accomplish  would 
itself  prepare  him  for  this,  and  the  question 
is  mainly  one  of  "going"  and  "following." 
The  idea  of  time  is  subordinate  here,  while  it 
is  otherwise  in  <v.  37.  Comp.  Matt.  xx.  23. 
Comp.  Aug.  'Tr.'  66,  "Noli  extolli  praesu- 
mendo,  non  potes  modo :  noli  dejici  desperando, 
sequeris  postea." 

If  the  original  words  are  compared  with  the 
parallel  words  in  viii.  21  (and  supr.  v.  33) 
it  will  be  observed  that  the  sharp  opposition 
of  persons  (7,  ye)  is  not  preserved  here.  In 


checking  the  disciple  the  Lord  simply  points 
put  the  impossibility  of  an  immediate  follow- 
ing, and  does  not  insist  on  a  contrast  of  cha- 
racter which  makes  the  impossibility. 


3  7.  Peter  said  (s  a  i  t  h)  .  .  .  Zor^,  why  cannot 
I  follow  thee  even  now  (apn,  Vulg.  modo)?] 
St  Peter  assumes  that  the  way  is  one  of  peril, 
but  he  thinks  that  he  has  estimated  the  utmost 
cost  ;  and  even  at  the  moment  he  claims  to  be 
ready. 

lay  down  my  life'}  See  x.  ir,  note.  The 
apostle  confidently  believes  that  he  can  lay 
down  his  life  for  Christ  before  Christ  has  laid 
down  His  life  for  him.  At  a  later  time  he 
learnt  that  it  was  by  Christ's  Passion  his  own 
martyrdom  became  possible,  xxi.  18,  19  (Fol- 
low me). 

38.  Jesus  answered  him,  Wilt  thou  ...] 
Jesus  answereth,  Wilt  thou...  The  exact 
repetition  of  St  Peter's  words  gives  a  singular 
pathos  to  the  reply.  It  is  as  if  the  Lord 
accepted  their  essential  truth,  and  looked  for- 
ward to  their  fulfilment  across  the  long  years 
of  discipline  and  trial  :  "  Wilt  thou  ?  yea,  I 
know  thou  wilt  ;  yet  in  a  way  how  different 
from  that  of  which  thou  art  now  thinking." 
Comp.  Luke  xxii.  31  ff.  In  St  Matthew  (xxvi. 
33)  and  St  Mark  (xiv.  29)  the  prophecy  of 
St  Peter's  denial  is  placed  on  the  way  to 
Gethsemane  in  connexion  with  the  prophecy 
of  the  general  desertion  of  the  apostles.  This 
latter  warning  may  well  have  given  occasion 
to  a  second  expression  of  St  Peter's  individual 
zeal.  Comp.  xvi.  32.  But  in  the  narrative  of 
St  John,  St  Peter  does  not  appear  again  till 
xviii.  10. 


ADDITIONAL  NOTE  on  CHAP.  xm.  18. 


There  are  two  groups  of  explanations  of 
the  choice  of  Judas.  The  first  group  regard 
the  choice  from  the  side  of  the  divine  counsel ; 
the  second  from  the  side  of  the  human  call. 

1.  It  is  said  that  he  was  chosen  in  obedience 
to  God's  will  in  order  that  he  might  betray 
Christ ;  or,  to  represent  the  same  conception 
from  another  point  of  view,  in  order  that  the 
redemption  might  be  accomplished  through 
his  act. 

2.  It  is  said  again  by  some  that  Christ  in 
making  His  choice  of  Judas  did  not  read  the 
inmost  depths  and  issues  of  his  character ;  and 
by  others  that  seeing  all  distinctly  even  to  the 
end  He  kept  him  near  to  Himself  as  one 
trusted  equally  with  the  others  of  the  twelve. 


Both  these  forms  of  explanation  involve 
partial  solutions  of  infinite  problems. 

The  question  raised  by  the  first  group  leads 
us  at  once  to  the  final  mystery  of  divine 
Providence.  This,  as  far  as  we  can  represent 
it  to  ourselves,  deals  with  general  results  and 
not  with  individual  wills. 

The  question  raised  by  the  second  group 
leads  us  at  once  to  the  final  mystery  of  the 
union  of  perfect  divinity  and  perfect  humanity 
in  the  One  Person  of  the  Lord.  And  here 
the  records  of  the  Gospel  lead  us  to  believe 
that  the  Lord  had  perfect  human  knowledge 
realised  in  a  human  way,  and  therefore  limited 
in  some  sense,  and  separable  in  consciousness 
from  His  perfect  divine  omniscience.  He 


2OO 


ST.  JOHN.   XIV. 


T,   2. 


knew  the  thoughts  of  men  absolutely  in  their 
manifold  possibilities,  and  yet,  as  man,  not  in 
their  actual  future  manifestations. 

These  two  final  mysteries  are  not  created 
by  the  fact  that  Judas  was  chosen  by  Christ 
among  the  twelve.  They  really  underlie  all 
religious  life,  and  indeed  all  finite  life.  For 


finite  being  includes  the  possibility  of  sin, 
and  the  possibility  of  fellowship  between  the 
Creator  and  the  creature. 

Thus  we  may  be  content  to  have  this  con- 
crete mystery  as  an  example — the  most  terrible 
example — of  the  issues  of  the  two  fundamental 
mysteries  of  human  existence. 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

Christ  comforteth  his  disciples  with  the  hope 
of  heaven :  6  prqfesseth  himself  the  way,  the 
truth,  and  the  life,  and  one  with  the  Fa- 
ther: 13  assureth  their  prayers  in  his  name 
to  be  effectual:  15  requesteth  love  and  obe- 
dience, 1 6  promiseth  the  Holy  Ghost  the 


Comforter, 
them. 


27  and  leaveth  his  peace  with 


15 


ET  not  your  heart  be  troubled 


ye  believe  in  God,  believe  also 
in  me. 

2  In  my  Father's  house  are  many 


a.     Christ  and  the  Father  (xiv.  i — n). 

This  section  corresponds  closely  in  form  to 
that  which  has  gone  before.  The  Lord  first 
states  the  goal  and  the  purpose  of  His  de- 
parture (vv.  i — 4) ;  and  then  meets  the  two 
crucial  difficulties  wnich  are  expressed  by  St 
Thomas  (vv.  5 — 7)  and  by  St  Philip  (8 — u), 
as  to  the  reality  of  man's  knowledge  of  the 
divine  end  of  life. 

CHAP.  XIV.  1 — 4.  The  succession  of 
thought  implied  in  these  verses  is  singularly 
impressive.  The  ground  idea  is  that  of  de- 
parture, already  stated:  this  departure  is  to 
the  Father's  abode,  with  a  view  to  preparing 
a  place  for,  and  then  coming  again  to,  those 
who  know  the  direction  of  the  journey. 

1.  Let  not  your  heart — the  seat  of  feeling 
and  faith  (Rom.  x.  10) — be  troubled}  Comp. 
v.  ^^.  There  had  been  already  much  to  cause 
alarm  on  this  evening:  ch.  xiii.  21  f.,  33,  36; 
and,  in  particular,  the  last  warning  (xiii.  38) 
might  well  shake  the  confidence  of  the  dis- 
ciples. It  is  easy  therefore  to  imagine  the 
sad  silence  which  followed  that  utterance, 
broken  at  last  by  these  words,  which  for  the 
first  time  open  heaven  to  faith. 

troubled]  v.  27,  xii.  47,  xiii.  ai. 

ye  believe  in  God,  believe  also  in  me]  The 
original  words  are  ambiguous  and  can  be 
interpreted  (as  indeed  they  have  been  inter- 
preted) in  four  ways,  according  as  the  verbs 
are  taken  severally  as  in  the  indicative  or 
imperative  mood: 

i.  Ye  believe  in  God,  and  if  this  be  true,  as 
assuredly  it  is,  ye  believe  also  in  me. 

a.  Ye  believe  in  God,  believe  also  in  me. 
(Vulgate,  A.V.) 

3.  Believe  in  God,  and  (as  a  natural  con- 
sequence) ye  believe  in  me. 

4.  Believe  in  God  and  believe  In  me. 
The  double  imperative  (4)  suits  the  context 

best.  The  changed  order  of  the  object  (Be- 
lieve in  God  and  in  me  believe)  marks  the 
development  of  the  idea.  "Believe  in  God, 
and  yet  more  than  this,  let  your  faith  find  in 


Me  one  on  whom  it  can  rest."  In  Christ 
belief  in  God  gained  a  present  reality.  The 
simultaneous  injunction  of  faith  in  God  and 
in  Christ  under  the  same  conditions  implies 
the  divinity  of  Christ  (irurrtvtrf  etj).  The 
belief  is  "in  Christ,"  and  not  in  any  pro- 
positions about  Christ. 

in  God~\  The  successive  divine  titles  used 
in  the  opening  verses  are  significant :  God,  my 
Father  (v.  2),  the  Father  (v.  6). 

2.  In  my  Father's  house~\  the  spiritual  and 
eternal  antitype  of  the  transitory  temple  (ii. 
1 6)  in  which  I  have  the  right  of  a  son  (comp. 
viii.  36).  Even  as  the  earthly  temple  included 
in  its  court  many  chambers  (i  K.  vi.  5,  6,  10; 
Ezek.  xli.  6),  so  it  is  to  be  conceived  of  the 
heavenly,  as  far  as  earthly  figures  can  sym- 
bolize that  which  is  spiritual.  The  Homeric 
description  of  Priam's  palace  ('II.'  vi.  342  ff.) 
may  help  to  give  distinctness  to  the  image. 
But  it  is  impossible  to  define  further  what  is 
thus  shadowed  out.  Heaven  is  where  God  is 
seen  as  our  Father.  We  dare  not  add  any 
local  limitation,  even  in  thought,  to  this  final 
conception.  And  so  the  vision  of  God  sums 
up  all  that  we  can  conceive  of  the  future  being 
of  the  redeemed. 

many  mansions'}  There  is  room  enough 
for  all  there:  though  you  may  find  no  shelter 
among  men  (xvi.  i,  a),  you  shall  find  it  amply 
with  my  Father.  It  does  not  appear  that 
there  is  in  this  place  any  idea  of  the  variety  of 
the  resting-places,  as  indicating  different  limi- 
tations of  future  happiness.  Such  an  idea 
would  be  foreign  to  the  context,  though  it  is 
suggested  by  other  passages  of  Scripture,  and 
was  current  in  the  Church  from  the  time  of 
Tertullian. 

mansions']  The  rendering  comes  from 
the  Vulgate  mansiones,  which  were  resting- 
places,  and  especially  the  "stations"  on  a 
great  road  where  travellers  found  refreshment. 
This  appears  to  be  the  true  meaning  of  the 
Greek  word  here;  so  that  the  contrasted 
notions  of  repose  and  progress  are  combined 
in  this  vision  of  the  future.  The  word  (pom?) 
occurs  in  N.T.  only  here  and  in  v.  23. 


.  3—5-] 


ST.  JOHN.   XIV. 


2OI 


mansions  :  if  it  were  not  w,  I  would 
have  told  you.  I  go  to  prepare  a 
place  for  you. 

3  And  if  I  go  and  prepare  a  place 
for  you,  I  will  come  again,  and  re- 


ceive you  unto  myself;  that  where  I 
am,  thtre  ye  may  be  also. 

4  And  whither  I  go  ye  know,  and 
the  way  ye  know. 

5  Thomas  saith  unto  him,  Lord, 


if  It  <were  not  so,  I  would  have  told  you,  f  or  / 
go...']  Christ  reminds  His  disciples  that  as 
He  has  told  them  tidings  of  sorrow  so  He 
would  not  have  withheld  anything  from  them. 
But  as  it  is,  His  departure  in  fact  carries  with 
it  the  promise  of  their  reception.  Otherwise 
it  would  only  avail  partially.  This  con- 
nexion seems  better  than  to  regard  the  words 
if  it  (were  not  so...  you  as  a  mere  parenthesis, 
and  to  refer  the  "for,"  which  must  be  in- 
serted in  accordance  with  the  best  authorities, 
to  the  "many  mansions."  The  interrogative 
construction,  "if  it  were  not  so,  would  I 
have  told  you  that  I  go  to  prepare  a  place 
for  you?"  is  far  less  probable:  there  is  in- 
deed no  difficulty  in  supposing  that  a  re- 
ference is  made  to  words  not  directly  re- 
corded (cf.  xii.  26,  &c.,  vi.  36),  but  the 
question  would  be  singularly  abrupt.  Still 
less  likely  is  the  rendering  "if  it  were  not  so,  I 
would  have  told  you  that  I  am  going  to 
prepare  a  place  for  you."  For  Christ  was 
in  fact  going  to  prepare  a  place:  v.  3. 

to  prepare  a  place~\  Comp.  Num.  x.  33. 
Christ  by  His  Death  and  Resurrection  opened 
heaven,  and  by  the  elevation  of  His  humanity 
thus  made  ready  a  place  for  men.  Comp. 
Hebr.  vi.  20 


3.  And  if..  .]  This  departure  is  itself  the 
condition  of  the  return:  separation,  the  cessa- 
tion of  the  present  circumstances  of  fellowship, 
was  the  first  step  towards  complete  union. 

/  <will  come  again,  and  receive..  J  I  come 
again  and  I  will  receive...]  The  idea  of 
Christ's  Presence  (n-opovo-ta)  is  distinctly  im- 
plied here  as  in  xxi.  22  f.  ("comp.  i  John  ii. 
28).  This  idea  is  less  prominent  in  St  John's 
Gospel  and  Epistles  than  in  the  other  writings 
of  the  New  Testament,  because  they  belong 
to  the  period  after  the  first  great  coming  of 
Christ  at  the  overthrow  of  the  Theocracy  by 
the  destruction  of  Jerusalem. 

But  though  the  words  refer  to  the  last 
"coming"  of  Christ,  the  promise  must  not  be 
limited  to  that  one  "coming"  which  is  the 
consummation  of  all  "comings."  Nor  again 
must  it  be  confined  to  the  "coming"  to  the 
Church  on  the  day  of  Pentecost,  or  to  the 
"coming"  to  the  individual  either  at  con- 
version or  at  death,  though  these  "comings" 
are  included  in  the  thought.  Christ  is  in  fact 
from  the  moment  of  His  Resurrection  ever 
coming  to  the  world  and  to  the  Church,  and 
to  men  as  the  Risen  Lord  (comp.  i.  9). 

This  thought  is  expressed  by  the  use  of  the 
present  I  come  as  distinguished  from  the  future 


/  will  come,  as  of  one  isolated  future  act.  The 
"coming"  is  regarded  in  its  continual  present, 
or,  perhaps  it  may  be  said,  eternal  reality. 
Comp.  w.  18,  28,  (xvii.  n,  13),  (xxi.  22  f.). 
On  the  other  hand,  see,  for  the  definite 
historical  fulfilment,  xiv.  23. 

Side  by  side  with  this  constant  coming, 
realised  through  the  action  of  the  Holy  Spirit 
in  the  life  of  the  Church  (i>.  26),  is  placed  the 
personal,  historical,  reception  of  each  believer 
(/  will  take  you  to  myself)  fulfilled  through 
death. 

unto  myself]  the  centre  and  spring  of  your 
joy  and  glory.  Christ  will  not  fail  His 
disciples,  though  they  may  fail  (xiii.  38). 

Augustine  rightly  observes  that  these 
phrases  of  "going"  and  "coming"  are  not  to 
be  interpreted  of  local  transference:  "Si  bene 
intelligo,  nee  unde  vadis  nee  unde  venis,  re- 
cedis:  vadis  latendo,  venis  apparendo." 

The  double  correspondence  in  the  language 
of  the  two  clauses,  go — come;  prepare  a  place 
— take  you  to  myself,  gives  distinctness  to  the 
two  aspects  of  Christ's  work. 

that  twhere  I  am...'}  Presence  with  Christ, 
as  involving  the  vision  of  His  glory  (xvii.  24), 
carries  with  it  participation  in  His  Nature. 
Comp.  i  John  iii.  a.  See  also  vii.  34,  36, 
viii.  21  f.,  xii.  26. 

4.  twhither  I  go  ye  know,  and  the  way  ye 
know]  According  to  the  true  reading,  whither 
I  go  ye  know  tne  way.      However  indis- 
tinct might  be  the  conception  which  the  disci- 
ples had  of  the  goal  to  which  the  Lord  was 
going,  they  could  at  least  see  the  direction  in 
which   He  went.     His  life,   as  they  looked 
upon  it,  made  this  clear.    Hence  the  pronoun 
is  emphatic  here—"  whither  I — I  as  ye  know 
me — am  going,"  while  it  does  not  occur  in  the 
earlier  clauses  of  v.  3  or  in  St  Thomas'  repe- 
tition of  the  words  v.  5  ;  nor  is  the  following 
"  ye  "  emphatic. 

5—11.  The  revelation  which  the  Lord  had 
given  of  the  purpose  of  His  approaching  sepa- 
ration creates  questioning  among  the  disciples. 
How  can  they  have  any  true  conception  of  the 
"  way  "  of  which  He  spoke  ?  How  can  they 
have  any  true  knowledge  of  the  Father  ?  The 
first  question  is  proposed  by  St  Thomas  (5 — 
7)  ;  and  the  second  by  St  Philip  (8— u). 

5.  Thomas  saith]    xi.  16,  note. 

and  how  can  we  know  the  wayf]  The 
true  text  gives  a  short  sentence:  how  know 
we  the  way  f  This  question  of  St  Thomas 
expresses  a  natural  difficulty  as  to  the  Lord's 


2O2 


ST.  JOHN.   XIV. 


[v.  6—8. 


we   know  not  whither  thou   goest; 
and  how  can  we  know  the  way  ? 

6  Jesus  saith  unto  him,  I  am  the 
way,  the  truth,  and  the  life :  no 
man  cometh  unto  the  Father,  but 
by  me. 


7  If  ye  had  known  me,  ye  should 
have   known   my   Father   also :  and 
from  henceforth  ye  know  him,  and 
have  seen  him. 

8  Philip  saith  unto  him,  Lord,  shew 
us  the  Father,  and  it  sufficeth  us. 


statement.  For  us  generally  a  clear  apprehen- 
sion of  the  end  is  the  condition  of  knowing 
the  way.  But  in  spiritual  things  faith  is  con- 
tent to  move  forward  step  by  step.  There  is 
a  happiness  in  "  not  seeing,"  xx.  29.  The 
"way"  is  itself  the  revelation,  and  for  man 
the  only  possible  revelation,  of  the  end. 

6  f.  The  answer  of  the  Lord  is  more  com- 
prehensive than  the  question  of  St  Thomas. 
The  question  is  answered  by  the  first  clause : 
"  I  am  the  way;"  but  such  a  statement  itself 
requires  interpretation,  and  this  is  given  in 
the  clauses  which  follow.  To  know  Christ  is 
to  know  all,  to  know  both  the  goal  and  the 
way.  He  is  in  the  fullest  sense  the  way,  and 
the  guide,  and  the  strength  of  men ;  and  be- 
side Him  there  is  none  other. 

6.  I  am  ...]  not  simply  "  I  reveal,"  or  "  I 
"  open,"  or  "  I  make,  as  a  prophet  or  a  law- 
giver." Christ  is  all  Himself.  The  pronoun 
is  emphatic,  and  at  once  turns  the  thoughts 
of  the  apostles  from  a  method  to  a  Person. 

The  beautiful  paraphrase  of  the  verse  by 
Thomas  a  Kempis  may  be  quoted  in  his  own 
words:  "Ego  sum  via,  veritas  et  vita.  Sine 
via  non  itur,  sine  veritate  non  cognoscitur, 
sine  vita  non  vivitur.  Ego  sum  via  quam 
sequi  debes:  veritas  cui  credere  debes:  vita 
quam  sperare  debes."  ('  De  imit.'  in.  56.) 

the  <way~\  by  which  the  two  worlds  are 
united,  so  that  men  may  pass  from  one  to  the 
other.  Comp.  Heb.  ix.  8,  x.  20;  Eph.  ii.  18. 
Hence,  perhaps,  the  Christian  faith  is  spoken 
of  as  "the  way:"  Acts  ix.  2,  xix.  9,  23,  xxii. 
4,  xxiv.  22.  The  use  of  the  corresponding 
word  in  the  Chinese  mystical  system  of  Lao- 
tse  is  of  interest.  "In  the  mysticism  of  Lao 
the  term  [Tao,  'the  way,'  'the  chief  way']  is 
applied  to  the  supreme  cause,  the  way  or  pas- 
sage through  which  everything  enters  into 
life,  and  at  the  same  time  to  the  way  of  the 
highest  perfection"  (Tiele,  'Hist,  of  Rel.' 
P-  37)- 

the  truth}  in  which  is  summed  up  all  that 
is  eternal  and  absolute  in  the  changing  phe- 
nomena of  finite  being.  Comp.  viii.  32,  i. 
14, 17;  i  John  v.  6  in  connexion  with  ch.  xiv. 
26 ;  Eph.  iv.  21.  For  St  John's  conception 
of  Truth  see  Introduction,  pp.  xliv.  f.  See 
also  Jer.  x.  10  (Hebr.)  and  Maimonides, 
'  Yad  Hach.'  i.  i. 

the  life~\  by  which  the  entire  sum  of  being 
fulfils  one  continuous  purpose,  answering  to 
the  divine  will  (comp.  i.  3,  4),  no  less  than 
that  by  which  each  individual  being  is  enabled 


to  satisfy  its  own  law  of  progress  and  to 
minister  to  the  whole  of  which  it  is  a  part. 
Comp.  xi.  25  ;  Col.  iii.  4. 

It  is  most  instructive  to  notice  the  two 
connexions  in  which  Christ  reveals  Himself  to 
be  "the  Life."  Comp.  xi.  25,  note. 

no  man  comet b  unto  the  Father . . .]  Here  for 
the  first  time  the  end  of  "  the  way,"  even  tne 
Father,  is  distinctly  told. 

but  by  (through)  me']  It  is  only  through 
Christ  that  we  can,  though  in  God  (Acts 
xvii.  28),  apprehend  God  as  the  Father,  and 
so  approach  the  Father.  The  preposition 
probably  marks  the  agent  (comp.  i.  3,  10, 
17;  i  John  iv.  9);  but  it  is  possible  that 
Christ  may  represent  Himself  as  the  "  door  " 
(x.  i,  9).  It  does  not  follow  that  every  one 
who  is  guided  by  Christ  is  directly  conscious 
of  His  guidance. 

7.  If  ye  had  known  me — come  to  know 
(fyvaxfire)  me  in  the  successive  revelations  of 
myself  which  I  have  made— -ye  should  have 
known — have  enjoyed  a  certain  and  assured 
knowledge  of  (flSeire)  my  Father  also]     "  The 
Father"  of  v.  *6  is  now  regarded  under  His 
special  relation  to  Christ.     The  disciples,  it  is 
implied,  would  have  had  no  need  to  ask  about 
Christ's  goal  and  theirs,  if  they  had  really 
known  Him.    The  change  of  verb  (eyi/w/cetre, 
jfSfire)  and  the  change  of  order  (ft'  e-yvw/c.  fxe, 
rev  TT.  /i.  av  j;S.)  are  both  significant.     Comp. 
viii.  19. 

from  henceforth  (omit  and) — from  this 
crisis  in  my  self-revelation-—^  know  him,  and 
have  seen  bim\  The  announcement  which 
Christ  had  made  had  placed  the  Nature  of  the 
Father  in  a  clear  light.  The  disciples  could 
no  longer  doubt  as  to  His  character  or  pur- 
pose. In  this  sense  they  had  "  seen  the  Fa- 
ther," though  God  is  indeed  invisible  (i.  18). 
They  had  looked  upon  Him  as  He  is  made 
known  in  His  fatherly  relation,  and  not  as  He 
is  in  Himself.  From  that  time  forward  the 
knowledge  and  the  vision  became  part  of  their 
spiritual  being.  Comp.  i  John  ii.  13. 

8.  St  Thomas  remains  silent.     The  same 
faith,  we  may  suppose,  which  afterwards  ena- 
bled him  to  give  expression  to  the  great  con- 
fession, xx.  28,  now  kept  him  pondering  on 
the  meaning  of  Christ's  words.    St  Philip,  on 
the  other  hand,  takes  hold  on  the  last  word 
and  seeks  to   obtain   vision   in  a  more  un- 
questionable form.    He  wishes  to  gain  bodily 
sight  in  place  of  the  sight  of  the  soul. 

Philip]  i.  46  (47);  vi.  7,  xii.  21  ff. 


v.  9— i 


ST.  JOHN.    XIV. 


203 


9  Jesus  saith  unto  him,  Have  I 
been  so  long  time  with  you,  and  yet 
hast  thou  not  known  me,  Philip  ?  he 
that  hath  seen  me  hath  seen  the  Fa- 
ther; and  how  sayest  thou  then^  Shew 
us  the  Father  ? 

10  Believest  thou  not  that  I  am 
in  the    Father,   and    the   Father   in 


me  ?  the  words  that  I  speak  unto 
you  I  speak  not  of  myself:  but  the 
Father  that  dwelleth  in  me,  he  doeth 
the  works. 

ii  Believe  me  that  I  am  in  the 
Father,  and  the  Father  in  me :  or 
else  believe  me  for  the  very  works' 
sake. 


shew  us~]  As  the  revelation  was  once 
made  to  Moses  (Exod.  xxxiii.  17  ff.),  and  as 
it  has  been  promised  in  the  prophets  (Isai.  xl. 
5).  The  new  dispensation  naturally  seemed 
to  call  for  a  new  manifestation  of  the  divine 
glory.  The  request  at  the  same  time  implies 
the  belief  that  Christ  could  satisfy  it.  Comp. 
Matt.  xi.  27. 

it  sufficeth  us"]  We  shall  be  contented  then 
even  to  be  left  alone ;  we  shall  ask  and  we 
shall  need  no  more. 

9.  Have  I  been... twit h you... ,]  The  thought 
is  primarily  of  the  self-revelation  of  Christ, 
and  not  of  the  power  of  observation  in  the 
disciples  (Have  ye  been... with  me...). 

...and yet  hast  thou  not  known. ..]  and  dost 
thou  not  know  me?  hast  thou  not  come  to 
know  me  (fyvumas)  ?  The  life  of  Christ  was 
the  true  manifestation  of  the  Father,  whose 
will  and  nature  could  be  discerned  in  the  acts 
and  words  of  His  Son.  A  theophany — an 
apparition  of  God's  glory — could  only  go  a 
little  way  in  shewing  His  holiness  and  justice 
and  love. 

known  me]  The  Lord  does  not  say  here 
"  the  Father ; "  He  points  out  first  the  way  to 
the  end. 

Philip]  There  is  an  evident  pathos  in  this 
direct  personal  appeal.  The  only  partial  paral- 
lels in  St  John  are  in  xx.  16  (Mary);  xxi.  15 
(Simon  son  of  John)  ;  the  insertion  of  Thomas 
in  xx.  29  is  a  false  reading.  See  also  Luke 
xxii.  31,  x.  41;  Matt.  xvi.  17,  xvii.  25;  Mark 
xiv.  37. 

be  that  hath  seen  me  hath  seen  the  Father] 
hath  seen  not  God  in  His  absolute  being 
(i.  1 8),  but  God  revealed  in  this  relation. 
Comp.  xii.  45,  xv.  24 ;  Col.  i.  15  ;  Heb.  i.  3. 
Comp.  i.  1 8,  note. 

The  words  give  for  all  time  a  definiteness 
to  the  object  of  religious  faith ;  and  it  is  im- 
possible to  mistake  the  claim  which  they  ex- 
press. 

and  (omit)  ho<w  sayest  thou  (emphatic)] 
thou,  who  from  the  first  didst  obey  my  com- 
mand (i.  43,  44),  and  recognise  m  me  the 
fulfilment  of  the  promises  of  God  (i.  45), 
and  appeal  to  sight  as  the  proof  of  my  claims 
(i.  46). 

10.  Believest  thou  not...']  It  was  a  question 
of  belief,  for  the  Lord  had  expressed  the  truth 
plainly  at  an  earlier  time,  x.  38. 

I  am  in  the  Father,  and  the  Father  in  me~\ 


In  x.  38,  the  order  is  different,  inasmuch  as 
the  notion  of  divine  power  is  there  made  the 
starting-point.  The  teaching  of  Christ  shewed 
how  He  was  in  closest  communion  with  the 
Father ;  His  works  shewed  how  the  Father 
wrought  in  Him. 

the  'words']  the  special  utterances  (TO  p/;- 
fiara),  the  parts  of  the  one  great  message,  xv. 
7,  xvii.  8.  Comp.  iii.  34,  v.  47,  vi.  63,  68, 
viii.  30,  47,  x.  21,  xii.  47  f. 

speak  (say)... speak]  The  former  verb  notes 
the  substance  (Xtyw)  and  the  latter  the  form 
of  the  teaching  (XcXoS).  Comp.  xii.  49  f.,  xvi. 
18;  Matt.  xiii.  3,  xiv.  27,  xxiii.  i,  xxviii.  18 ; 
Mark  v.  36,  vi.  50;  Luke  xxiv.  6;  Rom.  iii. 
19,  &c. 

of  myself]     Comp.  v.  19,  note. 

but  the  Father...'}  My  teaching  is  not  self- 
originated,  but  on  the  contrary  my  whole 
Life  is  the  manifestation  of  the  Father's  will. 

the  Father  that  dwelleth  in  me,  he  doeth  the 
'works']  According  to  the  true  reading,  the 
Father  abiding  in  me  doeth  His  works, 
carrieth  out  actively  His  purpose  in  many 
ways,  and  my  teaching  is  part  of  this  purpose. 
"The  works"  were  the  elements  of  "the 
work"  (iv.  34,  xvii.  4,  v.  36,  ix.  4),  and  they 
are  said  to  be  wrought  by  the  Son  (x.  37)  as 
by  the  Father.  Comp.  v.  19  f.,  notes. 

The  words  and  the  works  of  Christ  are 
pointed  out  as  the  two  proofs  of  His  union 
with  the  Father,  the  former  appealing  to  the 
spiritual  consciousness,  the  latter  to  the  intel- 
lect. The  former  were  a  revelation  of  charac- 
ter, the  latter  primarily  of  power;  and  na- 
turally the  former  have  the  precedence.  Comp. 
xv.  24,  note. 

11.  Believe...']  The  verb  is  here  plural, 
iri(rrtvfT€  contrasted  with  7rior«i5eir,  "V.  10). 
Philip  had  expressed  the  thoughts  of  his  fellow- 
disciples,  and  now  the  Lord  addresses  all. 
Believe  me  that.. .accept  my  own  statement  as 
final. 

or  else]  if  my  Person,  my  life,  my  words, 
do  not  command  faith,  then  follow  the  way  of 
reason,  and  from  the  divinity  of  my  works-de- 
duce the  divinity  of  my  nature  (cf.  v.  36). 
Comp.  x.  37  f.,  iii.  2- 

3.     Christ  and  the  disciples  (12 — 21). 
In  the  last  sub-section  (8 — ii)  the  thoughts 
of  the  disciples  were  concentrated  on  the  ob- 
jective manifestation  of  God  without  them; 


204 


ST.  JOHN.    XIV. 


[v.   12 — 14. 


12  Verily,  verily,  I  say  unto  you, 
He  that  believeth  on  me,  the  works 
that  I  do  shall  he  do  also ;  and  greater 
works  than  these  shall  he  doj  because 
I  go  unto  my  Father. 


13  a  And  whatsoever  ye  shall  ask  in  a 
my  name,  that  will  I  do,  that  the 
Father  may  be  glorified  in  the  Son. 

14  If  ye  shall  ask  any  thing  in  my 
name,  I  will  do  it. 


Matt- 


they  are  now  turned  to  the  subjective  manifes- 
tation of  God  within  them.  Three  aspects  of 
this  progressive  revelation  are  brought  out  in 
succession.  The  disciples  continue  Christ's 
work  in  virtue  of  their  relation  to  Him  (12 — 
14).  He  still  carries  out  His  work  and  pro- 
vides for  them  "another  Advocate"  (15 — 17). 
He  comes  to  them  Himself  (18 — 21). 

A  comparison  of  xiii.  33  ff.,  xiv.  i  ff.,  xiv. 
jta  ff.,  will  shew  a  striking  progress  in  the  un- 
folding of  the  vision  of  Christ's  departure. 

12—14.  Christ's  departure  enables  the  dis- 
ciples to  do  through  His  intercession  greater 
works  than  He  had  done,  in  order  that  the 
Father  may  be  glorified  in  the  Son. 

12.  Verily,  verily..."]  Christ  had  appealed 
to  His  works  as  a  secondary  ground  of  belief. 
He  now  shews  that  the  true  believer  will  him- 
self do  the  same  works.  Such  works  flow 
from  the  Son  and  from  those  in  fellowship  with 
Him ;  but  the  life  and  the  nature  lie  deeper. 

believeth  on  me~\  as  the  result  of  believing 
me  (v.  n). 

shall  he  do  also...']  The  emphatic  pro- 
noun fixes  attention  upon  the  person  already 
characterized  Comp.  vi.  57,  and  w.  ai,  a6 ; 
xii.  48,  ix.  37;  v.  39,  i.  18,  33. 

greater  works  than  these  (which  I  do 
in  my  earthly  ministry)  shall  he  do\  "greater" 
that  is,  as  including  the  wider  spiritual  effects 
of  their  preaching  which  followed  after  Pente- 
cost (Acts  ii.  41;.  "  Evangelizantibus  discipu- 
lis...gentes  etiam  crediderunt ;  haec  sunt  sine 
dubitatione  majora"  (Aug.  ad  loc.).  There  is 
no  reference  to  miracles  of  a  more  extraor- 
dinary kind  (e.g.  Acts  xix.  la),  as  if  there 
were  a  possibility  of  this  material  comparison 
(yet  comp.  Matt.  xxi.  21  f.).  Nor  can 
"greater"  be  regarded  as  equivalent  to 
''more." 

These  "greater  works"  are  also  works  of 
Christ,  being  done  by  those  who  "believe  on 
Him." 

because..."]  The  elevation  of  Christ  in  His 
humanity  to  the  right  hand  of  God  carries 
with  it  the  pledge  of  the  greater  works  pro- 
mised. The  idea  is  not  that  the  disciples  will 
henceforward  work  because  Christ  will  be 
absent;  but  that  His  going  increases  their 
power  (xvi.  7;  comp.  Eph.  iv.  8  ff.;  Phil.  iv. 
13).  The  emphatic  pronoun  (I)  does  not 
give  a  contrast  with  "ye,"  but  brings  out  the 
fulness  of  Christ's  personality. 

my  Father]  the  Father  according  to  the 
true  reading.  The  title  gives  the  ground  of 
fellowship. 


13.  And  'whatsoever...']  This  clause  may  be 
either  a  continuation  of  the  former  clause  and 
dependent  on  "because;"  or  a  new  and  in- 
dependent clause  carrying  forward  the  thought 
one  stage  further.  The  second  alternative 
appears  to  be  preferable.  The  union  of 
Christ,  perfect  man,  with  the  Father  gives  the 
assurance  of  the  greater  works ;  and  yet  more, 
Christ  for  the  glory  of  the  Father  will  fulfil 
the  prayer  of  the  disciples. 

ask  (of  God)  in  my  name]  The  phrase  in 
my  tame  occurs  here  first.  Compare  in  the 
name  of  my  Father,  v.  43,  x.  aj,  (xii.  13),  xvii. 
6,  n,  i  a,  a6,  and  the  words  of  the  Evangelist, 
i.  la,  ii.  33,  iii.  18,  xx.  ai. 

Now  at  last  the  Lord  has  revealed  His  Person 
to  the  disciples,  and  they  are  enabled  to  ap- 
prehend His  relation  to  themselves  and  to  the 
Father.  Thus  the  phrase  occurs  throughout 
this  section  of  the  Gospel,  xiv.  a 6,  "the  Holy 
Spirit,  whom  the  Father  will  send  in  my  name;" 
xv.  1 6,  "  that  whatsoever  ye  shall  ask(mT»?Tf, 
amjoT/re)  the  Father  in  my  name,  He  may  give 
you;"  xvi,  33,  "if  ye  shall  ask  (aipfoTyrf)  any- 
thing of  the  Father,  He  will  give  it  you  in  my 
name;"  xvi.  24,  " hitherto  have  ye  asked  (rjnj- 
trare)  nothing  in  my  name;"  xvi.  26,  "in  that 
day  ye  shall  ask  (ain/o-ecr^c)  in  my  name." 
Comp.  xv.  21. 

The  meaning  of  the  phrase  is  "as  being  one 
with  me  even  as  I  am  revealed  to  you."  Its 
two  correlatives  are  in  me  (vi.  56,  xiv.  20, 
xv.  4  ff.,  xvi.  33;  comp.  i  John  v.  20);  and 
the  Pauline  in  Christ.  It  occurs  elsewhere  in 
the  New  Testament  in  Mark  ix.  38,  xvi.  17; 
Luke  x.  17;  Acts  ii.  38,  iii.  6,  iv.  10.  The 
phrase  in  the  name  (e'i/  TO>  ovonart)  must  be 
distinguished  from  the  cognate  phrases  into 
the  name,  on  the  name  (fly  TO  ovofw,  eVt  ro> 
ovofiari,  and  TO>  ovo'/iari),  which  are  also 
found. 

Augustine  remarks  that  the  prayer  in 
Christ's  name  must  be  consistent  with  Christ's 
character,  and  that  He  fulfils  it  as  Saviour, 
and  therefore  just  so  far  as  it  conduces  to 
salvation. 

that  (this)  will  Ida]  There  is  exact  con- 
formity between  the  disciples'  prayer  and 
Christ's  will.  He  promises  Himself  to  do 
what  they  ask,  and  not  only  that  they  shall 
receive  their  petition. 

that  the  Father... ,]  that  God  may  be  openly 
revealed  in  majesty  as  Father  in  the  Son, 
for  he  who  obtains  his  prayer  through  Christ, 
who  claims  to  act  in  the  Father's  name  (v.  43), 
necessarily  gains  a  more  living  and  grateful 
sense  of  the  Father's  power  and  love.  The 


i— 


ST.  JOHN.   XIV. 


205 


15  H  If  ye  love  me,  keep  my  com- 
mandments. 

16  And  I  will  pray  the  Father, 
and  he  shall  give  you  another  Com- 


forter, that  he  may  abide  with   you 
for  ever  j 

17  Even  the  Spirit  of  truth;  whom 
the  world  cannot  receive,  because  it 


condition  — the  furtherance  of  the  Father's 
glory — furnishes  the  true  limitation  of  prayer. 
Comp.  xiii.  31  ("the  Son  of  man...  and 
God..."). 

14.  If  ye  shall  ask  any  thing  in  my  name. . .] 
The  most  ancient  authorities  add  me:  if  ye 
shall  ask  me  anything...    This  reading  gives  a 
fresh  and  important  thought.     Prayer  is  to  be 
made  not  only  in  the  name  of  Christ,  as  pleading 
His  office  in   union  with   Him ;    but    also 
to  Christ. 

I  will  do  it]  Or  perhaps  this  (or  that)  will 
1  do  (rovro  ironj<ro>).  The  reading  is  uncertain ; 
but  on  the  whole  it  seems  best  to  regard  the 
personal  pronoun  as  emphatic  here  (<yw  jroij- 
<ro>),  so  that  it  marks  as  elsewhere  the  action 
of  Christ  in  the  fulness  of  His  double  nature. 

15 — 17.  Christ  after  His  departure  con- 
tinues His  work  for  His  disciples,  and  pro- 
vides for  them  an  abiding  Advocate.  But  the 
efficiency  of  His  action  for  them  depends 
upon  their  fellowship  with  Him  through  loving 
obedience. 

15.  If  ye  love  me..."]  The  thought  of  love 
follows  that  of  faith  (v.  12).     Faith  issues  in 
works  of  power:  love  in  works  of  devotion. 
The  subject  of  the  love  of  the  disciples  for 
Christ  (comp.  viii.  42)  is  peculiar  to  this  and 
the  following  section  (15 — 31). 

keep]  According  to  the  true  reading,  ye  will 
keep.  Obedience  is  the  necessary  consequence 
of  love.  The  imperative  reading  gives  a  false 
turn  to  the  thought.  Love  carries  with  it 
practical  devotion,  and  this  calls  out  the 
intercession  of  the  Lord;  or,  in  other  words, 
love  for  Christ  finds  practical  expression  in 
love  for  the  brethren,  which  is  His  com- 
mandment (xiii.  34).  Comp.  xv.  10,  xiv.  21, 
23 ;  (i  John  v.  3). 

my  commandments]  The  commandments  that 
are  mine,  characteristic  of  me  (ras  eVroXar  ra? 
(pas,  comp.  xv.  9  note,  xv.  ia:  in  v.  21, 
xv.  10,  raj  fvroXds  ftow).  The  phrase  in  this 
connexion  is  nothing  short  of  a  claim  to 
divine  authority. 

It  may  be  added  that  this  conception  of 
"  keeping  God's  commandments  given  through 
Christ"  is  characteristic  of  St  John's  writings: 
xv.  10;  i  John  ii.  3  f.,  iii.  24,  v.  a  f. ;  a  John 
6:  Rev.  xii.  17.  "Compare  with  this  wider 
meaning  Matt.  xix.  17;  i  Tim.  vi.  14. 

16.  And  I  will  pray  (ask)...]     I  on  my 
part,  when  the  due  time  has  come.     Active 
love  on  the  part  of  Christ  corresponds  to 
active  love  on  the  part  of  the  disciples.     The 
mission  of  the  Paraclete  is  from  the  Father 


who  sent  His  Son  (iii.  17).  In  this  lies  the 
perfect  assurance  of  love;  so  that  there  is  a 
correspondence  between  "I  will  do"  (v.  13) 
and  "I  will  ask  and  he  shall  give."  Comp. 
xvi.  7.  On  ask  (eparai/)  see  xvi.  26  note. 

the  Father]  In  this  common  title  lies  the 
pledge  that  the  prayer  will  be  granted. 

shall  give]  Not  send  simply  (v.  26),  but 
(as  it  were)  assign  to  you  as  your  own.  Comp. 
iii.  16;  i  John  iii.  i,  24,  iv.  13;  Matt.  x.  20. 

another  Comforter  (Advocate)]  See 
Note  at  the  end  of  the  Chapter.  The 
phrase  appears  to  mark  distinctly  the  Per- 
sonality of  the  Paraclete,  and  His  true 
Divinity.  He  is  "another,"  yet  such  that  in 
His  coming  Christ  too  may  be  said  to  come 
(v.  18). 

abide  with  you]  be  with  you,  according  to 
the  true  text.  Three  different  prepositions  are 
used  to  describe  the  relation  of  the  Holy 
Spirit  to  believers.  He  is  "with  (/xerd)  them." 
He  "abideth  by  (napa)  them."  He  is  "in 
(fV)  them."  The  first  marks  the  relation  of 
fellowship:  comp.  xiv.  9,  xv.  27.  The 
second  that  of  a  personal  presence:  comp.  viii. 
38,  xiv.  23,  25,  xvii.  5.  The  third  that  of 
individual  indwelling:  comp.  xiv.  10  f. 

for  ever]  Christ's  historical  Presence  was 
only  for  a  time.  His  spiritual  Presence 
was  "for  all  the  days  until  the  consummation 
of  the  age"  (Matt,  xxviii.  20).  This  Pre- 
sence was  fulfilled  through  the  Spirit. 

17.  the  Spirit  of  truth]  the  Spirit  by  whom 
the  Truth  finds  expression  and  is  brought  to 
man's  spirit  (xv.  26,  xvi.  13;  i  John  iv.  6 
[opposed  to  "the  spirit  of  error"].  Comp. 
i  John  v.  6).  Comp.  i  Cor.  ii.  12  ff.  The 
Truth  is  that  which  the  Spirit  interprets  and 
enforces.  The  gen.  after  "Spirit"  describes 
in  some  cases  (i)  its  characteristic,  and  in 
other  cases,  (a)  its  source.  In  the  first  sense 
we  read  Eph.  i.  13 ;  Hebr.  x.  29.  Comp.  Eph. 
i.  17;  Luke  xiii.  ii;  Rom.  i.  4,  viii.  15,  xi.  8; 
i  Cor.  iv.  21 ;  a  Tim.  i.  7.  On  the  other 
hand  we  have  i  Cor.  vi.  n;  Rom.  viii.  n; 
i  Cor.  ii.  ii  f. 

the  world]  Comp.  Additional  Note  on  i. 
10. 

cannot  receive]  because  sympathy  is  a  neces- 
sary condition  for  reception.  The  soul  can 
apprehend  that  only  for  which  it  has  affinity 
(i  Cor.  ii.  14).  They  who  stand  apart  from 
Christ  have  neither  the  spiritual  eye  to  discern 
the  Paraclete,  nor  the  spiritual  power  to  ac- 
knowledge Him.  Immediate  vision  is  the  one 
test  which  the  world  admits.  The  world 
be&oldetli  (comp.  ii.  a3,  note,  xvi.  16)  him 


2O6 


ST.  JOHN.    XIV. 


[v.  1 8 — 20. 


I  Or, 
orf/uita. 


seeth  him  not,  neither  knoweth  him : 
but  ye  know  him ;  for  he  dwelleth 
with  you,  and  shall  be  in  you. 

1 8  I  will  not  leave  you  u  comfort- 
less :  I  will  come  to  you. 


19 

world 


Yet  a  little    while,    and    the 
seeth    me   no  more ;    but    ye 
because  I  live,  ye  shall  live 


see  me 
also. 

20  At  that  day  ye  shall  know  that 


not,  neither  knoweth  (comp.  ii.  25,  note)  him. 
This  inability  to  receive  the  Spirit  is  empha- 
sized by  the  fact  that  "His  own  people" 
received  not  the  Word  (i.  n).  Even  of  the 
disciples  it  is  not  said  that  they  "  see "  the 
Paraclete. 

because. ..for  (because)...]  It  is  to  be 
noticed  that  the  order  of  thought  in  the  two 
clauses  is  reversed.  With  the  world  want  ot 
vision  prevented  possession.  With  the  dis- 
ciples the  personal  presence  of  the  Paraclete 
brought  knowledge,  and  with  that  knowledge 
the  power  of  more  complete  reception.  Comp. 
Matt.  xxv.  29. 

but  (omit)  ye  know  him]  On  the  other 
hand,  the  disciples  had  so  far  realised  their 
fellowship  with  Christ,  that  of  them  it  could 
be  said,  even  as  they  looked  with  uncertainty  to 
the  future,  "  ye  know  (yii/wo-KfTe)  Him,"  with 
a  knowledge  inchoate  indeed,  yet  real.  For  in 
Christ  the  Spirit  was  truly  present  already,  if 
not  in  His  characteristic  manifestation ;  just  as 
Christ  is  present  now  with  His  Church  in  the 
Spirit.  In  this  sense  it  could  be  said  of  the 
Spirit,  even  before  Pentecost,  Heabideth  lay  you 
and  is  in  you,  according  to  a  reading  which 
has  strong  support.  For  the  time  the  Spirit 
was  in  Christ;  afterwards  Christ  has  been  for 
us  in  the  Spirit.  And  His  Presence  is  twofold, 
in  the  Society  and  in  the  individual;  He 
"  abideth  beside  "  us  in  the  Church ;  and  He 
"is"  in  each  believer.  The  common  reading 
"  shall  be  in  you "  has  considerable  support, 
and  the  two  forms  in  the  original  (lorai, 
e'ori)  are  liable  to  confusion,  but  the  present 
tense  appears  to  be  less  like  a  correction. 
Comp.  a  John  2. 

18 — 21.  A  third  topic  of  consolation  on 
Christ's  departure  lies  in  the  fact  that  He  will 
Himself  come  to  the  disciples,  and  make  His 
Person  clearer  to  them  than  before. 

18.  I  will  not  leave  (x.  12,  xvi.  32,  viii.  29) 
you  comfortless]  Orphans  (Lam.  v.  3),  bereft 
of  your  natural  and  loving  guardian  (op(j>a- 
vovs,  Vulg.  orfanos).  Christ  presents  Himself 
to  the  disciples  as  a  Father  of  "children" 
(xiii.  33),  no  less  than  as  a  brother  (xx.  17; 
comp.  Hebr.  ii.  n  f.).  "Ipse  circa  nos  pa- 
ternum  affectum  quodammodo  demonstrat" 
(Aug.  adloc.).  The  very  word  which  describes 
their  sorrow  confirms  their  sonship. 

I  will  come~]  I  come,  ever  and  at  all  times 
I  am  coming.  The  positive  promise  is  not 
for  the  future  only,  but  abiding.  Comp.  vv. 
3,  a8,  xxi.  22  f.  The  fulfilment  of  the  promise 
began  at  the  Resurrection,  when  Christ's 


humanity  was  glorified ;  and  the  promise  was 
potentially  completed  at  Pentecost.  The  life 
of  the  Church  is  the  realisation  of  the  Pente* 
costal  coming  of  the  Lord,  which  is  to  be 
crowned  by  His  coming  to  Judgment.  No 
one  specific  application  of  the  phrase  exhausts 
its  meaning.  Comp.  v.  3,  note. 

19.  Yet  a  little  <while~]     That   is,    to  the 
close  of  Christ's  earthly  natural  life  (comp. 
vii.  33,  xii.  35,  p.  XP-  ?   xiii.  33,  xvi.  16  ff., 
/itxp.)-     So  long,   in  some  sense,  the  world 
continued  to  "see"  (behold)  Christ  even  if 
they  did  not  "know  "  Him,  through  the  con- 
ditions of  His  transitory  manifestation.     The 
disciples,  on  the  other  hand,  in  virtue  of  the 
principle  of  spiritual  life  within  them,  did  not 
wholly  lose  the  power  of  "seeing"  (behold- 
ing)   Christ  by   His  death.     They  "beheld 
Him,"  so  far  as  they  were  still  able  to  receive 
His  revelations  of  Himself;    they  "did  not 
behold  Him"  (xvi.  16),  so  far  as  they  had  not 
yet  gained  the  lasting  vision  of  His  divine 
glory.     The  words  exclude  the  error  of  those 
who  suppose  that  Christ  will  "come"  under 
the  same  conditions  of  earthly  existence  as 
those  to  which   He  submitted  at  His   first 
coming. 

because  I  live...also~]  The  ground  of  the 
power  of  vision  in  the  disciples,  which  the 
world  lacked,  lay  in  their  fellowship  with 
Christ,  and  in  the  capacity  for  the  higher  life 
involved  in  that  fellowship.  The  fulness  of 
their  life,  as  of  their  sight,  dated  from  Pente- 
cost (shall  live).  Thus  this  first  clause  con- 
tains by  implication  the  reason  of  the  disciples' 
continuous  sight  of  their  Lord,  while  it  gives 
also  the  promise  of  their  more  complete  con- 
nexion with  Him  when  He  was  raised  from 
death.  The  open  sight  of  God  is  the  fulness 
of  life,  i  John  iii.  i  flf.  Compare  v.  26,  vi. 
57  ;  and,  in  another  aspect,  i  Cor.  xv.  21  f. 

If  the  words  are  taken  (as  the  original 
allows)  wholly  or  in  part  as  a  direct  explana- 
tion of  the  former  statement  (ye  behold  me, 
because  I  live  and  ye  shall  live,  or  ye  behold 
me  because  I  live,  and  ye  shall  live)  the  sense 
is  much  feebler;  and  the  construction  is  not 
in  St  John's  manner.  Comp.  xiii.  14,  xiv.  3, 

XV.  20. 

20.  At  that  day]  of  realised  life  fcomp. 
xvi.  23,  26)  you  shall  come  to  know  by  the 
teaching  of  the  Spirit,  what  is  for  the  time 
(v.  10)  a  matter  of  faith  only,  my  union  with 
Him  who  is  not  only  "  the  Father,"  but  "  my 
Father,"  and  then,  in  that  knowledge,  realise 
the  fulness  of  your  fellowship  with  me.    ' '  The 


V.   21— 23-] 


ST.  JOHN.    XIV. 


I  am  in  my  Father,  and  ye  in  me, 
and  I  in  you. 

21  He  that  hath  my  command- 
ments, and  keepeth  them,  he  it  is 
that  loveth  me  :  and  he  that  loveth 
me  shall  be  loved  of  my  Father,  and 
I  will  love  him,  and  will  manifest 
myself  to  him. 


207 


22  Judas  saith  unto  him,  not  Is- 
cariot,    Lord,    how   is  it   that   thou 
wilt  manifest  thyself  unto  us,  and  not 
unto  the  world  ? 

23  Jesus  answered  and  said  unto 
him,   If    a   man   love   me,   he   will 
keep  my  words  :  and  my  Father  will 
love  him,  and  we   will  come   unto 


day  "  corresponds  to  "  the  coining,"  but  gene- 
rally it  marks  each  victorious  crisis  of  the 
new  apprehension  of  the  Risen  Christ. 

I  am  in  my  Father}  The  converse  truth 
(my  Father  in  me,  w.  10  f.,  xvii.  21)  is  not 
brought  forward  here,  because  the  thought  is 
predominantly  that  of  the  consummation  of 
life  in  the  divine  order,  and  not  that  of  the 
divine  working  in  the  present  order. 

ye  in  me,  and  I  in  you]  The  union  is  re- 
garded first  in  its  spiritual  completeness,  and 
then  in  its  historical  completeness  (comp.  xvii. 
«,  *3,  (26) ;  i  John  iii.  24,  iv.  13,  15,  16). 

21.  He  that  bath... and  keepeth...'}  The 
first  verb  (hath)  marks  the  actual  possession, 
as  of  something  which  is  clearly  and  firmly 
apprehended  (v.  38);  the  second  (keepeth), 
the  personal  fulfilment. 

The  verse  is  in  part  the  converse  of  v.  15. 
There  active  obedience  is  seen  to  be  the  con- 
sequence of  love.  Here  active  obedience  is  the 
sign  of  the  presence  of  love.  Comp.  xv.  10. 

The  variation  of  construction  (shall  be  loved 
by,  I  <will  love)  in  the  second  clause  is  to  be 
noticed  (see  v.  23).  The  passive  form  (shall 
be  loved  by)  seems  to  bring  out  the  idea  of 
the  conscious  experience  of  love  by  the  ob- 
ject of  it.  The  believer  loves  and  feels  in 
himself  the  action  of  the  Father  through  Christ 
(my  Father). 

will  manifest  myself]  The  exact  force  of 
the  word  (e'/x^ai/t'feo)  is  that  of  presentation  in 
a  clear,  conspicuous  form  (comp.  Matt,  xxvii. 
53 ;  Hebr.  ix.  24 ;  [Acts  x.  40 ;  Rom.  x.  20] ; 
Exod.  xxxiii.  13,  jg).  It  conveys  therefore 
more  than  the  idea  of  the  disclosing  of  a  hid- 
den presence  (drroKaXvirrto)  or  the  manifest- 
ing of  an  undiscovered  one  (<pavfpoa>).  The 
action  of  the  Spirit  effectuates  in  the  believer 
this  higher  manifestation  of  Christ,  which  more 
than  supplies  the  place  of  His  Presence  under 
the  conditions  of  earthly  life.  At  the  same 
time  the  revelation  is  Christ's  own  work:  "I 
will  manifest  myself,"  and  not  "  I  shall  be 
manifested"  (comp.  v.  18,  note). 

4-     The  law  and  the  progress  of  Revelation 

(22—31). 

The  description  which  has  been  given  (12 — 
21)  of  the  future  relation  of  Christ  to  His 
disciples  leads  to  a  more  general  view  of  the 
nature,  of  Revelation.  This  falls  into  three 


parts.  First  the  condition  of  Revelation  is 
laid  down  in  answer  to  the  question  of  St 
Jude  (22—24);  then  the  mode  of  Revelation 
is  defined  (25—27);  and  lastly  the  work  of 
Christ  for  His  people,  fulfilled  in  heaven  and 
on  earth,  is  recapitulated  (28 — 31). 

22—24.  On  the  side  of  man  love  and 
obedience  are  pre-requisites  for  the  reception 
of  divine  communications.  These  Christ  calls 
out,  and  to  reject  Plis  teaching  is  to  reject  the 
teaching  of  God. 

22.  Judas,  not  Iscariof]    Luke  vi.  16;  Acts 
i.  13.    Comp.  Matt.  x.  3;  Mark  iii.  18.    The 
distinguishing  clause  seems  at  once  to  mark 
that  Judas  Iscariot  was  the  more  conspicuous 
of  the  two  bearing  the  name,  and  also  to  ex- 
press the  instinctive  shrinking  of  the  Evange- 
list from  even  the  momentary  identification  of 
the  speaker  with  the  betrayer,  though  he  had 
distinctly  marked  the  departure  of  Iscariot 
(xiii.  30).     If,  as  appears  likely,   St  John's 
narrative   took   shape  in  oral  teaching  ad- 
dressed to  a  circle  of  disciples,  the  addition 
may  have  met  a  look  of  surprise  from  the 
hearers. 

Lord,  how  is  it  that...']  Lord,  what  hatli 
come  to  pass  that...  The  question  implies 
that  some  change  must  have  come  over  the 
plans  of  the  Lord.  It  is  assumed  that  as 
Messiah  He  would  naturally  have  revealed 
Himself  publicly:  something  then  must  have 
happened,  so  Judas  argues,  by  which  the 
sphere  of  Christ's  manifestation  was  limited. 
The  thought  is  rather  of  a  manifestation  of 
glory  than  of  a  manifestation  of  judgment. 

unto  its']  The  emphatic  position  of  the  pro- 
noun ("that  it  is  to  us  thou  wilt...")  gives  it 
the  force  of  "to  us,  the  apostles,  only." 

the  world]  which  was  the  object  of  God's 
love  (iii.  16)  and  Messiah's  inheritance  (Ps.  ii. 
8).  An  apostle  now  raises  in  another  form 
the  question  which  was  raised  by  the  Lord's 
brethren  before :  vii.  4. 

23.  Jesus  answered..."]  The  answer  lies  in 
the  necessary  conditions  of  revelation  which 
the  words  describe.    The  power  of  receiving 
a  divine  Revelation  depends  upon  active  obe- 
dience, which  rests  upon  personal  love.     Love 
to  Christ  brings  the  love  of  His  Father  (my 
Father   and   not   simply  the  Father)  to  the 
disciple.     And  this  is  followed  by  the  realisa- 


208 


ST.  JOHN.   XIV. 

make    our    abode    with 


[v.  24 — 26. 


him,    and 
him. 

24  He  that  loveth  me  not  keepeth 
not  my  sayings  :  and  the  word  which 
ye  hear  is  not  mine,  but  the  Father's 
which  sent  me. 


25  These  things  have   I    spoken 
unto   you,    being   yet    present    with 
you. 

26  But  the  Comforter,  which   is 
the  Holy  Ghost,  whom  the  Father 
will  send  in  my  name,  he  shall  teach 


tion  and  continuance  of  that  fellowship 
through  which  God  is  revealed  to  man.  Love, 
obedience,  and  knowledge  are  correlative. 
Compare  v.  15,  note. 

my  words']  my  word,  the  Gospel  message 
in  its  total  unity,  and  not  as  broken  up  into 
separate  commands  (v.  15),  or  separate  parts 
(•*>•  24). 

we  (will  come..."]  This  use  of  the  plural 
(we)  implies  necessarily  the  claim  to  true 
divinity  on  the  part  of  Christ ;  compare  x.  30 
(note),  and  contrast  xx.  17  (note).  For  the 
idea  compare  Rev.  iii.  20. 

abode]  The  original  word  (JIOVTI,  Vulg. 
tnansio),  even  in  the  changed  connexion,  car- 
ries the  thought  back  to  v.  a  (papal,  man- 
sions). The  two  aspects  of  the  truth  are 
necessary.  Comp.  i  John  iv.  15,  ii.  34.  The 
Christian  abides  with  God,  and  God  abides 
with  the  Christian. 

with  him  (w.  17,  25)]  and  not  here  in  him. 
The  idea  is  that  of  the  recognition  of  the  divine 
without  (so  to  speak)  and  not  of  the  con- 
sciousness of  the  divine  within.  The  Christian 
sees  God  by  him  (rrap'  auT<3) ;  he  welcomes 
and  finds  a  dwelling-place  for  God,  and  does 
not  only  feel  Him  in  him.  Compare  for  the 
general  idea  Lev.  xxvi.  1 1  ff. 

24.  The  love  of  the  disciples  fitted  them, 
imperfect  as  they  were,  to  receive  Christ's 
revelation  of  Himself.  The  want  of  love  in 
the  world  made  revelation  impossible  for  the 
world.  This  impossibility  is  indicated  and 
traced  to  its  final  ground  in  the  last  clause, 
which  corresponds  in  relation  though  not  in 
form  to  the  last  clause  of  -v.  23.  Disobe- 
dience to  Christ  is  in  fact  disobedience  to 
God  under  the  aspect  of  Love.  To  reject 
His  word  is  to  reject  the  Father's  word.  For 
such  then  as  loved  not  Christ  there  could 
be  no  divine  manifestation  in  the  sense  here 
implied.  Comp.  vii.  16. 

keepeth  not  my  sayings]  my  words  (Xdyovr), 
the  constituent  parts  of  the  one  "word."  The 
use  of  the  plural  here  may  perhaps  mark  the 
perception  of  the  unity  of  the  revelation  of 
the  Lord  as  characteristic  of  believers  and  im- 
possible for  unbelievers. 

which  ye  hear]  The  clause  is  unemphatic, 
and  appears  simply  to  describe  the  divine 
message  in  its  fulness  as  actually  addressed  to 
the  apostles. 

25 — 27.  The  earthly  teaching  of  Christ  was 
dependent  on  the  circumstances  under  which 


it  was  given.  His  temporary  "abiding  with 
the  disciples  "  was  but  an  image  of  the  future 
abiding  (v.  23).  So  far  (these  things')  He 
had  been  able  to  speak  while  those  who  heard 
could  at  least  partly  understand  Him.  There 
could  not  but  be  something  which  seemed  in- 
complete, and  something  which  seemed  obscure 
to  the  hearers.  But  this  teaching,  now  brought 
to  its  close,  was  to  be  completed  and  laid  open 
by  the  teaching  of  the  Spirit,  which  should 
be  universal  (all  things  as  contrasted  with 
these  things).  And  meanwhile  Christ  gave 
His  peace  as  an  endowment  for  the  time  of 
waiting. 

25.  These  things..."]  all  that  had  been  spoken 
on  this  evening  in  contrast  with  the  further 
teaching  (all  things)  of  the  Paraclete. 

being  yet  present...  ,]  while  yet  abiding... 
The  word  used  (^ei/a>i/,  Vulg.  manens)  keeps 
up  the  connexion  between  the  transitory  fel- 
lowship of  Christ  with  the  disciples  on  earth 
and  His  spiritual  fellowship  with  them  here- 
after (povT/v  TTOtrja-o^effa,  v.  23). 


26.  the  Comforter  (Advocate),  which  is 
(even)  the  Holy  Ghost  (Spirit),  whom  the 
Father  will  send  in  my  name]  As  com- 
pared with  Christ  the  Paraclete  fulfils  a 
double  office:  He  teaches  and  He  recalls 
Christ's  teachings.  His  work  indeed  is  to 
teach  by  bringing  home  to  men  the  whole 
of  Christ's  teaching.  The  revelation  of  Christ 
in  His  Person  and  work  was  absolute  and 
complete,  but  without  the  gradual  illumination 
of  the  Spirit  it  is  partly  unintelligible  and 
partly  unobserved.  Comp.  xvi.  13;  i  John 
ii.  20,  27. 

As  Christ  came  "in  His  Father's  name" 
(v.  43,  x.  25),  so  the  Spirit  is  sent  "in 
His  name."  The  purpose  of  Christ's  mis- 
sion was  to  reveal  God  as  His  Father, 
and  through  this  to  make  known  His  re- 
lation to  men,  and  to  humanity,  and  to  the 
world.  The  purpose  of  the  Mission  of  the 
Holy  Spirit  is  to  reveal  Christ,  to  make  clear 
to  the  consciousness  of  the  Church  the  full 
significance  of  the  Incarnation.  Christ's 
"name,"  all,  that  is,  which  can  be  defined  as 
to  His  nature  and  His  work,  is  the  sphere  in 
which  the  Spirit  acts;  and  so  little  by  little 
through  the  long  life  of  the  Church  the  mean- 
ing of  the  primitive  confession  "Jesus  is  Lord  " 
(Rom.  x.  9  ;  i  Cor.  xii.  3)  is  made  more  fully 
known. 

The  sense  of  the   promise  is  completely 


V.   27,  28.] 


ST.  JOHN.    XIV. 


209 


you  all  things,  and  bring  all  things  to 
your  remembrance,  whatsoever  I  have 
said  unto  you. 

27  Peace  I  leave  with  you,  my 
peace  I  give  unto  you :  not  as  the 
world  giveth,  give  I  unto  you.  Let 


not  your  heart  be  troubled,  neither  let 
it  be  afraid. 

28  Ye  have  heard  how  I  said  unto 
you,  I  go  away,  and  come  again  unto 
you.  If  ye  loved  me,  ye  would  re- 
joice, because  I  said,  I  go  unto  the 


destroyed  if  "in  my  name"  is  interpreted  as 
meaning  nothing  more  than  uas  my  represen- 
tative" or  "at  my  intercession." 

the  Holy  Ghost}  The  full  emphatic  title 
(TO  HvfvfjM  TO  dyiov)  occurs  here  only  in  the 
Gospel.  The  moral  character  of  the  Spirit 
as  fashioning  the  life  of  the  Church  is  added  to 
the  teaching  power  of  the  Spirit  (vv.  16,  17), 
as  the  Revealer  of  the  Truth.  The  title  occurs 
in  the  words  of  the  Lord  in  the  Synoptic 
Gospels:  Matt.  xii.  31;  Mark  Hi.  29;  Luke 
xii.  10  (TO  d.  m>.),  I  a  (TO  d.  TIT.);  Mark  xiii. 
ii ;  Matt,  xxviii.  19  (TO  a.  TIT.). 

be  shall...]  The  emphatic  masculine  pro- 
noun (eWIi/os)  brings  out  the  personality  of 
the  Advocate,  while  at  the  same  time  it  gathers 
up  in  the  personality  the  various  attributes 
which  have  been  before  indicated  (i.  18,  note). 

teach. .  .bring  to  remembrance. . .]  The  former 
office  appears  to  find  its  fulfilment  in  the 
interpretation  of  the  true  character  of  Christ, 
of  what  He  was,  and  what  He  did:  the  latter, 
in  opening  the  minds  of  the  disciples  to  the 
right  understanding  of  Christ's  words:  comp. 
ii.  aa.  So  the  Gospel  could  be  written.  The 
"you"  does  not  limit  the  teaching  of  the 
Spirit  to  the  apostles,  who  were  the  repre- 
sentatives of  the  Church  (vv.  16,  17),  though 
the  promise  was  potentially  accomplished  for 
them  (xvi.  ia  f.). 

all  things... whatsoever  I  have  said]  all 
things  ...that  I  said.  The  time  of  teaching 
is  now  regarded  as  past.  Comp.  xvii.  6,  &c. 
The  position  of  the  personal  pronoun  at  the 
end  of  the  sentence  (according  to  the  most 
probable  reading:  tlnov  vp.lv  «yw)  is  very 
significant. 

27.  Peace]  The  word  is  here  a  solemn 
farewell,  just  as  in  xx.  21  it  is  a  solemn  greet- 
ing. To  "give  peace"  (DvB>  JH3)  was  a 
customary  phrase  of  salutation  (Buxtorf, 
'Lex.'  2415).  The  Lord  takes  the  common 
words  and  transforms  them.  "  God  gave  to 
Phinehas,"  Philo  writes  in  reference  to  Num. 
xxv.  la,  "the  greatest  blessing,  even  peace, 
a  blessing  which  no  man  is  able  to  afford" 
('  De  vit  Mos.'  I.  §  55,  ii.  129). 

Heave]  The  thought  of  separation  is  mingled 
with  the  thought  of  blessing.  Even  in  de- 
parting the  Lord  leaves  peace  behind  as  His 
bequest.  He  will  not  disturb  that  peace  which 
the  disciples  had  found  in  Him  and  in  part 
appropriated.  On  the  contrary,  He  defines 
and  confirms  it  and  offers  it  to  them  as  their 
own.  "Peace,  even  my  peace,  I  give  unto  you," 


that  peace  of  which  I  am  the  absolute  Lord 
and  source  (comp.  xv.  9,  note),  not  regarded 
on  its  outward  side  as  the  blessedness  of  the 
Messianic  kingdom,  but  as  the  realised  con- 
fidence of  faith  and  fellowship  with  God. 
Comp.  ch.  xvi.  33;  Col.  iii.  15;  Phil.  iv.  7. 
So  the  Lord  speaks  in  the  immediate  prospect 
of  Death,  by  which  peace  was  finally  secured, 
Col.  i.  20;  Rom.  v.  i. 

/  give]  as  an  absolute  possession,  which 
now  becomes  your  own.  Comp.  i  John  iii.  i. 

not  as  the  world  giveth...]  The  primary 
thought  is  of  the  manner  of  the  gift,  which 
passes  into  that  of  the  character  of  the  gift. 
The  gifts  of  the  world  are  so  made  as  to  give 
the  greatest  pleasure  at  first  (comp.  ii.  10) 
The  gifts  of  Christ  grow  in  power  and  fulness 
of  blessing.  Thus  in  the  consciousness  of 
the  beginnings  of  this  divine  gift  of  peace  the 
disciples  were  encouraged  to  overcome  inward 
misgivings  and  to  face  outward  dangers.  "  Let 
not  your  heart  be  troubled,  neither  let  it  be 
fearful. "  The  opening  words  of  the  chapter 
are  repeated  with  a  new  force. 

let  it  be  afraid}  be  fearful  (SeiXuma). 
Comp.  a  Tim.  i.  7;  Matt.  viii.  26;  Mark  iv. 
40;  Rev.  xxi.  8  (where  the  "fearful,"  the 
"  cowards,"  stand  at  the  head  of  those  devoted 
to  the  second  death). 

28 — 31.  The  last  verse  (v.  27)  stands 
closely  related  to  both  of  the  sub-sections 
between  which  it  stands.  The  peace  of  Christ 
attends  the  Church  during  the  period  of 
gradual  revelation,  and  it  flows  from  Christ's 
work  accomplished  in  heaven  as  on  earth. 
This  latter  thought  is  brought  out  in  these 
verses  under  both  aspects.  The  departure  of 
Christ,  the  great  mystery  of  His  revelation, 
led  to  the  more  effectual  fulfilment  of  His 
work  in  virtue  of  His  perfected  fellowship 
with  the  Father  (28,  29);  and  the  mode  of 
His  departure,  through  death,  the  penalty  of 
sin,  was  a  proof  of  obedience  and  love  fitted 
to  move  the  world  (30,  31)- 

28.  Te  have  heard]  Ye  heard.  The 
addition  of  the  word  seems  to  mark  the  effect 
of  the  announcement  on  the  disciples.  The 
revelation  was  made  and  carefully  noted. 

I  said  unto  you]  vv.  2 — 4. 

and  come  again]  and  I  come.  The  inser- 
tion of  "again"  narrows  the  application  of 
the  promise.  See  i;.  18,  note. 

If  ye  loved  me]  if  your  minds  had  not 
been  concentrated  on  yourselves :  if  you  had 


2IO 


ST.  JOHN.    XIV. 


[v.  29—31. 


Father :    for   my   Father   is   greater 
than  I. 

29  And  now  I  have  told  you  be- 
fore it  come  to  pass,  that,  when  it  is 
come  to  pass,  ye  might  believe. 

30  Hereafter  I  will  not  talk  much 


with  you :  for  the  prince  of  this  world 
cometh,  and  hath  nothing  in  me. 

31  But  that  the  world  may  know 
that  I  love  the  Father;  and  as  the 
Father  gave  me  commandment,  even 
so  I  do.  Arise,  let  us  go  hence. 


thought  only  of  me  and  of  the  fulfilment  of 
my  work — 

ye  would  rejoice]  have  rejoiced.  The 
prospect  of  trouble  is  contrasted  with  the 
feeling  of  joy.  But  the  joy  is  spoken  of  as 
the  momentary  feeling  on  realising  the  an- 
nouncement (e'^dp^re)  and  not  as  a  continuous 
state.  Sorrow  there  must  be  at  separation, 
but  it  can  be  brightened  by  the  knowledge  of 
the  cause. 

because  I  said,  I  go]  The  words  /  said  must 
be  omitted  in  accordance  with  the  best  au- 
thorities. Attention  is  fixed  on  the  fact  itself, 
and  not  on  the  statement  of  the  fact. 

for  my  Father  (because  the  Father)  is 
greater  than  /]  and  therefore  when  my  union 
with  Him  is  made  complete  by  my  elevation 
I  shall  be  able  to  carry  out  my  work  for  all 
the  children  of  the  one  Father  more  effectually. 
The  ground  of  the  disciples'  joy,  as  based 
upon  their  love  for  Christ,  must  be  sought 
primarily  in  the  fact  of  His  exaltation;  but 
this  carries  with  it  the  thought  of  the  con- 
sequent more  complete  fulfilment  of  His 
purposes.  The  return  of  the  Son  to  the 
Father  was  a  good  for  Him,  and  this  alone 
would  have  been  a  sufficient  cause  for  the 
disciples'  rejoicing.  But  His  exaltation  was 
also  essentially  related  to  the  accomplishment 
of  His  mission.  Thus  the  prospect  of  blessing 
to  the  disciples  is  necessarily  included  in  that 
of  Christ's  going  to  the  Father,  though  it  is 
not  put  forward  as  the  cause  of  their  joy. 

greater  than  I]  It  appears  to  be  un- 
questionable that  the  Lord  here  speaks  in  the 
fulness  of  His  indivisible  Personality.  The 
"I"  is  the  same  as  in  viii.  58,  x.  30.  The 
superior  greatness  of  the  Father  must  there- 
fore be  interpreted  in  regard  to  the  absolute 
relations  of  the  Father  and  the  Son  without 
violation  of  the  one  equal  Godhead.  The  fact 
that  there  was  an  essential  fitness,  if  we  may 
so  speak  of  mysteries  which  transcend  human 
language,  in  the  Incarnation  of  the  Son,  en- 
ables us  in  some  measure  to  apprehend  this 
distinction  of  greatness,  and  also  how  the 
return  of  the  Son  to  the  Father,  after  the 
fulfilment  of  His  mission,  would  be  a  source 
of  joy  to  those  who  loved  Him.  See  Note  at 
the  end  of  the  Chapter. 

29.  And  now]  at  this  crisis  (xii.  31), 
when  your  faith  is  about  to  be  put  to  the  test. 

/  have  told  you]  of  my  departure,  and  yet 
more  of  what  is  implied  in  it,  before  it  come  to 
pass.  The  mode  of  separation,  not  yet  realised, 


would  prove  the  greatest  trial  to  the  apostles' 
faith.  But  the  results  which  followed  such  a 
Death  would  afterwards  enable  them  to  trust 
for  ever.  Comp.  xiii.  19. 

that  ye  might  (may)  believe']  The  abso- 
lute use  of  the  word  includes  all  the  special 
manifestations  of  faith.  Other  references  to 
the  ground  of  assurance  to  be  found  in  the 
Lord's  predictions  occur,  xiii.  19,  xvi.  4. 
Comp.  i.  7,  51,  iv.  42,  53,  vi.  64. 

30.  Hereafter  I  will  not  •talk...']      Lite- 
rally, I  will  no  more  talk... 

the  prince  of  this  (the)  world]  xii.  31,  note. 

cometh]  even  now  is  coming  in  the  persons 
of  those  whom  he  inspires.  All  other  ene- 
mies are,  as  it  were,  the  instruments  of  the 
one  great  enemy.  The  Lord,  it  will  be  ob- 
served, speaks  of  the  chief  and  not  of  the 
subordinate  spirits,  and  contemplates  his  action 
through  men.  Comp.  Eph.  vi.  10  ff. 

and  hath  nothing  in  me]  More  exactly,  and 
In  me  he  hath  nothing — nothing  which 
falls  under  his  power.  There  was  in  Christ 
nothing  which  the  devil  could  claim  as  be- 
longing to  his  sovereignty.  In  others  he 
finds  that  which  is  his  own,  and  enforces 
death  as  his  due ;  but  Christ  offered  Himself 
voluntarily.  He  was  not  of  the  world.  "Sic 
ostendit  non  creaturarum  sed  peccatorum 
principem  diabolum  "  (Aug.  ad  loc.). 

Thus  the  words  indirectly  and  by  implica- 
tion affirm  the  sinlessness  of  Christ,  and  His 
freedom  from  the  power  of  death. 

The  two  facts  which  shew  the  nature  of 
Christ's  Passion  are  first  coordinated,  and 
then  His  free  action  is  contrasted  with  them : 
the  prince... cometh  and  he  hath...£zrf  that... 

The  Jews  had  a  tradition  that  when  the 
angel  of  death  came  before  David  he  could 
not  hurt  him  because  he  was  occupied  unceas- 
ingly with  lofty  thoughts  (Wiinsche,  ad  loc.~). 

31.  The  construction  of  this  verse  is  some- 
what uncertain.     The  first  part  may  be  de- 
pendent on  the  last  clause:   arise,  let  us  go 
hence. ..that  the  world. ..and  that  as. ..even  so 
I  do  (Matt.  ix.  6) ;  but  this  arrangement  is 
too  artificial,  and  foreign  to  St  John's  style. 
If  then  the  last  clause  is  separated  from  what 
precedes,  there  still  remain  two  possible  inter- 
pretations. The  first  clause  may  be  dependent 
on  "so  I  do:"  i.e.  I  go  to  meet  death  that 
the  world... and  even  as... commandment.     But 
this  arrangement  is  open  to  the  same  objection 
as  the  former  one,  and  separates  unnaturally 
the  even' as. ..so...     It  remains  therefore  to 


ST.  JOHN.   XIV. 


211 


take  the  opening  phrase  but  that  as  elliptical 
(comp.  ix.  3,  xiii.  18,  xv.  25;  i  John  ii.  19): 
but  I  surrender  myself  to  suffering  and  death 
— that  cometh  to  pass  which  will  come  to  pass 
-—that  the  world...  The  force  of  the  contrast 
is  obvious:  but  though  the  prince  of  the  world 
has  no  claim  upon  me,  I  freely  offer  myself 
to  the  uttermost  powers  of  evil,  to  death  the 
last  punishment  of  sin,  that  in  me  the  world 
itself  may  see  the  greater  power  of  love,  and 
so  learn  (if  God  will)  that  the  kingdom  of 
Satan  is  overthrown. 

the  world]     Comp.  xvii.  21,  23. 

and  as...]  It  is  uncertain  whether  this 
clause  depends  on  "know"  or  not.  The 
sense  is  the  same  in  both  cases:  obedience 
flows  from  love  and  manifests  it.  Comp. 
Hebr.  v.  8 ;  i  John  v.  3. 

Arise,  let  us  go  hence\  The  coincidence  of 
the  phrase  with  Matt.  xxvi.  46  is  interesting. 
The  words  are  such  as  would  naturally  be 
repeated  under  like  circumstances.  We 
must  suppose  that  after  these  words  were 


spoken  the  Lord,  with  the  eleven,  at  once 
left  the  house  and  went  on  the  way  which 
finally  led  to  Gethsemane;  and  consequently 
that  the  discourses  which  follow,  xv. — xvii., 
were  spoken  after  He  had  gone  from  the 
upper  room  and  before  He  crossed  the  Kidron 
(xviii.  i). 

The  other  supposition,  that  the  Lord  after 
rising  still  lingered  in  the  room,  as  full  of  the 
thoughts  of  the  coming  events,  appears  to  be 
wholly  against  the  obvious  interpretation  of 
the  narrative,  and  to  disregard  the  clear  dis- 
tinction in  character  between  the  earlier  and 
later  discourses.  On  the  other  hand,  the 
words  in  xviii.  i,  went  forth... over  the  brwk 
Kidron,  cause  no  difficulty,  for  this  "going 
forth  "  is  evidently  in  regard  to  the  sacred  city 
and  not  to  the  house ;  nor  is  there  anything 
in  the  abruptness  of  the  narrative  unlike  St 
John's  method.  Further,  it  may  be  said  that 
if  the  command  had  not  been  acted  upon 
some  notice  of  the  delay  would  have  been 
given. 


ADDITIONAL  NOTES  on  CHAP.  xiv.  16,  28. 


16.  The  word  rrapaK\r)Tos,  translated  Com- 
forter in  this  passage,  is  found  in  the  New 
Testament  only  in  the  writings  of  St  John. 
It  occurs  four  times  in  the  Gospel  (xiv.  16, 
26,  xv.  26,  xvi.  7),  and  is  in  these  places  uni- 
formly translated  Comforter;  and  once  in  his 
first  Epistle  (ii.  i),  where  it  is  translated  ad- 
vocate. There  is  no  marginal  rendering  in 
any  place. 

This  double  rendering  dates  from  Wiclif. 
Both  the  \Vicliffite  versions  give  Comforter 
throughout  the  Gospel  and  advocate  in  the 
Epistle.  Tyndale  has  the  same  renderings ; 
and  the  two  words  have  been  preserved  in  the 
later  English  Bibles  (the  Great  Bible,  the 
Bishops'  Bible,  Geneva,  King  James's)  with 
the  exception  of  the  Rhemish,  which  gives 
Paraclete  in  the  Gospel  and  advocate  in  the 
Epistle. 

This  variation,  which  is  found  also  in 
Luther  (Troster,  Gosp.,  Fursprecher,  Ep.),  is 
unquestionably  due  to  the  influence  of  the 
Latin  Vulgate,  which  has  Paracletus  (Para- 
clttus')  in  the  Gospel  and  advocatus  in  the 
Epistle. 

The  early  Latin  copies  are  divided,  and  not 
always  consistent,  in  the  Gospel.  In  xv.  26 
and  xvi.  7,  Pal.,  and  in  xiv.  16,  Pal.  Verc. 
Colb.,  give  the  rendering  ad-vocatus.  In  the 
other  cases  Pal.  Fere.  Ver.  Colb.  Corb.  give 
paracletus  (paraclitus).  This  division  indicates 
the  existence  of  the  two  renderings  from  the 
earliest  times,  so  that  it  is  not  possible  to  say 
that  one  is  a  correction  of  the  other.  In  the 
Epistle  the  rendering  is  (I  believe)  uniformly 
advocatus, 

Nearly  all  the  other  early  versions,  the 
Syriac,  Memphitic,  Arabic,  and  ^Ethiopic, 

New  Test. — VOL.  II. 


keep  the  original  word  Paracletus;  and  it  is 
likely,  both  from  this  fact  and  from  the  use  of 
the  word  in  Rabbinic  writers,  that  it  found 
early  and  wide  currency  in  the  East.  The 
Thebaic  gives  different  renderings  in  the 
Gospel  and  in  the  Epistle  (Lightfoot,  '  Re- 
vision of  New  Testament,'  p.  55,  note). 

Among  the  Latin  Fathers  in  quotations 
from  the  Gospel,  Tertullian  generally  adopts 
the  rendering  advocatus,  though  he  uses  also 
paracletus,  and  gives  an  independent  rendering 
exorator  ('de  Pudic.'  19).  Advocatus  is  also 
predominant  in  Novatian,  Hilary,  and  Lucifer. 
Ambrose  and  Jerome  on  the  other  hand 
usually  give  Paracletus.  Consolator  occurs  as 
a  rendering  in  Hilary,  Jerome,  and  Orosins. 
In  the  Epistle  advocatus  is  found  with  little 
variation,  though  Ambrose,  Victor,  and  Vigi- 
lius  read  in  some  places  Paracletus. 

The  English  rendering  "Comforter"  ap- 
pears to  have  been  formed  directly  from  the 
verb  "to  comfort,"  i.e.  to  strengthen  (comp. 
Wiclif,  Eph.  vi.  10,  be  ye  comforted,  fvdvva- 
(jLoii(r6f,  confortamini),  an  adaptation  of  con- 
fortare.  The  noun  confortator  does  not 
appear  to  be  found ;  nor  is  there,  as  far  as  I 
can  learn,  any  corresponding  French  word. 

Passing  now  from  the  history  of  the  word 
in  the  translations  of  the  New  Testament, 
which  finally  leaves  us  with  the  choice  between 
the  retention  of  the  original  term  paracletus 
and  the  rendering  ad-vocatus,  we  go  on  to 
consider  the  meaning  of  the  word  indepen- 
dently. This  ought  to  be  decisively  deter- 
mined by  the  form  of  the  word  and  common 
usage,  unless  there  be  anything  in  the  context 
which  imperatively  requires  some  other  sense. 

(a)  The  form  of  the  word  is  unquestion- 


212 


ST.  JOHN.   XIV. 


ably  passive.  It  can  properly  mean  only  "  one 
called  to  the  side  of  another,"  and  that  with 
the  secondary  notion  of  counselling  or  sup- 
porting or  aiding  him.  On  these  points  the 
cognate  forms  (icX^Toj,  dvdnXrjTos,  djroK\T}Tos, 
eyK\T)Tos,  eiriic\T)Tos,  crvyjcXnTor,  &c/)  and  the 
use  of  the  verb  (irapaKoXfiv)  are  decisive.  No 
example  of  a  like  form  with  an  active  (middle) 
sense  can  be  brought  forward. 

O)  The  classical  use  of  the  word  is  equally 
clear.  The  word  is  used  technically  for  the 
"  advocates"  of  a  party  in  a  cause,  and  speci- 
ally for  advocates  for  the  defence.  So  De- 
mosthenes speaks  of  the  entreaties  and  personal 
influence  of  advocates  (at  TUV  irapaK\^r<av 
derjtrfis  KOI  o-7rov8at,  'De  Falsa  Leg.'  p.  341. 
Comp.  'De  Cor.'  p.  275). 

(y)  The  word  is  not  found  in  the  LXX. ; 
but  in  Job  xvi.  4  Trapa'KXTjroi  occurs  in  Aquila 
and  Theodotion,  for  the  LXX.  TrapaicXjjTopes 
(Symm.  •jrapriyopovvres')  as  a  rendering  of  the 
Hebrew  DVOPUD.  There  is  however  no  reason 
to  suppose  that  the  two  words  are  identical 
in  meaning ;  and  it  is  likely  that  the  associa- 
tions which  had  gathered  round  irapa<\rjTos 
in  the  second  century  led  to  the  substitution  of 
a  common  for  a  rare  word. 

Philo  uses  the  word  several  times  and  in 
characteristic  senses  as  advocate  or  intercessor. 
"  We  must  find,"  he  writes,  "a  more  powerful 
advocate  by  whom  (the  emperor)  Gaius  will 
be  brought  to  a  favourable  disposition  towards 
US  (Sei  •napa.K\r}Tov...fvpfiv...\><$>  ov  Taios 
e£evft.evi.a6ri<T(Tai)  ;  and  that  advocate  is  the 
city  of  Alexandria... and  it  will  use  its  ad- 
vocacy (TrupaKXT/Tfvo-fi)..."  ('Leg.  in  Flacc.' 
968  B.  Comp.  p.  967  B). 

And  in  another  place,  speaking  of  the 
function  of  the  High  Priest,  he  says,  "  It  was 
necessary  that  he  who  has  been  consecrated  to 
the  Father  of  the  Universe  should  employ  as 
advocate  (intercessor)  one  most  perfect  in 
virtue,  even  the  Son,  both  to  obtain  forgiveness 
of  sins  and  a  supply  of  most  bountiful  bless- 
ings" (TrapaxX^ro)  xpj/tr&u  TeXfioraTw  TJ)I>  dpe- 
rrjv  VIM  Trpo?  re  dfi.vrj<rTiav  dfj.apTT)p.a.Ta>v  KOI 
\oprjyiav  afpOoveardrav  dyaOmv)  ('  de  Vit. 
Mos.'  in.  §  14,  ii.  p.  155  c.  Compare  'de 
Opif.  Mundi,'  p.  4  f-)- 

(&)  The  word  is  not  unfrequent  in  the 
Rabbinical  writers.  Buxtorf  (s.  v.  D^plQ) 
gives  several  interesting  examples  of  its  use. 
"  He  who  fulfils  one  precept  gains  for  himself 
one  advocate  (Trapa/cXjjros)  ;  he  who  commits 
one  transgression  gains  for  himself  one  ac- 
cuser" (narijyopof.  Comp.  Rev.  xii.  10). 
"  In  the  heavenly  judgment  a  man's  advocates 
(irapaicXrjToC)  are  repentance  and  good  works." 
"  All  the  righteousness  (comp.  Matt.  vi.  i) 
and  mercy  which  an  Israelite  doeth  in  this 
world  are  great  peace  and  great  advocates  be- 
tween him'  and  his  Father  in  heaven."  "An 
advocate  is  a  good  intercessor  before  a  magis- 
trate or  king." 
(«)  There  are  instances  of  the  occurrence 


of  the  word  in  early  Christian  writers.  Bar- 
nabas ('  Ep.'  xx.)  speaks  of  those  who  are 
"  advocates  of  the  wealthy  (wXouo-iW  irapd- 
K\rjroi)  and  unjust  judges  of  the  poor."  And 
in  the  Letter  of  the  Churches  of  Vienne  and 
Lyons,  Vettius  Epagathus,  who  had  voluntarily 
pleaded  the  cause  of  his  fellow  Christians,  is 
spoken  of  as  "  the  advocate  of  the  Christians 
who  had  the  Advocate  in  himself,  even  the 
Spirit"  (Euseb. ' H.  E.'  v.  i).  "  Who  will  be 
our  advocate  (TrapaicXjjToj)  [at  the  last  day]," 
we  read  in  the  Second  Epistle  of  Clement,  "if 
we  be  not  found  with  works  holy  and  just  ? " 
(li.  Clem.  6). 

(£)  Thus  the  independent  usage  of  the 
term  is  perfectly  clear  and  in  strict  accordance 
with  the  form  of  the  word.  But  on  the  other 
hand,  the  Greek  Fathers  in  interpreting  the 
passages  of  the  New  Testament  commonly 
give  the  word  an  active  sense,  as  if  it  were 
"  the  consoler,"  "  theencourager,"  "  the  com- 
forter" (o  Trapa/caXwi').  This  sense  is  given  to 
the  word  as  early  as  Origen,  if  Ruffinus  can 
be  trusted.  "Paraclete,"  he  says,  "in  the 
Greek  has  the  two  meanings  'intercessor' 
and  '  consoler '  (deprecatorem  et  consola- 
torem)  ...  Paraclete  when  used  of  the  Holy 
Spirit  is  generally  understood  as  '  consoler'  " 
('  De  Princ.'  11.  7.  4).  The  word  is  certainly 
so  interpreted  by  Cyril  of  Jerusalem  ('  Cat.' 
XVI.  20,  7rapaKXjjroy...Sta  TO  jrapa.Kdh.t'iv), 
Gregory  of  Nyssa  ('  adv.  Eunom.'  II.  vol.  ii. 
p.  532,  Migne,  TO  epyov  iroi&v  TrapaKXjjTov... 
7rapaKaX<Si/),  and  most  later  Greek  Fathers 
(see  Suicer,  s.  •*>.).  This  adaptation  of  the 
sense  of  irapanaKtiv  is  in  all  probability  no 
more  than  a  not  unnatural  isolation  of  one 
function  of  the  advocate,  just  indeed  as  "ad- 
vocate" itself  is  regarded  as  the  "pleader," 
and  not  as  the  person  himself  "  called  in."  In 
this  way  the  interpretation  conveys  a  partial 
truth,  but  by  an  inaccurate  method.  The 
advocate  does  "console"  and  "comfort" 
when  he  is  called  to  help.  But  this  secondary 
application  of  the  term  cannot  be  used  to 
confirm  an  original  meaning  which  is  at  fatal 
variance  with  the  form  of  the  word,  and  also 
against  undoubted  use  elsewhere.  It  may  also 
be  added  that  -irapaKakfiv  is  not  found  in  the 
writings  of  St  John,  though  it  is  common  in 
the  other  parts  of  the  New  Testament. 

The  contexts  in  which  the  word  occurs  in 
the  New  Testament  lead  to  the  same  conclu- 
sion as  the  form,  and  the  independent  usage 
of  the  word.  In  i  John  ii.  i,  the  sense  ad- 
vocate alone  suits  the  argument,  though  the 
Greek  Fathers  explain  the  term  as  applied  to 
the  Lord  in  the  same  way  as  in  the  Gospel. 
In  the  Gospel  again  the  sense  of  advocate, 
counsel,  one  who  pleads,  convinces,  convicts, 
in  a  great  controversy,  who  strengthens  on 
the  one  hand  and  defends  on  the  other,  meet- 
ing formidable  attacks,  is  alone  adequate. 

Christ  as  the  Advocate  pleads  the  believer's 
cause  with  the  Father  against  the  accuser 


ST.  JOHN.   XIV. 


213 


Satan  (i  John  ii.  i.  Compare  Rom.  viii.  26, 
and  also  Rev.  xii.  10;  Zech.  iii.  i).  The 
Holy  Spirit  as  the  Advocate  pleads  the  be- 
liever's cause  against  the  world,  John  xvi.  8  ff. 
(comp.  Iren.  in.  17.  3);  and  also  Christ's 
cause  with  the  believer,  John  xiv.  26,  xv.  26, 
xvi.  14. 

28.  The  superior  greatness  of  the  Father, 
which  is  affirmed  by  Christ  in  the  words  The 
Father  is  greater  than  /,  has  been  explained 
mainly  in  two  ways. 

1.  Some  have  thought  that  they  have  refer- 
ence to  the  essential  Personality  of  the  Son, 
and  correspond  to  the  absolute   idea  of  the 
relation  of  Father  to  Son,  in  which  the  Father 
has,  in   Pearson's  language,    "  something  of 
eminence,"  "  some  kind  of  priority."  Accord- 
ing to  this  view  the  eminence  of  the  Father 
lies  in  the  fact  that  the  Son  has  the  divine 
Essence  by  communication. 

2.  Others  again  have  supposed  that  the 
words  have  reference  to  the  position  of  the 
Son  at  the  time  when  they  were  spoken.    On 
this  supposition  the  eminence  of  the  Father 
lies  in  His  relation  to  the  Son  as  Incarnate 
and  not  yet  glorified. 

Both  views  are  perfectly  consistent  with  the 
belief  in  the  unity  of  the  divine  Nature,  and 
therefore  with  the  belief  in  the  equality  of  the 
Godhead  of  the  Son  with  the  Godhead  of  the 
Father.  And  it  will  probably  appear  that  the 
one  view  really  implies  the  other ;  and  that, 
as  far  as  human  thought  can  penetrate  such  a 
mystery,  it  is  reasonable  to  "  ground  the  con- 
gruity  of  the  mission  "  of  the  Son  upon  the 
immanent  pre-eminence  of  the  Father. 

Under  any  circumstances  the  opinions  of 
early  representative  writers  upon  the  passage 
offer  a  most  instructive  subject  of  study. 

The  earliest  use  of  the  passage  is  of  disputed 
meaning.  IREN^US  (f  c.  202)  in  discussing 
Mark  xiii.  32,  says,  "  If  any  one  inquire  the 
reason  wherefore  the  Father,  communicating 
to  the  Son  in  all  things,  hath  been  declared  by 
the  Son  to  know  alone  the  hour  and  the  day, 
one  could  not  find  at  present  any  [reason] 
more  suitable  or  more  becoming,  or  more  free 
from  danger,  than  this  (for  the  Lord  is  the 
only  true  (verax)  Master),  [that  it  is]  in  order 
that  we  may  learn  through  Him  that  the 
Father  is  over  all  things.  For  the  Father,  he 
says,  is  greater  than  I.  And  so  the  Father  is 
announced  by  our  Lord  to  have  the  pre-emi- 
nence in  regard  to  knowledge,  for  this  pur- 
pose, that  we  also should  leave  perfect 

knowledge  and  such  questions  to  God"  ('adv. 
Hzr.'  ii.  28.  8).  It  has  been  urged  that  the 
application  of  the  thought  to  men  shews  that 
the  reference  is  to  the  Incarnate  Son  in  His 
humanity ;  and  on  the  other  hand,  the  general 
context  of  the  passage  and  the  teaching  of 
Irenaeus  in  other  places  (e.g.  l.  7.  4)  has 
been  pressed  to  prove  that  he  is  speaking  of 
the  Son  as  Son. 


Clement  of  Alexandria  does  not,  as  far  as 
I  know,  refer  to  the  passage.  The  interpreta- 
tion of  his  successor  ORIGEN  (f  353)  is  free 
from  all  ambiguity,  though  it  needs  to  be 
guarded  carefully.  "  I  admit,"  he  says,  "  that 

there  may  be  some who  maintain  that  the 

Saviour  is  the  most  High  God  over  all  (o 
/neytoror  eVi  train  6t6s),  but  we  do  not  cer- 
tainly hold  such  a  view,  who  believe  Him 
when  He  said  Himself:  The  Father  who  sent 
me  is  greater  than  I"  ('c.  Gels.'  vm.  14)  ;  and 

again :   "  Clearly  we  assert that  the  Son  is 

not  mightier  than  the  Father,  but  inferior 
(OVK  l<r\vpoTepov  dXX*  VTroSeeVrepoi/).  And 
this  we  say  as  we  believe  Him  when  He  said, 
The  Father  who  sent  me  is  greater  than  /"  (id. 
c.  15.  Comp.  'In  Joh.T.'  vi.  23;  vm.  25). 

The  language  of  TERTULLIAN  (f  c.  220), 
like  that  of  Origen,  is  open  to  misconstruction, 
but  it  leaves  no  doubt  as  to  the  sense  in  which 
he  understood  the  words.  "The  Father,"  he 
says,  "  is  the..whole substance  (tota  substantia), 
the  Son  is  an  outflow  and  portion  of  the  whole 
(der'rvatio  (c.  14)  totius  et  portio),  as  He  Him- 
self declares :  because  the  Father  is  greater  than 
I ...  The  very  fact  that  the  terms  Father  and 
Son  are  used  shews  a  difference  between 
them;  for  assuredly  all  things  will  be  that 
which  they  are  called,  and  will  be  called  that 
which  they  will  be ;  and  the  different  terms 
cannot  be  ever  interchanged  "  ('  c.  Prax.'  9). 

NOVATIAN  (c.  250)  is  scarcely  less  bold  in 
his  mode  of  expression :  "  It  is  necessary  that 
[the  Father]  have  priority  (prior  sit)  as  Father, 
since  He  who  knows  no  origin  must  needs 
have  precedence  over  (antecedat)  Him  who 
has  an  origin.  At  the  same  time  [the  Son] 
must  be  less,  since  He  knows  that  He  is  in 
Him  as  having  an  origin  because  He  is  born  " 
('De  Trin.'  I.  31.  The  words  quodammodo, 
aliquo  pacto,  found  in  the  common  texts  are 
mere  glosses). 

The  words  do  not  appear  to  be  noticed  by 
Cyprian,  though  he  quotes  those  which  im- 
mediately precede.  At  the  beginning  of  the 
Arian  controversy  they  naturally  came  into 
prominence;  and  the  language  of  ALEXANDER 
of  Alexandria,  in  his  letter  to  Alexander  of 
Constantinople  (c.  322),  which  is  one  of  the 
fundamental  documents  of  the  Nicene  con- 
troversy, bears  witness  to  the  sense  in  which 
they  were  generally  accepted:  "\Ve  must 
guard,"  he  writes,  "  for  the  Unbegotten  Father 
His  proper  dignity  (oiKtiov  d£i'o>/ia),  affirm- 
ing that  He  has  no  author  of  His  Being 
(fj.r)8(va  TOV  tlvai  avra  TOV  aiTiov  \fyovras)  ; 
and  we  must  assign  the  fitting  honour  to  the 
Son,  according  to  Him  the  generation  from 
the  Father  without  beginning  (717 v  avapxov 
irapa  TOV  irarpos  yfvvrjfriv) ...  holding  that  the 
being  unbegotten  is  the  sole  property  (Idlaua) 
of  the  Father,  seeing  that  the  Saviour  Him- 
self said  My  Father  is  greater  than  I "  ('  Ep. 
Alex.'  ap.  Theod.  '  H.  E.'  I.  4,  P-  19)- 

P  2 


214 


ST.  JOHN.    XIV. 


ATHANASIUS  does  not  dwell  upon  the 
words,  but  he  also  gives  the  same  general 
sense  to  them  :  "  Hence  it  is  that  the  Son 
Himself  hath  not  said  My  Father  is  better 
(KpeiVrcoi/)  than  I,  that  no  one  should  con- 
ceive Him  to  be  foreign  to  His  nature,  but 
greater,  not  in  size  (/^ye'tfei)  nor  in  time,  but 
because  of  His  generation  from  the  Father 
Himself.  Moreover  in  saying  He  is  greater 
He  again  shews  the  proper  character  [the 
true  divinity]  of  His  essence  (rf/v  rffs  ova-ias 
ISioTTjTa,  i.  e.  as  TTJS  TOV  irarpos  ovo~ias  i8tos)  " 
('Orat.  c.  An'  I.  58). 

In  another  writing  which  is  doubtfully 
attributed  to  him  the  word  "  greater  "  is  ex- 
plained in  reference  to  the  Incarnation  (eWiSi) 
avdpairos  yeyove,  '  De  Incarn.  et  c.  Arian.'  c. 
4.  Compare  the  spurious  '  Sermo  de  Fide,' 
§§14,34). 

The  COUNCIL  OF  SARDICA  (A.  D.  344  ?) 
adopts  the  same  interpretation  of  the  passage 
as  universally  admitted  :  "  We  confess  that 
God  is  One  ;  we  confess  that  the  Godhead  of 
the  Father  and  of  the  Son  is  One  ;  nor  does 
any  one  ever  deny  that  the  Father  is  greater 
than  the  Son,  [greater]  not  because  He  is  of 
another  essence  (Ou  81  a\\rji>  viroarao-iv),  or 
for  any  other  difference,  but  because  the  very 
name  of  Father  is  greater  than  that  of  Son  " 
(Theod.  '  H.  E.'  n.  8,  p.  82). 

BASIL  (f  379)  refers  to  the  passage  se- 
veral times,  and  definitely  adopts  the  early 
interpretation,  though  he  also  connects  the 
words  with  the  Incarnation.  "  Since  the 
Son's  origin  (dpxrf)  is  from  (OTTO)  the  Father, 
in  this  respect  the  Father  is  greater,  as  cause 
and  origin  («oy  cirtos  KOI  opX1?)'  Wherefore 
also  the  Lord  said  thus,  My  Father  is  greater 
than  I,  clearly  inasmuch  as  He  is  Father  (*a$o 
irarriii).  Yea,  what  else  does  the  word  Father 
signify  unless  the  being  cause  and  origin  of 
that  which  is  begotten  of  Him?  "  ('c.  Eunom.' 
I.  25.  Comp.  'c.  Eunom.'  I.  20).  This  idea 
he  expresses  elsewhere  more  fully  :  "  The  Son 
is  second  in  order  (rd£et)  to  the  Father,  be- 
cause He  is  from  (OTTO)  Him,  and  [second]  in 
dignity  (a£to>/*an),  because  the  Father  is  the 
'  origin  '  and  cause  of  His  Being  "  ('  c.  Eunom.' 
III.  i). 

But  at  the  same  time  he  very  distinctly 
maintains  that  superior  "  greatness  "  is  in  no 
way  indicative  of  difference  of  essence,  and 
indeed  argues  that  the  comparison  in  such  a 
case  implies  co-essentiality  ('  Ep.'  vni.  5)  ; 
and  "  there  is  also,"  he  adds,  "  another  thought 
included  in  the  phrase.  For  what  marvel  is  it 
if  He  confessed  the  Father  to  be  greater  than 
Himself,  being  the  Word  and  having  become 
flesh,  when  He  was  seen  to  be  less  than  angels 
in  glory  and  [less]  than  men  in  appearance 


GREGORY  OF  NAZIANZUS  (f  390)  holds 
the  same  language  as  his  early  friend  Basil. 
"Superior  greatness  (TO  /iet£ov),"  he  says, 


"depends  on  cause  («Wi  rijy  alrlas),  equality 
on  nature"  ('  Orat.'  30,  §  7.  Comp.  *  Orat.' 
40,  §43?  ov  Kara  (pvo~iv  TO  p(1(ov  TTJV  aiTiavdf. 
ovdev  yap  TU>V  o^.oov<riu>v  Trj  ovvia  fifl^ov  T) 
eXarrof).  And  he  sets  aside  the  interpreta- 
tion of  the  phrase  which  refers  it  solely  to  the 
humanity  of  Christ  as  inadequate:  "  To  say 
that  [the  Father]  is  greater  than  [the  Son] 
conceived  as  man  (roO  Kara  TOV  avBpwrov 
voovpevov)  is  certainly  true,  but  no  great  thing 
to  say.  For  what  marvel  is  it  if  God  is 
greater  than  man  ?"  ('  Orat'  30,  §  7). 

HILARY  (f  368)  maintains  the  same  view 
in  the  West :  "  The  Father  is  greater  than  the 
Son,  and  clearly  greater  (plane  major),  to 
whom  He  gives  to  be  as  great  as  He  is  Him- 
self, and  imparts  the  image  of  His  own  birth- 
lessness  (innascibilitas*)  by  the  mystery  of 
birth,  whom  He  begets  of  Himself  after  His 
own  likeness  (ex  se  in  suamformam  generaf) ..." 
('  De  Trin.'  ix.  54). 

And  again :  "  Who  will  not  confess  that 
the  Father  hath  pre-eminence  (potiorem),  as 
ingenerate  compared  with  generate  (ingenitum 
a  genito),  Father  with  Son,  the  Sender  with 
the  Sent,  He  who  wills  with  Him  who  obeys  ? 
and  He  Himself  will  be  our  witness:  The 
Father  is  greater  than  /"  ('  De  Trin.'  III.  12. 
Comp.  xi.  12  ;  '  De  Syn.  c.  Ar.'  64). 

MARIUS  VICTORINUS  (c.  365)  gives  a 
remarkable  expression  to  this  opinion:  "If 
the  Son  is  the  whole  from  the  whole,  and 
light  from  light,  and  if  the  Father  has  given  to 
the  Son  all  that  He  has... [the  Son]  is  equal  to 
the  Father,  but  the  Father  is  greater,  because 
He  has  given  to  Him  all  things,  and  is  the 
cause  of  the  Son's  being,  and  being  in  that 
particular  way  (causa  est  ipse  Jilio  ut  sit,  ut 
isto  modo  sit.  Ad  hoc  autem  major  quod  actio 

inactuosa) Therefore  [the  Son]  is  equal 

[to  the  Father]  and  unequal"  ('adv.  Arian.' 
I-  13)- 

PH^BADIUS  (c.  350)  combines  both  views: 
"The  Father  is  greater  than  I;  rightly 
greater  because  He  alone  is  a  cause  with- 
out cause  (solus  hie  auctor  sine  auctore  est...), 
rightly  greater  because  He  did  not  Himself 
descend  into  the  Virgin..."  ('c.  Ar.'  c.  13). 

EPIPHANIUS  (f  403)  is,  as  usual,  vague 
and  unsatisfactory.  "The  Son,"  he  says, 
"says  this,  honouring  the  Father  as  became 
Him,  having  been  honoured  more  greatly  by 
the  Father.  For  it  was  necessary  ((8e i)  indeed 
that  the  true  (yvfoiov)  Son  should  honour 
His  own  Father,  to  shew  His  true  nature 

(yvrjo-ioTTjTa) In  so  far  as  the  Father  is 

Father,  and  He  is  a  true  Son,  He  honours  His 
own  Father..."  ('Ancor.'  17.  Comp.  'Hor.' 
LXIX.  53.  17;  LXH.  4.  ?)• 

The  thought  of  Epiphanius  is  more  clearly 
expressed  by  the  Pseudo-C<esarius :  "The 
Father  is  not  greater  than  the  Son  in  extent, 
or  mass,  or  time,  or  season,  or  worth  (J£i'a), 
or  strength,  or  godhead,  or  greatness,  or  ap- 


ST.  JOHN.   XIV. 


215 


pearance ;  for  none  of  these  things  have  place 
in  the  divine  Trinity.  But  inasmuch  as  the 
Father  is  Father,  so  the  Son  honours  the 
Father  with  true  filial  respect  (yj/no-tornn 
Ttfm)  "  ('  Dial.'  i. ;  '  Resp.'  xvni.). 

Towards  the  close  of  the  fourth  century  the 
opinion  began  to  gain  currency  that  the 
superior  greatness  of  the  Father  was  referred 
to  the  human  life  of  the  Son.  This  was  per- 
haps a  natural  consequence  of  the  later  de- 
velopments of  the  Nicene  Christology. 

AMPHILOCHIUS  (c.  380)  is  first  of  the 
Greek  fathers,  as  far  as  I  have  observed,  who 
distinctly  refers  the  words  to  the  Lord's 
human  nature  (without  hesitation).  "  If  you 
wish  to  know,"  he  writes,  as  if  the  Lord 
Himself  were  speaking,  "  how  my  Father  is 
greater  than  I,  I  spake  from  the  flesh  and 
not  from  the  Person  of  the  Godhead  (e'<  TIJS 
a-apKos  drrov  ical  OVK  tK  irpoatinov  6toTrjTos)  " 
f '  Exc.'  xii. ;  Galland.  vi.  502 ;  ap.  Theo- 
doret.  'Dial.'  i.  Comp.  'Dial.'  n.  p.  151; 
'Dial.'  in.  p.  248). 

CHRYSOSTOM  (f  407)  in  his  Commentary 
gives  the  early  interpretation:  "  If  any  one," 
he  writes,  "say  that  the  Father  is  greater  in 
so  far  as  He  is  the  cause  (amor)  of  the  Son, 
we  will  not  gainsay  this.  But  this  however 
does  not  make  the  Son  to  be  of  a  different 
essence (erepas  ovV/ar)"  ('Horn.'  LXX.adloc.). 
Elsewhere  ('  Horn.'  vm.  '  in  Hebr.'  §  2)  he 
appears  to  admit  the  reference  to  the  humanity 
of  Christ.  The  passage  which  is  commonly 
quoted  as  giving  this  view :  "  It  is  no  marvel 
if  [the  Son]  is  less  than  the  Father  owing  to 
the  mystery  of  the  Incarnation  (Sta  rrjv  olno- 
w>/itai»),"  is  from  a  spurious  writing  ('  Horn, 
de  Christo  pasch.'  in.  p.  814). 

CYRIL  OF  ALEXANDRIA  (f  444)  discusses 
the  passage  at  considerable  length  ('Thes.'  XI.), 
and  offers  different  views.  He  allows  that  the 
words  can  be  rightly  understood  of  the  abso- 
lute relation  of  the  Father  to  the  Son  as  "  the 
origin  of  His  coeternal  offspring  "  («jj  ap^  TOV 
(rvva'iftiov  yfvvTJ /iaTor).  "  While  the  Son,"  he 
writes,  "is  equal  to  the  Father  on  the  ground 
of  essence  (io~os  KOTO  TOV  TIJS  oixrlas  \6yov 
virapxav)  a"d  like  in  all  things,  He  says  that 
the  Father  is  greater  as*  being  without  begin- 
ning (as  avapxov),  having  beginning  Himself 
in  respect  of  source  only  (Kara  povov  TO  <•'£  ov, 
and  not,  that  is,  of  time  also.  Greg.  Naz. 
'  Orat.'  20,  §  7),  even  while  He  has  this  sub- 
sistence (uVap£ii/)  coincident  with  Him  (the 
Father)"  ('Thes.'  /.  c.). 

In  his  commentary,  on  the  other  hand,  he 
lays  down  peremptorily  the  other  interpreta- 
tion :  "  The  Father  was  greater,  as  the  Son 
was  still  a  slave  and  in  our  condition  (tv  TO'IS 
Kaff  ?)/iar)...We  affirm  that  the  Son  was  made 
less  than  the  Father  in  so  far  as  He  has  be- 
come man,  that  however  He  was  restored  to 
being  on  equality  (tlvai  tv  ?<ro>)  with  Him 


that  begat  Him  (TW  c^uo-airi)  after  His  leaving 
the  earth  (/*era  TTJV  tvTtvQtv  aTroS^/itai')..." 
(ad  loc.~). 

In  the  Latin  Church  this  opinion  found 
general  acceptance.  AMBROSE  (f  397)  writes : 
"  [Christ]  says  in  the  nature  of  man  that 
about  which  [our  adversaries]  are  wont  to 
assail  us  wrongfully  (calumniar'i)  [arguing] 
that  it  is  said  :  The  Father  is  greater  than  /... 
He  is  less  in  the  nature  of  man,  and  do  you 
wonder  if  speaking  from  the  character  of 
man  (ex  persona  homlnis)  He  said  that  the 
Father  was  greater...?"  ('De  Fide,'  n.  8. 
Comp.  v.  1 8). 

AUGUSTINE  (f  430)  commonly  refers  the 
superior  greatness  of  the  Father  to  the  Incar- 
nate Son  ;  but  he  acknowledges  that  it  can  be 
understood  of  the  Son  as  Son  :  The  words  are 
written  "  partly  on  account  of  the  Incarnation 
(adm'mistratio  suscepti  hominis)  ...  partly  be- 
cause the  Son  owes  to  the  Father  that  He  is ; 
as  He  even  owes  to  the  Father  that  He  is  equal 
(aqualis  aut  par)  to  the  Father,  while  the 
Father  owes  to  no  one  whatever  He  is  "  ('  de 
Fid.  et  Symb.'  c.ix.  (1.8).  Comp.  'c.  Maxim.' 
I.  15;  ii.  25;  in.  14;  'c.  Serm.  Ar.'  5; 
'  Coll.  c.  Max.'  14  ;  '  De  Trin.'  I.  14,  22). 

In  later  times  the  interpretation  by  which 
the  words  are  referred  to  the  humanity  of 
Christ  became  almost  universal  in  the  West 
(e.g.  Leo,  A.D.  449, '  Ep.  ad  Flavian.'  xxvni. 
4);  Fulgentius  (c.  533,  '  Epist.'  vm.  16); 
Alcuin  (c.  802,  'de  Trin.'  in.  7).  Comp. 
Thorn.  Aqu.  '  Summa,'  HI.  20.  i). 

In  the  East,  JOHN  OF  DAMASCUS  (f  754) 
carefully  reproduced  the  teaching  of  the  earlier 
Greek  fathers :  "  If  we  say  that  the  Father  is 
the  origin  of  the  Son  and  greater,  we  do  not 
indicate  that  He  is  before  the  Son  (nporfpevtiv) 
in  time  or  nature,  nor  in  any  other  point, 
except  as  being  the  cause  (Kara  TO  amov); 
that  is  that  the  Son  was  begotten  of  the 
Father,  and  not  the  Father  of  the  Son,  and 
that  the  Father  is  the  cause  of  the  Son  natu- 
rally (amor  <£uo-iK(Ss),  as  we  say  that  the  fire 
does  not  come  from  the  light,  but  rather  the 
light  from  the  fire.  When  therefore  we  hear 
that  the  Father  is  the  origin  of  and  greater 
than  the  Son,  we  must  understand  it  in  regard 
of  the  cause  (r«5  am'w  voyo~a>ufv)  "  ('  De  Fide,' 
1.8). 

The  summary  of  opinions  given  by  PHOTIUS 
(f  c.  891)  may  complete  this  review  of  ancient 
interpretations.  "Our  fathers,"  he  writes, 
"  have  variously  understood  the  phrase  of 
the  Gospel,  My  Father  is  greater  than  I,  with- 
out injury  to  the  truth.  Some  say  that  [the 
Father]  is  called  greater  as  being  the  cause, 
which  presents  not  difference  of  substance, 
but  rather  identity  (OVK  ovo-ias  irapa\\ay^v 
TavToTrjTa  Sf  pa\\ov  KOI  avpfyviav).  ...  Others 
have  taken  the  word  as  referring  to  the  human 
nature  (Kara  TO  dvdpamvov).... Some  have  con- 


2l6 


ST.  JOHN.   XV. 


[V.I. 


ceded  that  the  term  greater  is  used  in  respect 
of  the  Word,  but  not  absolutely  and  in  regard 
of  essence,  but  in  respect  of  the  Incarnation,... 
since  He  who  remits  nothing  of  His  own  ex- 
cellence is  greater  than  He  who  has  descended 
to  the  lowest  sufferings. ...  One  might  reason- 
ably understand  that  the  phrase  was  used  with 
regard  to  the  understanding  of  the  disciples, 
for  they  still  were  imperfectly  acquainted  with 
God  and  their  Master,  and  supposed  that  the 
Father  was  far  greater  (comp.  Isid.  Pelus. 
'Ep.'  334) — And  perhaps  there  is  nothing  to 
prevent  us  from  supposing  that  the  term  is 
used  in  condescension,  fashioned  in  a  humble 
form  to  meet  the  weakness  of  the  hearers  ..." 
('  Epist.'  I.  47,  al.  176,  al.  'Qusest.'  95). 
If  we  turn  from  these  comments  to  the  text 


of  St  John,  it  will  be  seen  that  (i)  The  Lord 
speaks  throughout  the  Gospel  with  an  un- 
changed and  unchangeable  Personality.  The 
"  I  "  (eyw)  is  the  same  in  viii.  58,  x.  30,  xiv. 
28.  (a)  We  must  believe  that  there  was  a 
certain  fitness  in  the  Incarnation  of  the  Son. 
(3)  This  fitness  could  not  have  been  an 
accident,  but  must  have  belonged,  if  we  may 
so  speak,  to  His  true  Personal  Nature.  (4) 
So  far  then  as  it  was  fit  that  the  Son  should 
be  Incarnate  and  suffer,  and  not  the  Father, 
it  is  possible  for  us  to  understand  that  the 
Father  is  greater  than  the  Son  as  Son,  in 
Person  but  not  in  Essence.  Among  English 
writers  it  is  sufficient  to  refer  to  Bull ;  and  to 
Pearson, '  On  the  Creed,'  Art.  i,  whose  notes,  as 
always,  contain  a  treasure  of  patristic  learning. 


CHAPTER  XV. 

I  The  consolation  and  mutual  love  between 
Christ  and  his  members,  tinder  the  parable 
of  the  vine.  18  A  comfort  in  the  hatred 


and  persecution  of  the  -world.     -26  The  office 
of  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  of  the  apostles. 

I   AM  the  true  vine,  and  my  Father 
is  the  husbandman. 


ii.    THE  DISCOURSES  ON  THE  WAY 
(xv.,  xvi.). 

This  second  group  of  discourses  falls  into 
the  following  sections  : 

I.     The  living  union  (xv.  I  —  10). 
a.     The  issues  of  union  :  the  disciples  and  Christ 
(xv.  ii  —  1  6). 

3.  The  issues  of  union  :  the  disciples  and  the 
(world  (xv.  17  —  27). 

4.  The  (world  and  the  Paraclete  (xvi.  i  —  n). 

5.  The  Paraclete  and  the  disciples  (xvi.  12— 


. 

Sorro<w  turned  to  joy  (xvi.  16  —  24). 
After  failure  victory  (xvi.  25  —  33). 


I.  The  living  union  (xv.  I  —  10). 
This  first  section,  like  the  corresponding 
section  in  the  first  group,  contains  the 
thought  which  is  pursued  in  detail  in  the 
following  sections,  the  thought  of  corporate, 
living,  fruitful  union  between  believers  and 
Christ,  which  is  developed  afterwards  in  its 
manifold  issues  of  joy  and  sorrow.  The  suc- 
cession of  ideas  appears  to  be  this.  The  life 
in  union  is  begun  but  not  perfected  (vv.  1,2); 
and  the  vital  relation  must  be  "freely"  main- 
tained (vv.  3,  4)  in  view  of  the  consequences 
which  follow  from  its  preservation  and  loss 
(vv.  5,  6).  Such  being  the  circumstances  of 
union,  the  blessings  of  union  (vv.  7,  8)  and 
the  absolute  type  of  union  (vv.  9,  to)  are  set 
forth  more  fully. 

CHAP.  XV.  1,  2.  The  first  two  verses 
present  the  elements  of  symbolic  teaching  with- 
out any  direct  interpretation,  the  vine,  the 
branches,  the  husbandman,  the  dressing.  The 
whole  usage  of  the  Lord  leads  to  the  belief  that 
the  image  of  the  vine  was  suggested  by  some 


external  object.  Those  who  think  that  the 
discourses  were  spoken  in  the  chamber  sup- 
pose that  the  symbol  was  supplied  by  a  vine 
growing  on  the  walls  of  the  house  and  hanging 
over  the  window;  or  by  "the  fruit  of  the 
vine"  (Matt.  xxvi.  29). 

If  the  discourses  were  spoken  on  the  way 
to  the  Mount  of  Olives,  the  vineyards  on  the 
hill  sides,  or,  more  specially,  the  fires  of  the 
vine-prunings  by  Kidron,  may  have  furnished 
the  image.  If  however  the  discourses  and  the 
High  Priestly  prayer  (ch.  xvii.)  were  spoken 
in  the  court  of  the  temple  (xvii.  i,  note), 
then  it  is  most  natural  to  believe  that  the 
Lord  interpreted  the  real  significance  of  the 
golden  vine  upon  the  gates,  which  was  at 
once  the  glory  and  the  type  of  Israel  (Jos. 
'Antt.'xv.  11.3;  <B.  J.'v.  5.  4). 

1.  /  am  the  true  vine"]  The  exact  form 
of  the  phrase  marks  first  the  identification 
of  Christ  with  the  image,  and  then  the 
absolute  fulfilment  of  the  image  in  Him, 
Christ:  /  am  the  vine;  the  true  vine  (comp. 
i.  9,  vi.  32,  dXgdtPor,  x.  ii).  Christ  in  His 
Person  brings  to  complete  fulfilment  these 
vital  relations  of  the  parts  to  the  whole 
— of  unity  and  multiplicity — of  growth  and 
identity,  which  are  shadowed  forth  in  the 
vine.  But  yet  more  than  this,  the  vine  was 
the  symbol  of  the  ancient  Church  (Hos.  x.  i ; 
Isai.  v.  i  ff.;  Jer.  ii.  21 ;  Ezek.  xv.  2  ff.,  xix. 
10  ff.;  Ps.  Ixxx.  8  ff.;  comp.  Matt.  xxi.  33 ; 
Luke  xiii.  6;  [Rev.  xiv.  18  ff.]).  Compare 
Lightfoot  and  Wtlnsche,  ad  loc.  Thus  two 
currents  of  thought  are  united  by  the  Lord 
when  He  speaks  of  Himself  as  "the  true, 
the  ideal,  vine."  Israel  failed  to  satisfy  the 
spiritual  truths  symbolized  in  the  natural 
vine;  the  natural  vine  only  imperfectly  realises 


V.  2—4.] 


ST.  JOHN.    XV. 


217 


2  "Every  branch  in  me  that  bear-  word    which    I   have    spoken    unto 

eth  not  fruit  he  taketh  away:   and  you. 

every  branch  that  beareth  fruit,  he        4    Abide  in   me,   and   I    in   you. 

purgeth  it,  that  it  may  bring  forth  As  the  branch  cannot  bear  fruit  of 


*  -hap  „  <  xT<  itself>  excePt  Jt  abide  in  the  vine ;  no 

3     Mow  ye  are  clean  through  the     more  can  ye,  except  ye  abide  in  me. 


the  idea  which  it  expresses.  In  both  respects 
Christ  is  "the  ideal  vine,"  as  contrasted  with 
these  defective  embodiments. 

the  husbandman]  The  "  husbandman  "  here 
stands  apart  from  the  vine,  because  Christ 
brings  forward  His  relation  with  believers  in 
virtue  of  His  true  manhood.  In  this  relation 
He  stands  even  as  they  do  to  the  Father 
(Hebr.  v.  8),  and  (in  some  mysterious  sense) 
He,  in  His  Body,  is  still  under  the  Father's 
discipline  (comp.  Col.  i.  24).  In  the  Synoptic 
parable  the  word  is  applied  to  the  leaders  of 
the  people;  Matt.  xxi.  33,  and  parallels. 
Compare  also  Luke  xiii.  7. 

2.  The  construction  in  the  original,  "Every 
branch,  if  it  bear  not.  ..every  branch  that 
beareth...,"  is  slightly  irregular.  The  words 
would  have  been  naturally,  "  Every  branch  in 
me  He  tends  carefully  :  if  any  bear  no  fmit 
He  removes  it  ;  if  any  bear  fruit  He  prunes 
it."  But  the  indefinite  hypothetical  form  (nav 
icX^ta  (if)  tpfpov)  is  changed  in  the  second 
clause  for  the  definite  and  positive  (ndv  ro 


Every  branch"]  Believers  are  identified  with 
Christ.  We  cannot  conceive  of  a  vine  with- 
out branches.  Yet  the  life  is  independent  of 
any  particular  manifestation  of  it.  A  similar 
mystery  lies  in  the  image  of  the  body  (Eph. 
v.  30;  Col.  ii.  19). 

In  the  old  dispensation  union  with  Israel 
was  the  condition  of  life;  in  the  new,  union 
with  Christ. 

in  me]  Even  the  unfruitful  branches  are 
true  branches.  They  also  are  "/«  Christ," 
though  they  draw  their  life  from  Him  only 
to  bear  leaves  (Matt.  xxi.  19).  It  is  the  work 
of  the  Great  Husbandman  to  remove  them. 
Comp.  Matt.  xiii.  a  8  f.,  47  ff.  How  a  man 
can  be  "in  Christ,"  and  yet  afterwards  se- 
parate himself  from  Him,  is  a  mystery  neither 
greater  nor  less  than  that  involved  in  the  fall 
of  a  creature  created  innocent. 

taketh  it  away]  It  is  not  perhaps  necessary 
to  attempt  to  determine  the  mode  of  this 
removal.  Death  breaks  the  connexion  be- 
tween the  unfaithful  Christian  and  Christ 
(see  Matt  /.  c.). 

he  purgeth  (cleansetbJ)  it]  The  word 
cleanseth  (Katiaipei),  which  is  used  of  lus- 
trations, appears  to  be  chosen  with  a  view  to 
its  spiritual  application.  Everything  is  re- 
moved from  the  branch  which  tends  to  divert 
the  vital  power  from  the  production  of  fruit. 

bring  forth  (bear)  more  fmit']     Increased 


fruitfulness  is  the  end  of  discipline,  and  to  this 
all  care  is  directed.  The  vine  especially  needs 
pruning.  Every  one  who  has  seen  a  vineyard 
of  choice  vines  knows  how  closely  they  are 
cut. 

3,  4.  The  relation  which  has  been  ge- 
nerally indicated  in  w.  i,  a  is  now  applied 
to  the  disciples.  Christ's  work  is  accom- 
plished for  them;  but  they  must  themselves 
appropriate  it  (abide  in  me~)\  their  will  must 
cooperate  with  His  will. 

3.  Ncnv  ye  are..."]    Already  ye  (yptis) 
are...    The  spiritual    work    represented    by 
this  "cleansing"   was  potentially  completed 
for   the  apostles,   the  representatives  of  His 
Church.    It  remained  that  it  should  be  realised 
by  them  (comp.  Col.  iii.  3,  5).    They  had 
been  purified  by  the  divine  discipline  (comp. 
xiii.  10).     They  were  clean  (nadapoi)  "be- 
cause of  the  word."    The  word,  the  whole 
revelation  to  which  Christ  had  given  expres- 
sion, was  the  spring  and  source,  and  not  only 
the  instrument,  of  their  purity  (Sto  TOP  X.,  and 
not  fita  roO  X.;  comp.  vi.  57).     See  viii.  31  f., 
v.  34 ;  Eph.  v.  26  (prj/ta)  ;  James  i.  18. 

clean]  It  is  possible  that  the  word  may 
contain  an  allusion  to  Lev.  xix.  23.  For  three 
years  the  fruit  of  "trees  planted  for  food" 
was  counted  unclean  (dTrtpinddapTos,  LXX.). 

4.  But  the  permanence  of  the  purity  to  which 
they  had  attained  depended  upon  the  per- 
manence of  their  fellowship.      The  disciple 
must  set  his  life  in  Christ,  and  let  Christ  live 
in  him.    The  form  of  the  sentence  is  neces- 
sarily obscure ;  but  the  second  clause  is  not  to 
be  taken  as  a  future:  "Abide  in  me,  and  I 
will  abide  in  you."    Both  parts  are  imperative 
in  conception:    "Do  ye  abide  in  me,   and 
admit  me  to  abide  in  you,  let  me  abide  in 
you."     "  Effect,  by  God's  help,  this  perfect 
mutual  fellowship,  your  abiding  in  me,  my 
abiding  in  you."    Both  thoughts  are  essential 
to  the  completeness  of  the  union.     Comp. 
xiv.  10,  20.     In  one  sense  the  union  itself, 
even  the  abiding  of  Christ,  is  made  to  depend 
upon  the  will  of  the  believer.    The  other  side 
of  the  truth  is  given  in  v.  16. 

of  itself]  not  simply  "in  itself,"  but 
"  from  itself,"  as  the  source  of  its  own  vital 
energy.  Comp.  v.  19,  vii.  18,  xi.  51,  xvi.  13. 
The  form  is  peculiar  to  St  John  (2  Cor.  x.  7 
is  a  false  reading).  Comp.  v.  30,  note. 

except  it  abide]  The  phrase  is  compressed. 
The  limitation  applies  to  the  principal  thought 


218 


ST.  JOHN.   XV. 


[v.  5-8. 


5  I    am   the    vine,    ye    are    the  withered ;  and  men  gather  them,  and 
branches :    He    that  abideth  in   me,  cast  them  into  the  fire,  and  they  are 
and   I    in   him,   the    same   bringeth  burned. 

forth  much  fruit :   for  '  without  me         7  If  ye  abide  in  me,  and  my  words 

7rom  me.   ye  can  do  nothing.  ab.ide  in  you,  ye  shall  ask  what  ye 

6  If  a  man  abide  not  in  me,  he  will,  and  it  shall  be  done  unto  you. 

is    cast    forth   as   a   branch,    and    is         8    Herein  is  my  Father  glorified, 


«0r, 
tevered 


(bear  fruit),  and  not  to  the  defining  addition 
(of  itself),  to  which  it  is  parallel.  Comp.  v. 
19 ;  Gal.  ii.  16.  The  branch  cannot  bear 
fruit  of  itself:  it  cannot  bear  fruit  except  it 
abide  in  the  vine. 

no  more  can  ye]  Literally,  so  neither  can 
ye  bear  fruit  of  yourselves,  or  bear  fruit  at  all, 
except  in  vital  fellowship  with  me. 

5,  6.  The  consequences  of  union  and  of 
loss  of  union  with  Christ  are  set  out  in  the 
sharpest  contrast. 

5.  The  repetition  of  the  "theme"  (v.  *) 
leads  to  the  addition  of  the  clause  ye  are  the 
branches,  which  sums  up  definitely  what  has 
been  implied  in  the  former  verses. 

He  that. ..the  same  (OVTOS  "  he,  and  none 
other,  it  is  that")  bringeth  forth  (foeareth) 
much  fruif\  The  thought  is  of  the  produc- 
tiveness of  the  Christian  life.  The  vine-wood 
is  worthless.  For  fruitfulness  there  is  need  of 
"abiding,"  continuance,  patient  waiting,  on 
the  part  of  those  already  "in  Christ." 

for  (because)  without  (apart  from) 
me...']  The  force  of  the  argument  lies  in  the 
fact  that,  as  the  fruitfulness  of  the  branch  does 
not  depend  upon  itself  but  upon  Christ  in 
whom  it  lives,  He  will  fulfil  His  part  while 
the  vital  connexion  is  maintained.  In  other 
words,  he  in  whom  Christ  lives  must  be 
abundantly  fruitful,  for  it  is  His  life  alone 
which  brings  forth  fruit. 

apart  from  me~\  not  simply  without  my 
help,  but  separated  from  me.  Comp.  Eph.  ii. 
12;  ch.  i.  3. 

do  nothing}  accomplish  nothing,  bring  out 
no  permanent  result.  The  thought  is  directly 
of  Christian  action,  which  can  only  be 
wrought  in  Christ.  At  the  same  time  the 
words  have  a  wider  application.  Nothing 
that  really  "is"  can  be  done  without  the 
Word,  whose  activity  must  not  be  limited 
when  He  has  not  limited  it :  x.  16,  i.  9. 

6,  he  is  cast  forth]     This  happens  simul- 
taneously with  the  cessation  of  the  vital  union 
with  Christ  ((fiXj0T)).    It  is  not  a  future  con- 
sequence, as  at  the  last  judgment,  but  an 
inevitable  accompaniment  of  the  separation. 
The  use  of  the  adverb  "outside"  (t^6rj  ?£o> 
not  e'£f/3X?;0i7)  suggests  a  new  aspect  of  the 
union  with  Christ,  the  idea  of  a  vineyard  in 
addition  to  that  of  a  vine. 

a  (the)  branch]  the  unfruitful  branch  by 
which  he  is  represented. 


(withered"]  inasmuch  as  it  receives  the  living 
sap  no  longer. 

men  (thay)  gather  them]  The  inde- 
finiteness  of  the  subject  corresponds  with 
the  mysteriousness  of  the  act  symbolized. 
"They  gather  them  (the  branches  and  their 
antitypes)  to  whom  the  office  belongs." 
Comp.  Luke  xii.  20.  The  description  is 
directly  that  of  the  fate  of  the  severed  branches 
(avra),  out  of  which  the  application  imme- 
diately follows.  "  Ligna  vitis...praecisa  (Ezek. 
xv.  5)  nullis  agricolarum  usibus  prosunt,  nul- 
lis  fabrilibus  operibus  deputantur.  Unum  de 
duobus  palmiti  congruit  aut  vitis  aut  ignis..." 
(Aug.  ad  loc.\ 

thejire]  The  image  is  of  the  fires  kindled  to 
consume  the  dressings  of  the  vineyards.  Comp. 
Matt.  xiii.  41  f.  The  Lord  leaves  the  image, 
just  as  it  is,  to  work  its  proper  effect. 

7,  8.  In  these  two  verses  the  blessings  of 
union  are  shewn  in  prayer  fulfilled  and  fruit 
borne. 

7.  If  J/e  abide  in  me,  and  my  words  (say- 
ings) abide  in  you ]    The  second  clause 

is  changed  in  form  (not  "and  I  in  you,"  as 
•v.  4),  because  the  thought  now  is  of  the  com- 
munion of  prayer.     The  words  (pq/nara),  the 
definite  sayings,  here  specified,  go  to  make  up 
"the  word"  (o  \oyos,  v.  3).     Comp.  viii.  43, 
47,  51,  xii.  47,  48,  xvii.  6,  8,  14. 

ye  shall  ask  what  ye  wilt]  According  to 
the  true  reading,  ask  whatsoever  ye  will. 
The  petitions  of  the  true  disciples  are  echoes 
(so  to  speak)  of  Christ's  words.  As  He  has 
spoken  so  they  speak.  Their  prayer  is  only 
some  fragment  of  His  teaching  transformed 
into  a  supplication,  and  so  it  will  necessarily 
be  heard.  It  is  important  to  notice  how  the 
promise  of  the  absolute  fulfilment  of  prayer 
is  connected  with  the  personal  fellowship 
of  the  believer  with  Christ,  both  in  the 
Synoptists,  and  in  St  John.  Comp.  Matt, 
xviii.  19,  20,  and  below  v.  16.  In  the  ori- 
ginal "whatsoever  ye  will'1''  stands  first,  to 
mark  the  freedom  of  the  believer's  choice,  or 
(in  other  words)  the  coincidence  of  his  will 
with  the  will  of  Christ.  Comp.  i  John  iii.  22. 

/'/  shall  be  done]  More  literally,  "  it  shall 
come  to  pass  (ytv^fftrai,  Vulg.  fet)  for  you." 
The  result  is  not  due  to  any  external  or  arbi- 
trary exertion  of  power,  but  to  the  action  of 
a  law  of  life. 

8.  Herein]    In  this,  that  is,  in  the  necessary 


v.  9— "•] 


ST.  JOHN.   XV. 


219 


that  ye  bear  much  fruit ;  so  shall  ye 
be  my  disciples. 

9  As  the  Father  hath  loved  me, 
so  have  I  loved  you :  continue  ye  in 
my  love. 


10  If  ye  keep  my  commandments, 
ye  shall  abide  in  my  love  j  even  as  I 
have  kept    my    Father's    command- 
ments, and  abide  in  his  love. 

11  These   things   have   I   spoken 


consequence  of  your  abiding  in  me,  which 
carries  with  it  the  certain  fulfilment  of  your 
prayers,  inasmuch  as  they  correspond  with  the 
divine  will.  The  pronoun  looks  back,  while  at 
the  same  time  the  thought  already  indicated  is 
developed  in  the  words  which  follow.  The 
end  which  God  regards  in  answering  prayer  is 
that  ye  may  bear  much  fruit  (iva  ^e'pTjre). 
Comp.  iv.  34,  note. 

if  glorified]  The  tense  (as  in  v.  6)  marks 
the  absolute  coincidence  of  the  extension 
of  the  Father's  glory  with  the  realisation  of 
the  believer's  effectual  union  with  Christ. 
In  the  fruitfulness  of  the  vine  lies  the  joy  and 
glory  of  the  "husbandman"  (v.  i). 

bear  much  fruit}  The  words  point  to  the 
future  activity  of  the  apostles  as  founders  of 
the  Church  through  which  the  Risen  Christ 
acts.  Comp.  v.  16. 

a  n  d  so  shall  ye  be  (b  e  c  o  m  e)  my  disciples]  O  r, 
according  to  another  reading,  and  ye  shall 
become...  Something  is  always  wanting  to 
the  completeness  of  discipleship.  A  Christian 
never  "is,"  but  always  "is  becoming"  a 
Christian.  And  it  is  by  his  fruitfulness  that 
he  vindicates  his  claim  to  the  name. 

9,  10.  The  sphere  and  the  condition  of 
union  are  revealed  in  the  absolute  type  of 
union,  the  relation  of  the  Son  to  the  Father. 

9.  This  verse  admits  of  two  renderings. 
The  last  clause  may  be  the  conclusion  to  the 
two  former:  Even  as  the  Father  loved  me 
and  I  loved  j/ou,  abide  in  my  love.  Or  it 
may  be  independent:  Even  as  the  Father 
loved  me  I  also  loved  you.  Abide  in  my 
love.  Both  constructions  are  in  harmony  with 
St  John's  style.  (Comp.  vi.  57,  xiv.  12.) 
The  latter  perhaps  brings  out  most  distinctly 
the  mysterious  truth  that  the  relation  of  the 
Father  to  the  Son  corresponds  with  that  of 
the  Son  to  believers  (comp.  vi.  57,  x.  14, 
15),  which  is  further  applied  in  v.  10.  The 
use  of  the  aorist  (loved)  in  both  cases  may 
perhaps  carry  the  relation  out  of  time,  and 
make  it  absolute  in  the  divine  idea.  Comp. 
xvii.  14.  But  it  is  simpler  to  regard  the  tense 
as  chosen  with  regard  to  a  work  now  looked 
upon  as  completed,  according  to  the  usage 
which  is  not  unfrequent  in  these  discourses. 
Comp.  xiii.  31. 

continue  (abide)  ye  in  my  love~]  The  love 
of  Christ  is,  as  it  were,  the  atmosphere  in 
which  the  disciple  lives.  It  is  not  something 
realised  at  a  momentary  crisis,  but  enjoyed 
continuously.  And  this  enjoyment  depends, 
on  the  human  side,  upon  the  will  of  man.  It 
can  be  made  the  subject  of  a  command. 


my  love']  The  exact  form  of  the  phrase, 
which  is  found  here  only  (j  aryamj  77  6>v'),  as 
distinguished  from  that  used  in  the  next  verse 
(»?  ayamj  ftou),  emphasizes  the  character  ot 
the  love,  as  Christ's:  the  love  that  is  mine, 
the  love  that  answers  to  my  nature  and  my 
work.  Thus  the  meaning  of  the  words  can- 
not be  limited  to  the  idea  of  Christ's  love  for 
men,  or  to  that  of  man's  love  for  Christ :  they 
describe  the  absolute  love  which  is  manifested 
in  these  two  ways,  the  love  which  perfectly 
corresponds  with  Christ's  Being.  There  are 


npitris  T)  e/*ij,  v.  30,  viii.  16)  ;  "t&e  command- 
ments that  are  mine'1''  (xiv.  15);  "peace 
that  is  mine'1'1  (tlpfivr)  ?)  C'/MJI,  xiv.  27).  Comp. 
v.  30,  vi.  38,  vii.  6,  8,  viii.  31,  37,  43,  51, 
56,  x.  26,  27,  xii.  26,  xv.  12,  xvii.  24,  xviii. 
36. 

10.  The  promise  here  is  the  exact  con- 
verse of  that  in  xiv.  15.  Obedience  and  love 
are  perfectly  correlative.  Love  assures  obedi- 
ence; obedience  assures  love.  The  love  of 
the  disciples  for  Christ  carries  with  it  the 
purpose  and  the  power  of  obedience;  the 
spirit  of  obedience  is  more  than  the  sign  of 
love  (xiii.  35) ;  it  secures  to  the  disciples  the 
enjoyment  of  Christ's  love.  The  love  of 
Christ  as  it  is  realised  unites  and  includes 
inseparably  man's  love  for  Christ,  and  Christ's 
love  for  man. 

even  as  I  (e'yco)  have  kept  my  (the) 
Father's ...]  The  Filial  relation  of  the  Son 
to  "the  Father"  (not  "His  Father")  is 
set  forth  as  the  type  of  that  of  the  disciple 
for  his  Master  (comp.  viii.  29).  Though  the 
terms  in  which  this  relation  is  described 
belong  properly  to  the  life  of  the  Incarnate 
Son,  yet  the  emphatic  pronoun  shews  that  the 
statement  is  true  of  the  eternal  being  of  the 
Son  in  His  unchanged  personality.  Comp. 

1.  i. 

in  his  love]  The  pronoun  stands  emphati- 
cally first,  so  that  there  is  a  complete  parallel 
between  the  corresponding  clauses  (roC  jrarpor 
T<\S  eVroXaj,  aurou  iv  TTJ  ayanrf).  The  perfect 
love  of  complete  devotion  to  God  is  the 
highest  conceivable  good. 

2.  The  issues  of  union :  the  disciples  and  Christ 

(xv.  ii — 16). 

The  Revelation  which  has  been  made  in  the 
first  section  is  applied  in  the  sections  which 
follow.  The  end  of  it  is  shewn  to  be  two- 
fold, to  create  joy  hi  sacrifice  (xv.  ii — 27), 


22O 


ST.  JOHN.    XV. 


[v.  12—15. 


unto  you,  that  my  joy  might  remain  13  Greater  love  hath  no  man  than 

in   you,   and   that  your   joy    might  this,  that  a  man  lay  down  his  life  for 

be  full.  his  friends. 

'chap.  13.       12    fThis   is  my  commandment,  14    Ye  are  my  friends,  if  ye  do 

i4Thess.  4.  That  ye  love  one  another,  as  I  have  whatsoever  I  command  you. 

3.  lJ°hn   loved  you.  15  Henceforth  I  call  you  not  ser- 


and  to  preserve  faith  unshaken  (xvi.^.  The 
first  object  is  gained  by  shewing  the  issues  of 
union  for  the  believer  in  relation  to  Christ 
(vv.  ii — 16),  and  to  the  world  (vv.  17 — a?). 
True  joy,  Christ's  joy,  springs  out  of  the  self- 
sacrifice  of  love  (vv.  12,  13).  The  connexion 
of  believers  with  Christ  is  one  of  love  (vv.  14, 
15)  ;  and  it  is  stable  because  it  rests  on  His 
choice  (v.  16). 

11.  The  love  of  Christ  was  the  love  of 
absolute  self-sacrifice.  Such  self-sacrifice  is 
the  fulness  of  joy.  Thus  by  enjoining  con- 
tinuance in  His  love  Christ  prepares  His 
hearers  to  suffer  for  love's  sake.  These  things 
have  I  spoken  unto  you  that  my  joy  might 
remain  (may  be)  in  you:  that  you  may  know 
and  share  the  blessedness  which  belongs  to 
my  work,  the  exemplar  of  your  own ;  and 
that  so  your  joy  might  be  full  (may  be  ful- 
filled). 

my  joy]  Literally,  "  the  joy  that  is  mine," 
characteristic  of  me  (see  v.  9,  note)  :  the  joy 
of  complete  self- surrender  in  love  to  love. 
Other  interpretations  of  the  phrase,  "the  joy 
which  I  inspire,"  or  "your  joy  in  me,"  fall 
far  short  of  the  meaning  required  by  the 
context.  The  rendering  "  that  my  joy  may 
find  its  foundation  and  support  in  you,"  is 
even  more  alien  from  the  sense  of  the  passage. 

your  joy]  There  appears  to  be  a  marked 
contrast  between  "the  joy  that  is  Christ's," 
and  "the  joy  of  the  disciples."  The  one  is 
absolute  (may  be  in),  the  other  is  progressive 
(may  be  fulfilled).  The  latter  may  per- 
haps be  rightly  taken  to  include  all  the  ele- 
ments of  true  human  joy.  This  natural  joy, 
in  itself  incomplete  and  transitory,  had  been 
ennobled  by  the  self-surrender  of  the  disciples 
to  Christ ;  and  the  completion  of  their  joy  in 
the  indirect  sense  was  to  be  found  in  the  con- 
summation of  the  union  thus  commenced. 
That  consummation  however  was  to  be  ac- 
complished through  suffering. 

12,  13.  The  connexion  of  v.  ia  with  v. 
1 1  lies  in  the  thought  of  joy  springing  out  of 
self-sacrifice,  of  which  Christ  gives  the  ab- 
solute pattern.  The  many  "commandments" 
(v.  10)  are  gathered  up  in  the  one  "  new 
commandment "  (xiii.  34),  the  commandment 
which  was  emphatically  Christ's,  of  which 
the  end  and  purport  was  that  Christians  should 
love  one  another  after  the  pattern  of  their 
Master,  who  gave  up  His  life  for  them.  He 
is  the  model  (v.  13),  the  source  (vv.  14,  15), 
and  the  support  of  love  (v.  16). 


12.  my  commandment]      Literally,    "  the 
commandment  that  is  mine,"  that  answers  to 
my  nature  and    my  mission   (v.   9,   note). 
Comp.  i  John  iii.  16. 

That  ye  love]  The  exact  phrase  of  the 
original  (tea  dyaTrare)  emphasizes  the  purpose 
as  distinguished  from  the  simple  substance  of 
the  command. 

as  I  have  loved]  More  closely,  even  as 
I  loved.  See  v.  9. 

13.  The  love  of  Christ  for  men  was  the 
supreme  ideal  of  love.     Greater  love  than  this, 
which  I  have  shewn  and  still  shew,  no  one  hath 
or  could  have  ;  a  love  so  framed  in  its  divine 
law  and  last  issue,  that  one  should  lay  down  his 
life  for  bis  friends.     Comp.  i  John  iii.  16. 

The  implied  end  of  Christ's  love  —  death 
for  another  —  is  regarded  as  the  final  aim 
of  human  self-devotion.  This  points  back- 
ward to  I  have  loved  you;  and  that  one 
lay  down  does  not  seem  to  be  a  simple  ex- 
planation of  this,  but  rather  a  declaration 
of  the  spirit  and  purpose  of  love.  Comp.  iv. 
34,  v.  8,  xvii.  3  ;  i  John  iv.  17  ;  3  John  4. 

lay  down]  Comp.  x.  n,-note. 
for  his  friends]  Love  is  contemplated  here 
from  the  side  of  him  who  feels  it,  so  that  the 
objects  of  it  are  spoken  of  as  "  friends,"  that 
is,  "  loved  by  him."  In  Rom.  v.  8  the  sacri- 
fice of  Christ  is  regarded  from  the  opposite 
side,  from  the  side  of  those  for  whom  it  was 
offered,  and  men  are  described  as  being  in 
themselves  sinners. 


14.  Te  (vfids)  are...]    Christ  returns  from 
the  general  case  (any  one)  to  Himself,  and 
shews  what  is  required  on  man's  side  to  com- 
plete the  conception  of  that  relationship  which 
He  has  established  with  His  disciples. 

friends]  The  true  believer  receives  the 
title  which  is  characteristic  of  Abraham,  "the 
father  of  the  faithful,"  "the  friend  of  God" 
(Isai.  xli.  8  ;  James  ii.  43).  The  title  occurs 
Luke  xii.  4  in  connexion  with  the  prospect 
of  suffering.  The  true  disciples  had  been 
in  Christ's  sight  all  along  what  He  now 
solemnly  entitles  them. 

whatsoever]  the  things  which,  but  pro- 
bably the  true  reading  is  that  which,  so  that 
the  emphasis  is  still  laid  upon  the  unity  of 
Christ's  command  (v.  la). 

15.  The  relation  of  the  believer  to  Christ, 
out  of  which  springs  his  relation  to  his  fellow- 
believer,  is  essentially  one  not  of  service  but 
of  love. 


v. 


ST.  JOHN.   XV. 


221 


vants ;  for  the  servant  knoweth  not 
what  his  lord  doeth  :  but  I  have  call- 
ed you  friends ;  for  all  things  that  I 
have  heard  of  my  Father  I  have  made 
known  unto  you. 


1 6    Ye  have  not  chosen  me,  but 
I   have   chosen   you,   and  d  ordained  * Matt- a8- 
you,   that   ye   should   go  and  bring x* 
forth  fruit,  and  that  your  fruit  should 
remain  :  that  whatsoever  ye  shall  ask 


Henceforth  I  call  you  not]  No  longer 
do  I  call  you,  as  in  the  time  when 
Christ  had  not  fully  revealed  Himself.  The 
relation  of  God  to  His  people  under  the  Law 
had  been  that  of  Master  to  servant.  Comp. 
Matt.  x.  24  f.,  and  the  imagery  of  the  para- 
bles: Matt.  xiii.  27  f.,  xviii.  23  ff.,  xxii.  4  ff., 
xxiv.  45  ff. ;  Mark  xiii.  34;  Luke  xii.  37  ff., 
xiv.  17  ff.,  xvii.  10,  xix.  13  ff.  See  also  xiii. 
16,  xii.  26  (Sidieovos). 

servants']  The  disciples  however  still  claimed 
the  title  for  themselves.  The  less  was  included 
in  the  greater.  Comp.  v.  20. 

for  (because)  ...]     Comp.  viii.  34  ff. 

knowetb  not  (with  the  knowledge  of  intui- 
tive certainty)  what  his  lord  doeth  (is  doing)] 
At  the  very  moment  of  action  there  is  no 
sympathy  between  the  lord  and  the  slave,  by 
which  the  mind  of  one  is  known  to  the  other. 
The  slave  is  an  instrument  (e/i^v^oi>  opyavov) 
and  not  a  person.  Comp.  Rom.  vii.  15. 

his  lord~]  The  order  of  the  original  (avrov 
6  Kvpios)  emphasizes  the  contrast  of  persons. 

The  order  is  changed  in  the  second  clause : 
tut  you  I  have  called  friends.  The  em- 
phasis is  laid  on  the  personal  character  of  the 
eleven.  The  title  also  is  one  finally  conferred 
(ftpij/ta,  /  have  called),  and  not  simply  used 
as  the  occasion  arises  (Xeyo>,  /  call). 

for  (because)]  The  perfect  revelation  of 
the  Father's  will  involves  the  relation  of  friend- 
ship. To  know  God  is  to  love  Him.  To 
receive  the  knowledge  of  Him  is  to  experience 
His  love.  The  Son  therefore  called  those 
to  whom  He  revealed  the  Father  "  friends  " 
in  act  before  He  called  them  so  in  word. 

The  revelation  both  in  communication 
.(Vyi'copio-a,  I  made  known)  and  in  reception 
(ijKouo-a,  I  heard,  comp.  viii.  28,  note)  is  here 
presented  as  complete.  This  is  one  side  of 
the  truth.  But  the  complete  revelation  given 
in  the  Lord's  Presence  needed  a  fuller  unfold-  ' 
ing  (xvi.  12).  He  had  not  yet  died  and  risen. 
It  was  the  work  of  the  Spirit  to  interpret  after- 
wards little  by  little  what  He  had  revealed  in 
word  and  life  implicitly  once  for  all  (xiv.  26, 
(v  TO)  ofo/iart  /iou,  xvii.  26,  TO  oi/o/ia  <rov). 

16.  The  Lord  having  set  forth  the  aim  of 
Christian  joy  through  self-devotion,  resting  on 
a  personal  relation  to  Himself,  shews  how  it 
is  within  reach  of  attainment.  The  stability 
of  the  connexion  of  "friendship"  between  the 
I^ord  and  His  disciples  is  assured  by  the  fact 
that  its  origin  lies  with  the  Lord  and  not  with 
man.  This  manifestation  of  love,  like  the 
divine  love  itself  (i  John  iv.  10),  was  not 


called  out  by  anything  in  man.  It  was  of 
divine  grace,  and  therefore  essentially  sure. 
Ye  did  not  choose  me,  or  more  exactly, 
//  was  not  ye  that  chose  me  as  your  master, 
as  scholars  ordinarily  choose  their  master — 
the  pronoun  stands  emphatically  first — but 
I  chose  you  as  my  friends.  The  choice 
may  be  either  generally  to  discipleship,  or 
specially  to  the  apostolate.  The  use  of  the 
word  in  vi.  70  and  xiii.  18  (comp.  Acts  i.  2), 
no  less  than  the  context,  in  which  the  eleven 
are  regarded  as  representatives  of  the  Lord  in 
relation  to  His  Church,  favours  the  second 
interpretation.  The  power  of  the  office  of 
the  apostles  lay  for  them  in  the  fact  that  it 
was  not  self-chosen. 

/  have  chosen}  I  chose.  The  reference  is 
to  the  historic  fact  of  the  calling,  Luke  vi.  13  ; 
Acts  i.  2.  Comp.  ch.  vi.  70. 

and  ordained  (appointed,  sent,  e&jKa, 
Vulg.  posui)  you}  The  word  simply  describes 
the  assignment  of  a  special  post,  which  here 
carries  with  it  further  duties  (that  ye  may...). 
Comp.  Hebr.  i.  2;  Rom.  iv.  17;  2  Tim.  i.  n. 

that  ye  (vjiets)  on  your  part,  in  virtue  of 
your  peculiar  knowledge  and  gifts,  should  go. . .] 
The  repetition  of  the  pronoun  (v/i5r,  "va  v^els) 
brings  out  the  distinctive  responsibility  of  the 
apostles.  At  the  same  time  the  verb  (go, 
vnaynrt)  marks  their  separation  from  their 
Master  (Matt.  xx.  4,  7,  &c.),  while  they 
went  into  the  world  as  heralds  of  the  gospel 
(Mark  xvi.  15;  Luke  x.  3).  Three  points 
are  noticed  in  their  activity.  They  take  up 
an  independent  place ;  they  are  effective ;  the 
effect  which  they  work  is  lasting.  In  all  this 
lies  the  promise  of  the  foundation  and  per- 
petuity of  the  Church.  Moreover  even  in 
apparent  separation  the  strength  of  the  dis- 
ciple comes  from  union  with  his  Lord,  and 
thus  for  a  moment  the  imagery  of  vv.  a  ff.  is 
resumed  (been  fruit,  fruit  abide). 

that  whatsoever}  This  clause  is  in  one 
aspect  subordinate  to  the  former;  and  in 
another  coordinate  with  it.  The  consumma- 
tion of  faith  grows  out  of  fruitful  obedience ; 
and  on  the  other  hand  fruitful  obedience 
coincides  with  the  fulfilment  of  prayer. 

The  direct  personal  application  of  vv.  15, 
1 6,  to  the  apostles  is  emphatically  marked  by 
the  ninefold  repetition  of  the  pronoun  (ye, 
you).  At  the  same  time  the  words  are  to 
be  extended  in  due  measure  to  all  disciples 
whom  the  eleven  represented. 

(whatsoever  ye  shall  ask  of  the  Father}  The 
conditions  of  prayer  already  laid  down  (v.  7) 
are  here  presented  in  another  light  In  the 


222 


ST.  JOHN.    XV. 


[v.  17—19- 


of  the  Father  in  my  name,  he  may         18  If  the  world  hate  you,  ye  know 

give  it  you.  that  it  hated  me  before  /'/  hated  you. 

17   These  things  I  command  you,         19   If  ye  were  of  the  world,  the 

that  ye  love  one  another.  world  would  love  his  own :  but  be- 


former  passage  prayer  was  regarded  as  the 
echo  of  Christ's  own  words.  Here  it  is  re- 
garded as  flowing  from  the  new  connexion 
(ask  the  Father)  realised  in  the  revelation  of 
the  Son  (in  my  name).  Comp.  xvi.  26  f. 
And  there  is  another  detail  to  be  observed,  by 
which  the  promise  in  this  passage  is  further 
distinguished  from  that  in  xiv.  13,  14.  There 
it  is  said  of  the  fulfilment  of  prayer,  I  will  do 
it;  and  here,  that  tie  may  give  it  you.  In 
the  former  place  stress  is  laid  upon  the  action 
of  Christ ;  in  this  upon  the  privilege  of  the 
believer.  The  work  is  wrought  by  Christ, 
but  through  the  believer.  He  receives  that 
which  enables  him  to  accomplish  his  Lord's 
will.  Comp.  xvi.  23. 

in  my  name]  See  xiv.  13,  note.  This 
clause  marks  the  proper  object  of  prayer  as 
spiritual  and  eternal,  and  not  transitory.  Comp. 
i  John  v.  14,  15.  "  Hoc  petimus  in  nomine 
Salvatoris  quod  pertinet  ad  rationem  salutis  " 
(Aug.  in  loc.~). 

3.     The  issues  of  union:  the  disciples  and  the 
world  (xv.  17 — 27). 

The  love  of  Christians  for  Christ  and  for 
one  another,  which  is  the  end  of  Christ's  com- 
mandment, involves  hatred  on  the  part  of  the 
world  (vv.  17,  1 8),  which  springs  from  an 
essential  opposition  of  nature,  and  finally  from 
ignorance  of  the  Father  (vv.  19 — 21).  But 
none  the  less  such  hatred  is  inexcusable,  for 
Christ  fulfilling  His  mission  both  in  word  and 
work  left  no  plea  for  those  who  rejected  Him 
(vv.  22 — 25) ;  and  the  conflict  which  He 
had  begun  the  disciples  are  commissioned  to 
continue  with  the  help  of  the  Paraclete  (vv. 
26,  27). 

17 — 21.  The  disciples'  work,  as  a  work 
of  love,  corresponds  not  only  in  character  but 
also  in  issue  with  that  of  their  Master ;  it  is 
met  by  hatred  which  marks  an  opposition  of 
natures  between  believers  and  the  world,  and 
so  witnesses  in  fact  to  the  true  fellowship  of 
Christians  with  Christ,  and  to  their  knowledge 
of  God.  Comp.  i  John  iii.  i.  At  first  sight 
the  hatred  of  the  world  for  that  which  is 
essentially  good  and  beautiful  could  not  but 
be  a  strange  trial  to  believers  (comp.  i  Peter 
iv.  12  ff.).  Christ  meets  the  temptation  be- 
forehand by  tracing  the  hatred  to  its  origin. 
The  lesson  was  soon  applied :  Acts  v.  41. 

17.  This  verse  must  be  taken  as  the  intro- 
duction of  a  new  line  of  thought,  and  not, 
according  to  the  modern  texts,  as  the  summing 
up  in  conclusion  of  what  has  gone  before. 
On  this  point  the  usage  in  St  John  is  conclu- 


sive against  the  received  arrangement.  Comp. 
xiv.  25,  xv.  u,  xvi.  i,  25,  33.  The  love  of 
Christ  for  Christians  is  the  antidote  to  and 
the  occasion  of  the  world's  hatred,  which  is 
directed  against  the  virtues  rather  than  against 
the  failings  of  Christians.  Christ  first  estab- 
lishes the  foundation  of  this  love,  and  then 
lays  open  the  antagonism  which  believers 
must  support. 

These  things  I  command]  The  commands 
are  involved  in  the  teaching  which  has  de- 
veloped the  original  injunction,  abide  in  me 
(•v.  4).  The  scope  of  all  was  to  create  mutual 
love  (JVa  ayairare  aXhrjKovsi  that  ye  may 
love...). 

18.  If  the  (world  hate  (h  a  t  e  t  h ,  /uto-el)  you] 
This   is    assumed    to    be    the    actual    fact. 
Compare  vii.    7.    The  verb    which  follows 
(yivtao-KfTf)    may  be    either  indicative,    "ye 
know,"   or  imperative,   "know  ye"   (Vulg. 
scitote).      In  favour  of  the  latter  rendering 
the  imperative  in  v.  20  (remember)  can  be 
quoted;   and  at  the  same  time  it  is  more 
natural  to  suppose  that  the  attention  of  the 
disciples  is  now  definitely  called  to  a  truth 
which  they  had  but  just  learnt  to  recognise, 
than  that  reference  should  be  made  to  a  know- 
ledge which  at  any  rate  they  had  been  very 
slow  to  gain.    Comp.  i  John  iv.  2.    Now  that 
the  issue  was  at  hand  the  past  could  at  length 
be    more  certainly    interpreted    than    at  an 
earlier  time;   and  yet  more,   the  immediate 
experience  of  the  disciples  interpreted  the  his- 
tory of  their  Master. 

hated (hatli  hated,  /nf/ii'oT?i«f)]  The  con- 
ception is  of  a  persistent,  abiding  feeling,  and 
not  of  any  isolated  manifestation  of  feeling. 
The  "  Jews "  are  treated  as  part  of  the 
"  world." 

hated  me  before  it  hated  you]  The  original 
phrase  is  very  remarkable  (^«  irpu>Tov  vpav, 
Vulg.  prior  em  •vobis)^  me  first  of  you,  first  in 
regard  of  you.  Comp.  i.  15.  The  force  of  it 
appears  to  lie  in  the  stress  laid  upon  the  es- 
sential union  of  those  which  follow  with  the 
source.  The  later  life  is  drawn  from  the 
original  life.  It  is  not  only  that  Christ  was 
"  before"  the  disciples  as  separate  from  them ; 
He  was  also  their  Head. 

19.  The  hatred  of  the  world  to  the  dis- 
ciples could  not  but  follow  necessarily  from 
the  choice  of  Christ,  by  which  they  were 
drawn  out  of  the  world  to  Him.  This  hatred, 
therefore,  became  to  them  a  memorial  of  their 
great  hopes.     Comp.  Matt.  v.  14  f.;    Rom. 
viii.  17  ;  i  Pet.  iv.  iz  f. 

If  ye  were  of  the  world,  the  world  would 


V.  2O 22.] 


ST.  JOHN.    XV. 


223 


cause  ye  are  not  of  the  world,  but  I 
have  chosen  you  out  of  the  world, 
therefore  the  world  hateth  you. 

20    Remember   the    word  that   I 

<Matt.  10.  said  unto  you,  « The  servant  is  not 

chap.  13.    greater  than  his  lord.     If  they  have 

persecuted  me,  they  will  also  perse- 


cute you  ;  if  they  have  kept  my  say- 
ing, they  will  keep  yours  also. 

21  But  all  these  things  will  they 
do  unto   you  for   my  name's    sake, 
because    they    know    not    him    that 
sent  me. 

22  If  I  had  not  come  and  spoken 


love]  The  love  (f>0t'X«)  is  that  of  nature, 
and  not  of  moral  choice  (dyanarf,  v.  17). 

bis  (Its)  own... you]  The  love  of  the  world 
is  marked  as  selfish.  It  is  directed  to  that 
which  specially  belongs  to  itself:  to  a  quality 
and  not  to  a  person  (TO  idiov,  Vulg.  quod 
suum  enif).  The  fivefold  repetition  of  "the 
world  "  brings  out  vividly  the  antagonist  of 
Christ. 

/ have  chosen]     I  chose.     See  v.  16,  note. 

20.  the  word]     The  reference  appears  to 
be  not  to  xiii.  16,  but  to  some  earlier  occasion 
on  which  the  words  were  used,  with  an  appli- 
cation like  the  present  one,  Matt.  x.  24. 

If  they  have  persecuted  (they  persecuted) 
...//  they  have  kept  (they  kept)...]  The 
subject  is  left  indefinite,  being  naturally  sup- 
plied from  "  the  world,"  and  the  alternatives 
are  simply  stated.  The  disciples  could  look 
back  and  discern  what  they  had  to  expect: 
some  courageous  followers,  some  faithful 
hearers,  out  of  misunderstanding,  or  careless, 
or  hostile  multitudes. 

kept  (fajpijow)...]  my  word;  "observed," 
"obeyed,"  and  not  (as  it  has  been  taken) 
watched  with  a  malicious  purpose.  Comp. 
viii.  51  ff.,  xiv.  23,  xvii.  6;  i  John  ii.  5;  Rev. 
iii.  8,  10,  xxii.  7,  9.  The  phrase  is  peculiar 
to  St  John. 

21.  But...]     The  Lord,  with  an  abrupt 
transition,  anticipates  the  judgment  and  deals 
with  it.     Persecution  and  rejection  were  in- 
evitable ;  but  they  were  not  really  to  be  feared. 
The  disciples  could  bear  them,  because  they 
sprang  from  ignorance  of  God,   and  so  in- 
directly witnessed  that  the  disciples  knew  Him. 

all  these  things']  all  that  is  included  in  the 
activity  of  antagonism. 

do  unto  you]  The  original  phrase,  according 
to  the  true  text,  is  very  remarkable  (iroiija-ova-iv 
fls  v/xar).  The  disciples  were  to  be  not  only 
in  fact  the  victims  of  the  world's  hatred,  but 
the  object  which  the  world  deliberately  sought 
to  overpower. 

for  my  name's  sake]  Comp.  Acts  v.  41  (for 
the  name) ;  I  Pet.  iv.  14.  The  hostility  of 
the  Jews  to  the  disciples  was  called  out  by  the 
fact  that  these  proclaimed  Christ  as  being  what 
He  had  revealed  Himself  to  be,  the  Christ,  the 
Son  of  the  living  God.  This  was  His  "  name ; " 
and  it  became  the  ground  of  accusation,  because 
the  Jews  knew  not  God,  that  God  whom  they 
professed  to  honour,  from  whom  Christ  came. 


To  emphasize  this  idea  God  is  spoken  of 
simply  as  "He  that  sent  me,"  and  not  as 
"  God,"  or  "  the  Father,"  or  "  the  Father  that 
sent  me."  Comp.  iv.  34,  v.  24,  30,  vi.  38,  39, 
vii.  16,  18,  28,  33,  viii.  26,  29,  ix.  4,  xii.  44  f., 
xiii.  20,  xvi.  5.  See  also  xvi.  3,  note. 

because]  The  true  knowledge  of  God 
carries  with  it  the  knowledge  of  Christ  (viii. 
42  (comp.  i  John  v.  i) ;  and  conversely  the 
knowledge  of  Christ  is  the  knowledge  of  God 
(xii.  44).  Comp.  Luke  xxiii.  34. 

22—25.  The  Lord,  having  shewn  the  fact 
and  the  ground  of  the  hatred  which  His  dis- 
ciples would  experience,  shews  also  that  the 
hatred  is  without  excuse  and  yet  inevitable. 
To  this  end  He  marks  the  double  testimony 
which  He  had  Himself  offered  to  His  Person 
and  to  His  office,  the  testimony  of  teaching 
(vv.  22,  23),  and  the  testimony  of  works 
(24).  He  had  made  the  Father  known.  The 
parallelism  between  the  two  declarations  is 
remarkable : 

If  I  had  not  come  and  spoken  to  them,  they  had 
not  had  sin  : 

But  now  they  have  no  excuse  for  their  sin. 
He   that  hateth  me  hateth  my  Father 

also. 

If  I  had  not  done  among  them  the  works  which 
none  other  did,  they  had  not  had  sin : 

But  now  they  have  both  seen  and  hated 
both  me  and  my  Father. 

The  same  two  forms  of  witness  are  appealed 
to  in  the  same  order  in  xiv.  10,  n.  Com- 
pare also  Matt.  xiii.  16  f.;  Luke  x.  23  f. 

22.  come']  The  word  appears  to  be  used 
in  its  technical  sense :  "  If  I  had  not  claimed 
the  true  functions  of  Messiah,  and  spoken  in 
that  capacity,  and  wrought  "the  works  of  the 
Christ,"  they  might  then  have  treated  me  as 
a  mere  man  and  rejected  me  without  sin." 
Comp.  ix.  41.  The  Jews  had  the  power  and 
the  opportunity  of  discerning  Christ's  real  na- 
ture, so  that  they  were  inexcusable.  Compare 
Deut.  xviii.  18,  19,  where  the  responsibility  of 
discernment  is  laid  upon  the  people. 

had  sin]  Compare  ix.  41,  note.  The 
phrase  is  peculiar  to  St  John  (v.  24,  xix.  n  ; 
i  John  i.  8).  Compare  the  corresponding 
phrase  "bear  sin"  (LXX.  Xafi^dvfivap.apTiav), 
Num.  ix.  13,  xiv.  34-,  xviii.  22,  &c.  In 
i  John  i.  8,  the  phrase  is  contrasted  with  "  we 
have  not  sinned"  ou  jwiTJKaiiti/.  Both 


224 


ST.  JOHN.   XV. 


[v.  23 — 26. 


»Or. 

excuse. 


unto  them,  they  had  not  had  sin  :  but 
now  they  have  no '  cloke  for  their  sin. 

23  He  that  hateth  me  hateth  my 
Father  also. 

24  If  I  had  not  done  among  them 
the  works  which  none  other  man  did, 
they  had  not  had  sin  :  but  now  have 
they  both  seen  and  hated  both  me  and 
my  Father. 


35- 


25  But   this  cometb  to  pass,  that 
the   word   might  be  fulfilled  that  is 
written  in  their  law,  "They  hated  me 
without  a  cause. 

26  fBut  when  the  Comforter  is*"Luke*«- 
come,  whom  I  will  send  unto   you  chap.  i4. 
from  the  Father,  even  the  Spirit   of26 
truth,  which  proceedeth  from  the  Fa- 

ther, he  shall  testify  of  me  : 


mark  the  abiding  effects  of  sin.  But  in  the 
latter  the  act  is  the  central  point,  and  in  the 
former  the  responsibility  for  the  act. 

but  now]  as  it  is,  they  have  incurred  sin 
and  have...  The  words  mark  a  sharp  con- 
trast. Compare  Luke  xix.  42,  ch.  viil  40, 
ix.  41,  xvi.  5,  xvii.  13,  xviii.  36 ;  i  Cor.  vii. 
i4r  xii.  20,  &c. ;  and  in  St  Paul  in  the  form 
vwl  8e,  Rom.  iii.  ai,  vi.  22,  &c. 

cloke]  excuse  (irpoQaviv  Trepl,  Vulg.  excu- 
sationem  de).  Compare  Ps.  cxl.  4  (LXX.). 

for  (irtpi)  their  sin]  in  the  matter  of,  con- 
cerning their  sin.  They  have  nothing  which 
they  can  even  plead  in  their  own  defence  as  in 
times  of  ignorance  (i  Pet.  1-14;  Acts  xvii. 
30;  Rom.  iii.  25). 

23.  He  that  hateth  me  hateth...']     It  is 
assumed  that  "the  Jews"  hate  Christ;  and 
so  the  necessary  consequences  of  this  feeling 
are  laid  open.      Hatred  of  the  Son  as  Son 
carries  with  it  hatred  of  the  Father,  in  which 
character  He  had  revealed  God.     Here  in 
connexion  with  teaching  (v.  22)  the  inward 
disposition  of  hatred  only  is  touched  upon, 
and  that  in  a  general  form  (be  that  hateth}. 
In  v.  24  the  feeling  is  marked  in  its  historic 
form  (have  seen  and  have  hated).      For  the 
combination  me. ..my  Father  see  i  John  ii. 
23,  v.  10. 

24.  For  those  who  could  not  enter  into 
the  witness  of  words  Christ  added  the  subor- 
dinate witness  of  works  (xiv.  10  ff.,  note). 
The  works  are    characterized   (which   none 
other  did:  comp.  Matt.  ix.  33);  the  words  are 
undefined  (come  and  spoken).     The  works  of 
Christ  might  be  compared  with  other  works ; 
His  words  had  an  absolute  power  (vii.  46. 
Comp.  Matt.  vii.  29).     Augustine  (in  loc.) 
has  an  interesting  comparison  of  other  miracles 
with  the  miracles  of  Christ. 

both  seen]  so  far  as  the  works  revealed  out- 
wardly the  majesty  and  will  of  God,  and  of 
Christ,  as  the  representative  of  God.  Comp. 
xiv.  9. .  Contrast  v.  23. 

25.  But  this  cometh  to  pass  that. ..might 
(may)...]  Comp.  i.  8,  £zrf  he  came  f /fort...,  ix.3, 
but  this  hath  come  to  pass  that...,  xi.  4,  xiii. 
18,  xiv.  31;    i  John  ii.  19;   Mark  xiv.  49. 
However  startling  it  might  be  that  the  Jews 
should  reject  Him  whom  they  professed  to 


reverence,  by  doing  so  they  fulfilled  the  Scrip- 
ture. Comp.  Acts  xiii.  27.  It  could  not  but 
be  that  the  divine  type,  foreshadowed  in  the 
history  of  king  and  prophet,  should  be  com- 
pletely realised.  Comp.  xii.  38  f. 

in  their  law]  The  Lord  separates  His 
society  from  the  unfaithful  synagogue  (their 
law).  The  very  books  which  the  Jews  claimed 
to  follow  condemned  them.  For  the  extension 
of  the  term  "  Law"  to  the  Psalms  see  x.  34, 
note.  The  phrase  occurs  in  Ps.  xxxv.  (xxxiv.) 
19,  and  in  Ps.  Ixix.  (Ixviii.)  4. 

without  a  cause]  "gratuitously"  (Sapeav, 
Vulg.  gratis).  Compare  i  S.  xix.  5,  xxv.  31; 
i  K.  ii.  31;  Ps.  xxxv.  (xxxiv.)  7  [LXX.]. 
The  hostility  of  the  Jews  to  Christ,  who  was 
absolutely  holy  and  loving,  could  have  no 
justification.  It  was  pure  hatred  without 
ground. 

26,  27.  There  is  a  pause  after  v.  25.  The 
Lord  had  dwelt  on  the  hatred  with  which  He 
had  been  met.  Yet  that  was  not  to  prevail.  The 
hostility  of  the  world  is  therefore  contrasted 
with  the  power  by  which  it  should  be  over- 
come. In  -vv.  26,  27  the  thought  is  of  the 
vindication  of  the  Lord ;  in  ch.  xvi.  this  passes 
into  the  thought  of  the  support  of  the  dis- 
ciples. 

26.  But  (omit)  when  the  Comforter  (Ad- 
vocate) is  come]  Comp.  xiv.  16,  note. 

/  (tyto)  will  send]  Comp.  xvi.  7.  The  use 
of  this  phrase,  involving  the  claim  to  divine 
power  at  this  crisis  of  rejection,  is  made  most 
significant  by  the  emphatic  pronoun. 

from  the  Father]  The  preposition  (irapa) 
which  is  used  in  both  clauses  expresses  pro- 
perly position  ("  from  the  side  of"),  and  not 
source  («'£,  "  out  of").  The  remarkable  use 
in  Luke  vi.  19  is  explained  by  Luke  viii.  44. 

the  Spirit  of  truth]  xiv.  17,  xvi.  13;  i  John 
iv.  6.  Christianity  is  itself  "  the  Truth."  It 
was  the  office  of  the  Spirit  to  interpret  and 
enforce  it.  The  genitive  describes  the  sub- 
stance of  that  with  which  the  Spirit  dealt,  and 
not  a  mere  characteristic  of  the  Spirit,  thai 
His  witness  is  true. 

proceedeth]  The  original  term  (eKTropfverat, 
Vulg.  procedit)  may  in  itself  either  describe 
proceeding  from  a  source,  or  proceeding  on 
a  mission.  In  the  former  sense  the  preposition 


v.  27,  i.] 


ST.  JOHN.    XV.    XVI. 


27  And  ye  also  shall  bear  witness, 
because  ye  have  been  with  me  from 
the  beginning. 

CHAPTER  XVI. 

I  Christ  comforteth  his  disciples  against  tri- 
bulation by  the  promise  of  the  Holy  Ghost, 


225 


and  bv  his  resurrection  and  ascension :  13 
assureth  their  prayers  made  in  his  name  to 
be  acceptable  to  his  Father.  33  Peace  in 
Christ,  and  in  the  world  affliction. 

~"*HESE  things  have  I  spoken  un- 
JL    to  you,  that  ye  should  not  be 
offended. 


out  of  (i K,  e )  would  naturally  be  required  to 
define  the  source  (Rev.  i.  16,  &c.);   on  the 
other  hand  the  preposition  from  (from  the  side 
of,  napd,  a)  is  that  which  is  habitually  used 
with  the  verb  to  come  forth  of  the  mission  of 
the  Son,  e.g.  xvi.  a?,  xvii.  8.    The  use  of 
the  latter  preposition  (irapa)  in  this  place  seems 
therefore  to  shew  decisively  that  the  reference 
here  is  to  the  temporal  mission  of  the  Holy 
Spirit,  and  not  to  the  eternal  Procession.     In 
accordance  with  this  usage  the  phrase  in  the 
Creeds  is  uniformly  "  which  proceedeth  out 
of     (TO  TTV.  TO  ayiov  TO  e'»c  rou  irarpbs  (K.TTO- 
pfv6p,(vov);  and  it  is  most  worthy  of  notice 
that  the  Greek  fathers  who  apply  this  passage 
to  the  eternal  Procession  instinctively  substi- 
tute "out  of"  (eV)  for  "from"  (n-apd)  in  their 
application  of  it :  e.g.  Theodore  of  Mopsuestia 
('Cat'  in  loco).      At  the  same  time  the  use 
of  the  present  (proceedeth)  in  contrast  with 
the  future  (I  will  send),  brings  out  the  truth 
that  the  mission  of  the  Spirit  consequent  on 
the  exaltation  of  the  Son  was  the  consumma- 
tion of  His  earlier  working  in  the  world.     In 
this  respect  the  revelation  of  the  mission  of 
the  Spirit  to  men  (which  proceedeth,  I  will 
send)   corresponds   to   the  revelation   of  the 
eternal    relations    of   the    Spirit    (from    the 
Father,  through  the  Son). 

from  the  Father]  not  from  My  Father. 
The  mission  is  connected  with  the  essential 
relation  of  God  to  man. 

be  («Vceu/os)... testify  (bear  witness)...] 
Com  p.  xiv.  a  6,  note. 

The  witness  of  the  Spirit  was  not  only 
given  through  the  disciples  (Matt.  x.  19,  ao), 
but  is  also  given  more  widely  in  the  con- 
tinuous interpretation  of  the  life  of  Christ 
by  the  experience  of  men. 

27.  ye  also  shall  bear  witness]  The  verb 
(napTvptlrt)  may  be  indicative  (and  ye  also 
bear  witness),  or  imperative  (and  do  ye 
also  bear  witness).  The  imperative  seems  at 
first  sight  to  fall  in  better  with  the  general 
tenour  of  the  passage  (w.  18,  20);  but  on 
the  other  hand  3"  John  la,  which  is  evi- 
dently moulded  on  this  passage,  favours  the 
indicative ;  and  yet  more,  in  these  two  verses 
Christ  is  speaking  of  the  witness  which  should 
maintain  His  cause  against  the  world  and  not 
enjoining  duties.  On  the  whole,  therefore,  the 
imperative  is  less  appropriate.  The  present 
tense  is  used  of  the  witness  of  the  disciples, 
inasmuch  as  their  witness  was  already  begun 
in  some  sense,  in  contrast  with  that  of  the 


Spirit,  which  was  consequent  upon  Christ's 
exaltation. 

have  been  with...~\  are  with  me...  The 
relation  was  present  and  unbroken.  Com  p. 
Luke  xv.  31. 

from  the  beginning']  Comp.  i  John  ii.  7,  34, 
iii.  ii ;  and  cc.  vi.  64,  xvi.  4  (<?£  a'p^r)-  The 
"  beginning  "  is  necessarily  relative  to  the  sub- 
ject (comp.  Matt.  xix.  4,  8  ;  Acts  xxvi.  4;  ch. 
viii.  44).  Here  it  expresses  the  commencement 
of  Messiah's  public  work  (Acts  i.  aa ;  Luke 
i.  a). 

For  the  two- fold  witness  see  Acts  v.  3 a. 
On  the  one  side  there  is  the  historical  wit- 
ness to  the  facts,  and  on  the  other  the  in- 
ternal testimony  of  personal  experience. 

4.  The  world  and  the  Paraclete  (xvi.  I — ii). 
In  this  section  the  manifestation  of  the 
hatred  of  the  world  is  followed  out  to  its  last 
issues  (i— 4  a),  in  the  prospect  of  that  crisis 
of  separation,  which  is  the  condition  of  the 
mission  of  the  Paraclete  (4  b — 7),  who  finally 
tries  and  convicts  the  world  (8 — n).  The 
antagonistic  forces  of  the  world  and  the 
Paraclete  are  portrayed  in  the  most  energetic 
opposition.  The  warning  is  answered  by  the 
promise. 

CHAP.  XVI.  1  ff.  In  the  last  section  the 
hatred  of  the  world  was  exhibited  in  its 
general  character  as  inevitable  and  inexcus- 
able, in  contrast  to  the  witness  to  Christ ;  it 
is  now  shewn  in  its  intense  activity  as  the 
expression  of  a  false  religious  zeal. 

1.  These  things']  The  reference  appears  to 
be  to  the  whole  revelation  of  the  vital  union 
of  the  believer  with  Christ,  of  the  self-sacrifice 
of  Christians,  of  their  power  of  devotion,  of 
their  suffering  as  sharers  with  Christ,  of  their 
witness  coincident  with  the  witness  of  the 
Spirit ;  and  not  only  to  the  last  section  (xv. 
17 — 37).  Compare  xv.  ii. 

not  be  offended  (o-Kai>8a\io-dr)Tf)]  Comp. 
vi.  61.  The  image  of  stumbling  over  some 
obstacle  in  the  way  (o-Kai>8a\ov,  "offence," 
i  John  ii.  10),  which  is  common  in  the  first 
two  Gospels  (e.g.  Matt.  xiii.  ai)  and  is  found 
more  rarely  in  St  Luke,  occurs  in  this  form 
only  in  these  two  places  in  the  Gospel  of 
St  John.  It  is  expressed  otherwise  in  xi.  9  f. 
(comp.  Rom.  ix.  33).  The  offence  lay  in 
the  opposition  on  the  part  of  the  world 
to  that  which  the  disciples  were  taught  to 
regard  as  rightly  claiming  the  allegiance  of  all 


226 


ST.  JOHN.    XVI. 


[v.  2—4. 


2  They  shall  put  you  out  of  the 
synagogues :    yea,    the   time  cometh, 
that  whosoever  killeth  you  will  think 
that  he  doeth  God  service. 

3  And  these  things  will   they  do 


unto    you,    because    they    have    not 
known  the  Father,  nor  me. 

4  But  these  things  have  I  told 
you,  that  when  the  time  shall  come, 
ye  may  remember  that  I  told  you  of 


men,  and  especially  in  the  opposition  of  Israel 
to  that  which  was  the  true  fulfilment  of  their 
national  hopes.  No  trial  could  be  greater  to 
Jewish  apostles  than  the  fatal  unbelief  of  their 
countrymen.  Comp.  Rom.  x. 

2.  out  of  the  synagogues  (or  rather  syna- 
gogue)] I.e.  excommunciate  you.    Comp.  ix. 

22,  xii.  42. 

yea  (dXXa,  Vulg.  sed~)~]  The  exclusion  from 
religious  fellowship  might  seem  the  climax  of 
religious  hostility,  but  there  was  something 
more  formidable  still.  The  contrast  is  between 
what  the  disciples  could  perhaps  anticipate,  and 
the  real  extremity  of  hatred.  They  shall  put 
you  out  of  the  synagogue ;  this,  indeed,  how- 
ever grievous,  you  may  be  prepared  to  bear ; 
but  far  more  than  this;  The  hour  cometh  that 
their  full  malignity  may  be  shewn,  when  put- 
ting you  to  death  will  seem  to  be  the  perform- 
ance of  a  religious  duty. 

the  time  (hour)  cometh,  that...~\  The  issue 
is  represented  in  relation  to  the  whole  divine 
purpose  which  it  fulfilled  (Luke  ii.  35).  This 
uttermost  manifestation  of  the  violence  of 
unbelief  was  part  of  the  counsel  of  God.  He 
provided  for  such  an  end  (ep^trat  Iva).  Comp. 
•v.  32,  xii.  23,  xiii.  i. 

whosoever. ..]  every  one  who...  This  will 
be  the  universal  spirit,  not  only  among  Jews, 
who  will  be  the  first  adversaries  of  the  Church, 
but  among  Gentiles,  who  will  accuse  you  of 
impious  crimes  (Tac.  'Ann.'  XV.  44;  Suet. 
'  Nero,'  16). 

doeth  God  service']  offereth  service  unto 
God  (d,  hostiam  offer  re  Deo,  Vulg.  obsequium 
prtestare  Deo).  The  phrase  expresses  the  ren- 
dering of  a  religious  service  (Xarpfi'a,  Rom. 
ix.  4;  Hebr.  ix.  i,  6),  and  more  particularly 
the  rendering  of  a  sacrifice  as  service  (rrpoo-- 
fapdv,  Hebr.  v.  i  ff.,  viii.  3  f.,  ix.  7  ff.  &c.). 
The  slaughter  of  Christians,  as  guilty  of  blas- 
phemy (Acts  vii.  57  f.,  vi.  13),  would  ne- 
cessarily be  regarded  by  zealots  as  an  act  of 
devotion  pleasing  to  God,  and  not  merely  as 
a  good  work.  The  Midrash  on  Num.  xxv. 
13  ([Phinehas']  made  an  atonement)  may  serve 
as  a  commentary.  "  Was  this  said  because 
he  offered  an  offering  (Korban)  ?  No ;  but  to 
teach  them  that  every  one  that  sheds  the 
blood  of  the  wicked  is  as  he  that  offereth  an 
offering  "  ('  Midrash  R.'  ad  !oc.). 

3.  do    unto  you]     Omit   unto  you.    The 
action  itself,  without  regard  to  the  particular 
objects  of  it,  is  the  central  thought. 

because  they  have  not  known..."]  because  they 
knew  not...  This  fatal  error  was  the  con- 


sequence of  a  failure  to  know  God.  The  evil 
act  followed  upon  the  blinded  thought.  The 
Jews  in  their  crisis  of  trial  "  did  not  recog- 
nise" (OVK  f-yvoHmv)  the  Father  and  Christ. 
Their  sin  is  not  placed  in  the  want  of  know- 
ledge in  itself  (OVK  oiSatri,  xv.  21,  viii.  19,  vii. 
28),  but  in  the  fact  that  when  the  oppor- 
tunity of  learning  was  given  to  them  they 
did  not  gain  the  knowledge  which  was  within 
their  reach  (comp.  xvii.  25,  i.  10). 

In  this  connexion  the  change  from  "Him 
that  sent  me"  (xv.  21)  to  "the  Father"  (not 
"  my  Father  ")  is  significant.  "  The  Father  " 
marks  an  absolute  and  universal  relation  of 
God  to  man  which  Christ  came  to  reveal ; 
"  Him  that  sent  me"  marks  the  connexion  of 
Christ  with  the  Old  Covenant. 

4.  But  these  things  have  I  told  you]  But 
these  things  have  I  spoken  unto  you. 
The  strong  adversative  (aXXa)  is  difficult  to 
explain.  The  reference  has  been  supposed  to 
be  to  the  words  immediately  preceding;  as 
though  it  were  implied  that  careful  reflection 
might  have  shewn  the  disciples  after  Christ's 
death  what  must  be  their  position.  This  being 
so,  their  Master  might  have  left  them  to  the 
teaching  of  experience,  but  for  their  sake  He 
forewarned  them.  It  is  however  perhaps 
more  simple  to  take  the  but  as  abruptly 
breaking  the  development  of  thought;  "but, 
not  to  dwell  on  the  details  of  the  future..." 

these  things']     See  v.  i,  note. 

when  the  time~\  when  their  hour,  the 
appointed  time  for  their  accomplishment. 

ye  may... of  them]  ye  may  remember  them 
how  that  I  (e'yw)  told  you.  Comp.  xiii. 
19.  The  pronoun  I  is  emphatic.  Christ  Him- 
self had  foreseen  what  caused  His  disciples 
perplexity.  As  knowing  this  they  could  be 
patient. 

4  b  ff.  The  revelation  which  has  been 
given  answers  to  a  crisis  of  transition.  The 
departure  of  Christ  is  the  condition  of  the 
coming  of  the  Paraclete.  Separation  and  suf- 
fering are  the  preparation  for  victory. 

And  (But,  8f)  these  things  I  said  not  unto 
you  (told  you  not)  at  (from)  the  begin- 
ning} The  exact  phrase  (V|  apxns)  occurs 
in  the  New  Testament  janly  here  and  in  ch.  vi. 
64.  The  preposition  suggests  the  notion  of 
that  which  flows  "out  of"  a  source  in  a 
continuous  stream,  rather  than  of  that  which 
first  began  from  a  certain  point.  Comp.  Isai. 
xl.  21,  xli.  26,  xliii.  9  (LXX.);  Ecclus.  xxxix. 


v.  5-8.] 


ST.  JOHN.    XVI. 


them.  And  these  things  I  said  not 
unto  you  at  the  beginning,  because  I 
was  with  you. 

5  But  now  I  go  my  way  to  him 
that  sent  me;  and  none  of  you  asketh 
me,  Whither  goest  thou  ? 

6  But  because  I  have  said  these 
things  unto  you,  sorrow  hath   filled 
your  heart. 


227 


7  Nevertheless  I  tell  you  the  truth ; 
It   is   expedient  for  you  that   I   go 
away:    for  if  I  go   not   away,    the 
Comforter  will  not  come  unto  you ; 
but  if  I  depart,  I  will  send  him  un- 
to you. 

8  And  when  he  is  come,  he  will 
'reprove  the   world   of  sin,  and   of1Or. 
righteousness,  and  of  judgment : 


If  this  difference  be  regarded,  the  relation  of 
this  statement  to  the  warnings  of  future  trials 
given  at  earlier  times  as  recorded  by  the  Sy- 
noptists  (Matt.  v.  10,  x.  16  ff.;  Luke  vi.  ^^  f.) 
becomes  intelligible.  The  future  fate  of  the 
disciples  had  not  been  unfolded  little  by  little 
in  unbroken  order  as  a  necessary  consequence 
of  their  relation  to  Christ.  Here  and  there 
t  had  been  indicated  before,  but  now  it  was 
shewn  in  its  essential  relation  to  their  faith. 
But  these  things  must  not  be  limited  to  the 
prediction  of  sufferings  only.  Christ  had 
spoken  also  of  the  new  relation  of  the  disciples 
to  Himself  through  the  Paraclete.  This  fresh 
revelation  was  part  of  the  vision  of  the  future 
now  first  unfolded. 

because  I  was  with  you]  Comp.  Matt.  ix.  15. 
5.  But  now  I  go  my  way  to  (go  unto)...] 
Hitherto  Christ  had  Himself  borne  the  storm 
of  hostility,  and  shielded  the  disciples :  now 
He  was  to  leave  them,  and  the  wrath  of  His 
enemies  would  be  diverted  upon  them,  though 
they  would  have  another  Advocate.  The 
clause  is  to  be  closely  connected  with  that 
which  follows :  "  I  go  my  way  and  yet  none 
of  you..." 

to  him  that  sent  me]  My  mission,  in  other 
words,  is  completed. 

and  none  of  you... ~]  Christ  was  going;  so 
much  the  disciples  realised.  But  their  thoughts 
were  bent  upon  their  own  immediate  loss,  and 
no  one  asked  how  this  departure  affected  Him; 
so  completely  had  their  own  sorrow  absorbed 
them.  Thus  theymissed  the  abiding  significance 
of  His  departure  for  themselves.  The  isolated 
questions  of  St  Peter  and  St  Thomas  (xiii.  36, 
xiv.  5)  are  not  inconsistent  with  these  words. 
Those  questions  were  not  asked  with  a  view 
to  the  Lord's  glory  ;  and  much  had  been  said 
since  which  might  have  moved  the  disciples 
to  a  persistency  of  inquiry. 

6.  because   I  have    said   (spoken)    these 
things']     Comp.  w.  i,  4.     The  prospect  of 
misunderstanding  and  suffering  and  separation 
to  be  faced  shut  out  all  thoughts  of  consola- 
tion and  strength. 

7.  Nevertheless...']     But  though  you  are 
silent,  unable  to  look  onward  to  the  later 
issues  of  immediate  separation,  I  (eyo>),  I,  on 
my  part,  fulfil  to  the  last  my  ministry  of  love 
— /  tell  you  the  truth,  it  is  expedient  for  you 
that  I  (tyw)  go  away.     The  disciples  were 

New  Test. — VOL.  II. 


deceived  by  the  superficial  appearance  of 
things.  To  remove  their  error  Christ  tells 
them  the  truth,  revealing,  laying  bare,  the 
reality  which  was  hidden  from  eyes  dimmed 
by  sorrow. 

//  is  expedient]  Comp.  xi.  50,  xviii.  14. 
From  opposite  sides  ("  it  is  expedient  for  KJ," 
xi.  50  ;  but  here  "it  is  expedient  for  you") 
the  divine  and  human  judgments  coincide. 
Comp.  vii.  39  note. 

The  personal  pronoun  in  the  first  case  (that 
I  go)  is  emphatic.  Attention  is  fixed  upon 
the  Person  of  the  Lord  as  He  was  known,  in 
order  to  prepare  the  hearers  for  the  thought  of 
"another  Advocate"  (xiv.  16). 

for  if  I  go  not  away]     Here  the  emphasis 
is  changed.     The    stress    is    laid    upon  the 
thought  of  departure.     To  bring  out  this  idea 
still  more  clearly,  that  which  is  first  spoken 
of  as  a  "departure"  with  the  predominant 
notion  of  separation  (eav  ^  aV/X&a)  is  after- 
wards spoken  of  as  a  "journey,"  with  the 
predominant  notion  of  an  end  to  be  gained 
(e'ai>  nopfvQta).     In  -v.  10  the  idea  is  that  of  a 
"  withdrawal "  (vTrdyu).    Comp.  vii.  33,  note. 
the  Comforter  (Advocate)  will  not  come... 
I  will  send  him...']     The  absence  of  the  pro- 
noun before  the  verb  here  (ire^o>,  I  will 
send;  compare   ey<*   Tre'/xV"")   xv-  a<>,   /  will 
send)  gives  predominance  to  the  thought  of 
the  Mission  of  the  Spirit  as  a  fact.     Comp. 
Luke  xxiv.  49 ;  Acts  i.  4.     The  departure  of 
Christ  was  in  itself  a  necessary  condition  for 
the  coming  of  the  Spirit  to  men.     The  with- 
drawal of  His  limited  bodily  Presence  neces- 
sarily prepared  the  way  for  the  recognition  of 
a  universal  Presence.     Comp.  vii.  39.     And 
again  the  presence  of  Christ  with  the  Father, 
the  consummation   of  His  union  with   the 
Father  as  God  and  Man,  was  the  preliminary 
to  the  Mission  of  the  Spirit.     He  sent  the 
Spirit  in  virtue  of  His  ascended  Manhood. 

And  yet  again  the  mission  and  the  reception 
of  the  Spirit  alike  required  a  completed  atone- 
ment of  Man  and  God  (Hebr.  ix.  26  ff.),  and 
the  glorifying  of  perfect  humanity  in  Christ. 

8  ff.  The  promise  of  the  Paraclete  is  fol- 
lowed by  the  description  of  His  victory.  The 
synagogue  has  become  the  world;  and  the 
world  finds  its  conqueror. 

8 .  And  when  he  is  come,  he..."]  And  h  e  (eVet- 
j/or)  whan  lie  is  come...  The  whole  action 

Q 


228  ST.  JOHN.   XVI.  [v.  9- 

9    Of  sin,   because   they    believe     not    on    me ; 


of  the  Spirit  during  the  history  of  the  Church 
is  gathered  up  under  three  heads.  The  cate- 
gories of  sin,  righteousness  and  judgment,  in- 
clude all  that  is  essential  in  the  determination 
of  the  religious  state  of  man,  and  to  these  the 
work  of  the  Paraclete  is  referred.  His  office 
is  to  convict  (<?'A6yx«i>,  Vulg.  arguere) 
the  world  —  humanity  separated  from  God, 
though  not  past  hope  —  concerning  (irtpi, 
"in  the  mattei  of")  sin  and  righteousness  and 
judgment. 

The  idea  of  "conviction"  is  complex.  It 
involves  the  conceptions  of  authoritative  ex- 
amination, of  unquestionable  proof,  of  de- 
cisive judgment,  of  punitive  power.  What- 
ever the  final  issue  may  be,  he  who  "convicts" 
another  places  the  truth  of  the  case  in 
dispute  in  a  clear  light  before  him,  so  that 
it  must  be  seen  and  acknowledged  as  truth. 
He  who  then  rejects  the  conclusion  which 
this  exposition  involves,  rejects  it  with  his 
eyes  open  and  at  his  peril.  Truth  seen  as 
truth  carries  with  it  condemnation  to  all 
who  refuse  to  welcome  it.  The  different 
aspects  of  this  "conviction"  are  brought 
out  in  the  usage  of  the  word  in  the  N.T. 
There  is  first  the  thorough  testing  of  the 
real  nature  of  the  facts  (ch.  iii.  20 ;  Eph.  v. 
13) ;  and  then  the  application  of  the  truth 
thus  ascertained  to  the  particular  person  af- 
fected (James  ii.  9 ;  Jude  15,  (aa) ,  i  Cor. 
xiv.  24 ;  a  Tim.  iv.  a ;  comp.  Matt,  xviii. 
15  ;  John  viii.  9) ;  and  that  in  chastisement 
(i  Tim.  v.  20 ;  Titus  i.  9,  ii.  15  ;  comp.  Eph. 
v.  ii);  or  with  a  distinct  view  to  the  re- 
storation of  him  who  is  in  the  wrong  (Rev. 
iii.  19  ;  Hebr.  xii.  5 ;  Titus  i.  13). 

The  effect  of  the  conviction  of  the  world  by 
the  Spirit  is  left  undecided  so  far  as  the  world 
is  concerned;  but  for  the  Apostles  them- 
selves the  pleading  of  the  Advocate  was  a 
sovereign  vindication  of  their  cause.  In  the 
great  trial  they  were  shewn  to  have  the  right, 
whether  their  testimony  was  received  or  re- 
jected. The  typical  history  recorded  in  the 
Book  of  the  Acts  illustrates  the  decisive  two- 
fold action  of  the  divine  testimony  (a  Cor.  ii. 
1 6)  ;  for  the  presentation  of  the  Truth  in  its 
power  must  always  bring  life  or  death,  but  it 
may  bring  either;  and  in  this  respect  the  expe- 
rience of  the  Apostles  on  the  Day  of  Pentecost 
(Acts  ii.  13,  41)  has  been  the  experience  of 
the  Church  in  all  ages.  The  divine  reproof 
is  not  simply  a  final  sentence  of  condemna- 
tion ;  it  is  also  at  the  same  time  a  call  to 
repentance,  which  may  or  may  not  be  heard. 
The  Gospel  of  St  John  itself,  as  has  been  well 
pointed  out  (Kbstlin,  '  Lehrbegriff,'  205)  is  a 
monument  of  the  Spirit's  conviction  of  the  world 
concerning  sin  (iii.  19 — ai,  v.  a8  f.,  38 — 47, 
viii.  ai  ff.,  34 — 47,  ix.  41,  xiv.  a?,  xv.  18 — 
24);  righteousness  (v.  30,  vii.  18,  24,  viii.  28. 


46,  50,  54,  xii.  3 a,  xiv.  31,  xviii.  37);  and 
judgment  (xii.  31,  xiv.  30,  xvii.  15). 

sin.. .righteousness... judgment]  The  three 
conceptions,  sin,  righteousness,  and  judgment, 
are  given  first  in  their  most  abstract  and 
general  form.  These  are  the  cardinal  ele- 
ments in  the  determination  of  man's  spiritual 
state.  In  these  his  past  and  present  and 
future  are  severally  summed  up.  Then  when 
the  mind  has  seized  the  broad  divisions  of  the 
spiritual  analysis  the  central  fact  in  regard  to 
each  is  stated,  from  which  the  process  of 
testing,  of  revelation,  of  condemnation,  pro- 
ceeds. In  each  case  the  world  was  in  danger 
of  a  fatal  error,  and  this  error  is  laid  open  in 
view  of  the  decisive  criterion  to  which  it  is 
brought. 

The  three  subjects  are  placed  in  a  natural 
and  significant  order.  The  position  of  man 
is  determined  first ;  he  is  shewn  to  have  fallen. 
And  then  the  position  of  the  two  spiritual 
powers  which  strive  for  the  mastery  over  him 
is  made  known ;  Christ  has  risen  to  the 
throne  of  glory ;  the  prince  of  the  world  has 
been  judged.  The  subjects  may  also  be  re- 
garded from  another  point  of  sight.  When 
the  conviction  concerning  sin  is  complete, 
there  remains  for  man  the  choice  of  two  al- 
ternatives; on  the  one  side  there  is  a  right- 
eousness to  be  obtained  from  without;  and 
on  the  other,  a  judgment  to  be  borne. 

So  far  it  may  be  said  that  in  the  thought  ot 
"sin"  man  is  the  central  subject,  as  himself 
sinful;  in  the  thought  of  "righteousness," 
Christ,  as  alone  righteous  ;  in  the  thought  ot 
"judgment,"  the  devil,  as  already  judged. 

Yet  once  again  the  three  words,  sin, 
righteousness,  judgment,  gain  an  additional 
fulness  of  meaning  when  taken  in  connexion 
with  the  actual  circumstances  under  which 
they  were  spoken.  The  "world,"  acting 
through  its  representatives,  had  charged  Christ 
as  "a  sinner"  (John  ix.  34).  Its  leaders 
"trusted  that  they  were  righteous"  (Luke 
xviii.  9),  and  they  were  just  on  the  point  of 
giving  sentence  against  "the  prince  of  life" 
(Acts  iii.  15)  as  a  malefactor  (John  xviii.  30). 
At  this  point  the  threefold  error  (Acts  iii.  17), 
which  the  Spirit  was  to  reveal  and  reprove, 
had  brought  at  last  its  fatal  fruit. 

of... of...']  The  Spirit  will  convict  the 
world  "concerning,  in  the  matter  of  (n(p'C) 
sin,  of  righteousness,  of  judgment."  He  will 
not  simply  convict  the  world  as  sinful,  as 
without  righteousness,  as  under  judgment, 
but  He  will  shew  beyond  contradiction  that 
it  is  wanting  in  the  knowledge  of  what  sin, 
righteousness,  and  judgment  really  are;  and 
therefore  in  need  of  a  complete  change  (jttra- 
void). 

9  ff.  because... because... because]  Three  dis- 
tinct facts  answering  to  the  spiritual  character- 


V.  10,   II.] 


ST.  JOHN.   XVI. 


229 


10  Of  righteousness,  because  I  go         n  Of  judgment,  because  the  prince 
to  my  Father,  and  ye  see  me  no  more ;     of  this  world  is  judged. 


istics  of  the  world,  of  Christ,  and  of  the  prince 
of  the  world,  are  stated,  which  severally  form 
the  basis  of  the  action  of  the  Spirit.  The 
conjunction  is  not  to  be  taken  simply  as  ex- 
planatory ("in  so  far  as"),  but  as  directly 
causal;  "because  this  and  this  and  this  is 
beyond  question,  the  innermost  secrets  of 
man's  spiritual  nature  can  be  and  are  dis- 
covered." Comp.  Luke  ii.  34,  35. 

9.  Of  sin,  because  they  believe  not  on  me] 
The  want  of  belief  in   Christ  when  He  is 
made  known,  lies  at  the  root  of  all  sin,  and 
reveals  its  nature.     Sin  is  essentially  the  self- 
ishness which  sets  itself  up  apart  from,  and 
so  against   God.     It  is  not  defined  by  any 
limited  rules,  but  expresses  a  general  spirit. 
Christ  is  thus  the  touchstone  of  character. 
To  believe  in  Him,  is  to  adopt  the  principle 
of  self-surrender  to  God.     Not  to  believe  in 
Him,  is  to  cleave  to  legal  views  of  duty  and 
service  which  involve  a  complete  misunder- 
standing of  the  essence  of  sin.    The  Spirit 
therefore,  working  through  the  written  and 
spoken  word,  starts  from  the  fact  of  unbe- 
lief in  the  Son  of  Man,  and  through  that  lays 
open  what  sin  is.     In  this  way  the  condition 
of  man  standing  alone  is  revealed,  and  he  is 
left  without  excuse.     Comp.  viii.  ai,  ix.  41. 

10.  Of  righteousness,  because  I  go... ~]    The 
Person   of  Christ,  offered  as  the  object  of 
man's  faith,  serves  as  a  test  of  the  true  ap- 
preciation  of  sin.     The  historical  work    of 
Christ,  completed  at  His  Ascension,  serves  as 
a  test  of  the  true  appreciation  of  righteousness. 
The   Life  and   Death    and    Resurrection  of 
the  Son  of  God  placed  righteousness  in  a  new 
light.     By  these  the  majesty  of  law  and  the 
power  of  obedience  and   the    reality  of   a 
divine  fellowship,  stronger  than  death,  were 
made  known  once  for  all.     For  a  time  the 
Lord  had  shewn  in  an  outward  form  the 
perfect  fulfilment  of  the  Law,  and  the  abso- 
lute conformity  of  a  human  life  to  the  divine 
ideal.     He  had  shewn  also  how  sin  carries 
with  it  consequences  which  must  be  borne; 
and  how  they  had  been  borne  in  such  a  way 
that  they  were  potentially  abolished.     In  that 
life,  closed  by  the  return  to  the  Father,  there 
was  a  complete  exhibition  of  righteousness  in 
relation  to  God  and  man.     The  Son    had 
received  a  work  to  do,  and  having  accom- 
plished it  He  returned  not  simply  to  heaven 
but  to  the  Father  who  sent  Him,  in  token 
of  its  absolute   fulfilment.     This    revelation 
once  given  was  final.     Because  nothing  could 
be  added  to  it  (/  go  to  the  Father)  ;  because 
after  that  Christ  was  withdrawn  from  human 
eyes  He  had  passed  into  a  new  sphere  (ye  see 
me  no  more),  there  was  fixed  for  all  time  that 


by  which  men's  estimate  of  righteousness 
might  be  tried.  On  the  other  hand,  till 
Christ  had  been  raised  to  glory  "righteous- 
ness" had  not  been  vindicated.  The  con- 
demnation of  Christ  by  the  representatives  of 
Israel  shewed  in  the  extremest  form  how  men 
had  failed  to  apprehend  the  nature  of  right- 
eousness. The  Spirit,  therefore,  starting  from 
the  fact  of  Christ's  life,  His  suffering,  and  His 
glory,  regarded  as  a  whole,  lays  open  the 
divine  aspects  of  human  action  as  concen- 
trated in  the  Son  of  Man.  In  this  way  the 
possibilities  of  life  are  revealed  in  fellowship 
with  Him  who  has  raised  humanity  to  heaven. 

righteousness']  The  word  occurs  only  in 
this  passage  in  St  John's  Gospel.  In  his  first 
Epistle  it  is  found  in  the  phrase  "  do  right- 
eousness" (ii.  39,  iii.  7,  10;  comp.  Rev.  xxii. 
ii,  [xix.  nj).  "Righteousness"  is  evidently 
considered  in  its  widest  sense.  Each  limited 
thought  of  righteousness,  as  of  God's  right- 
eousness in  the  rejection  of  the  Jews,  or  of 
man's  righteousness  as  a  believer,  or  even  of 
Christ's  righteousness,  otherwise  than  as  the 
fulfilment  of  the  absolute  idea  in  relation  both 
to  God  and  man,  is  foreign  to  the  scope  of 
the  passage.  The  world  is  examined,  con- 
victed, convinced,  as  to  its  false  theories  of 
righteousness.  In  Christ  was  the  one  absolute 
type  of  righteousness ;  from  him  a  sinful  man 
must  obtain  righteousness.  Just  as  sin  is  re- 
vealed by  the  Spirit  to  be  something  far  dif- 
ferent from  the  breaking  of  certain  specific 
injunctions,  so  righteousness  is  revealed  to 
be  something  far  different  from  the  outward 
fulfilment  of  ceremonial  or  moral- observances. 
Comp.  Matt.  v.  ao,  vi.  33 ;  Rom.  iii.  ai  f., 
x.  3. 

1  go  to  the  Fatter  (not  my  Father),  and 
ye  see  (behold)  me  no  more]  The  idea  of 
the  first  clause  is  that  of  a  completed  work 
(viii.  14,  xiii.  3)  ;  that  of  the  second  a  changed 
mode  of  existence.  There  is  no  contrast  in  the 
second  clause  between  the  disciples  and  others ; 
in  the  original  the  pronoun  is  not  expressed, 
and  the  emphasis  lies  upon  the  verb,  "ye 
behold  me"  (tffwpftrf).  Comp.  w.  16  ff. 
The  new  mode  of  existence  is  indicated  as 
absolute  (ye  behold),  and  not  merely  relative 
to  the  world  (they  shall  behold). 

11.  Of  judgment,  because  the  prince  (ruler) 
of  this  world  is  (hath  been)  judged]  The 
world  hitherto  had  passed  sentence  on  success 
and  failure  according  to  its  own  standard. 
At  length  this  standard  had  been  overthrown. 
He  in  whom  the  spirit  of  the  world  was  con- 
centrated had  been  judged  at  the  very  moment 
and  in  the  very  act  by  which  he  appeared  to 
common  eyes  to  have  triumphed.  The  Lord 
therefore  looks  forward  to  the  consummation 

Q2 


ST.  JOHN.    XVI. 


[v.  12 14. 


all  truth :  for  he  shall  not  speak  of 
himself;  but  whatsoever  he  shall  hear, 
that  shall  he  speak  :  and  he  will  shew 
1 3  Howbeit  when  he,  the  Spirit  of    you  things  to  come, 
truth,  is  come,  he  will  guide  you  into         14    He  shall  glorify  me:   for   he 


12  I  have  yet  many  things  to  say 
unto  you,  but  ye  cannot  bear  them 
now. 


of  His  own  Passion  as  the  final  sentence  in 
which  men  could  read  the  issues  of  life  and 
death.  And  the  Spirit  starting  from  this  lays 
open  the  last  results  of  human  action  in  the 
sight  of  the  Supreme  Judge.  In  this  way  the 
final  victory  of  right  is  revealed  in  the  realisa- 
tion of  that  which  has  been  indeed  already 
done. 

judgment]     Comp.  Introd.  iii.  18  f. 

hath  been  judged~\  The1  victory  was 
already  won:  xiii.  31.  Comp.  xii.  31. 

the  prince  (ruler)  of  this  world]  Ch.  xii. 
31,  xiv.  30. 

5.     The  Paraclete  and  the  disciples  (xyi. 
12—15). 

The  office  of  the  Paraclete  is  not  confined 
to  the  conviction  of  the  world.  He  carries 
forward  the  work  which  Christ  had  begun 
for  the  disciples,  and  guides  them  into  all  the 
Truth  (vv.  12,  13).  By  this  He  glorifies 
Christ  (v.  14),  to  whom  all  things  belong 

O-  15)- 

This  section  distinctly  marks  the  position 
of  the  apostles  with  regard  to  revelation  as 
unique;  and  so  also  by  implication  the  office 
of  the  apostolic  writings  as  a  record  of  their 
teaching.  The  same  trust  which  leads  us  to 
believe  that  the  apostles  were  guided  into  the 
Truth,  leads  us  also  to  believe  that  by  the 
providential  leading  of  the  Spirit  they  were  so 
guided  as  to  present  it  in  such  a  way  that  it 
might  remain  in  a  permanent  form. 

12.  I  have  yet...~\     The    principles    had 
been  fully  laid  down  (xv.  15)  ;  yet  there  was 
still  need  of  a  divine  commentary  to  apply 
these  to  individual  life,  and  to  the  formation 
of  a  universal  Church.     In  especial  the  mean- 
ing of  the  Passion  had  to  be  unfolded,  for 
though  the  Passion  was  potentially  included  in 
the  Incarnation,  neither  the  one  nor  the  other 
could  be  grasped  by  the  disciples  till  the  Son 
of  man  was  outwardly  glorified. 

bear]  The  original  word  (jSmrrafcu',  Vulg. 
portare,  all.  bajulare)  implies  that  such  teach- 
ing as  that  of  the  Cross  would  have  been  a 
crushing  burden.  Comp.  ch.  xix.  17;  Luke 
xi.  46,  xiv.  27,  Gal.  vi.  2,  5  ;  Acts  xv.  10. 
The  Resurrection  brought  the  strength  which 
enabled  believers  to  support  it. 

now]  at  this  point  in  your  spiritual  growth 
(aprt).  The  word  stands  emphatically  at  the 
end.  Compare  xiii.  33,  note. 

13.  when  he...']     The  whole    verse    de- 
scribes an  essentially  personal  action.    The 


Spirit  continues  under  new  conditions  that 
which  Christ  began. 

the  Spirit  of  truth... into  all  truth  (the 
truth)]  He  who  gives  expression  to  the 
Truth  (see  xiv.  17)  guides  men  into  its  ful- 
ness. He  leads  them  not  (vaguely)  "  into  all 
truth,"  but  "into  all  the  Truth"  (tls  Tr/v 
dXijdfiav  iraaav'),  into  the  complete  under- 
standing of  and  sympathy  with  that  absolute 
Truth,  which  is  Christ  Himself.  The  order 
of  the  original  is  remarkable ;  the  truth  in  all 
its  parts  (TTJV  d\.  Tracrav,  according  to  the  true 
reading).  Comp.  v.  az ;  Matt.  ix.  35  ;  Acts 
xyi.  26  ;  Rom.  xii.  4. 

Comp.  Ps.  xxv.  (xxiv.)  5;  Rev.  vii.  17; 
(Acts  viii.  31). 

guide]  Christ  is  "  the  way "  by  which 
men  are  led  to  "  the  truth."  By  Him  we  go 
to  Him.  The  Spirit  "guides"  men  who 
j  follow  His  leading ;  He  does  not  "  tell "  His 
I  message  without  effort  on  their  part.  He  also 
guides  them  "into  the  Truth,"  which  is  the 
domain  upon  which  they  enter,  and  not  some- 
thing to  be  gazed  upon  from  afar. 

Philo,  commenting  upon  Ex.  xvi.  23,  has  a 
corresponding  phrase:  "The  mind  [of  Moses] 
would  not  have  gone  thus  straight  to  the 
mark  unless  there  had  been  a  divine  Spirit 
which  guided  it  (TO  -rrodrjyfTovv)  to  the  truth  " 
('De  Vit.  Mos.'  in.  36,  n.  p.  176). 

for  he  shall  not...]  The  test  of  His  true 
guidance  lies  in  the  fact  that  His  teaching  is 
the  perfect  expression  of  the  one  will  of  God: 
it  is  not  "of  Himself"  (see  xv.  4,  note). 
That  which  is  affirmed  of  the  Son  is  affirmed 
also  of  the  Spirit.  Comp.  ch.  viii.  26,  40,  xv. 
15.  But  it  may  be  observed  that  the  message 
of  the  Son  is  on  each  occasion  spoken  of  as 
definite  (/  heard,  TJKOVO-O),  while  the  message 
of  the  Spirit  is  continuous  or  extended  (what- 
soever he  shall  bear,  or  heareth,  ova.  a.Kov<rei, 
or  aKovei,  or  ova  av  a.Ko\><rr])-  The  message 
of  Christ  given  in  His  historical,  human  life, 
was  in  itself  complete  at  once.  The  inter- 
pretation of  that  message  by  the  Spirit  goes 
forward  to  the  end  of  time. 

whatsoever... ~\  The  message  of  the  Spirit 
is  continuous,  and  it  is  also  complete.  Nothing 
is  kept  back  which  is  made  known  to  Him  in 
the  order  of  the  divine  wisdom. 

shall  hear]  The  verb  is  left  absolute.  The 
fact  which  is  declared  is  that  the  teaching  of 
the  Spirit  comes  finally  from  the  one  source  of 
Truth.  The  words  that  follow  shew  that  no 
distinction  is  made  in  this  respect  between  that 
which  is  of  the  Father  and  that  which  is  of 
Christ. 


v.  15,  1 6.] 


St.  JOHN.   XVI. 


shall  receive  of  mine,  and  shall  shew  shall  take  of  mine,  and  shall  shew  it 

it  unto  you.  unto  you> 

15  All  things  that  the  Father  hath         16  A  little  while,  and  ye  shall  not 

e  mine  :  therefore  said  I,  that  he  see  me  :  and  again,  a  little  while,  and 


231 


and  he...]  A  special  part  of  the  whole 
teaching  is  marked  out  with  reference  to  the 
work  of  the  apostles.  They  lived  in  a  crisis 
of  transition.  For  them  the  Spirit  had  a  cor- 
responding gift:  He  will  declare  unto  you  the 
things  that  are  coming. 

shew]  Rather,  declare.  Comp.  iv.  25 ; 
i  John  i.  5  ;  i  Pet.  i.  iz.  The  triple  repeti- 
tion of  the  phrase  "he  will  declare  to  you" 
(ai/ayycXr I  vfj.lv)  at  the  end  of  the  three  verses 
13,  14)  15.  gives  a  solemn  emphasis  to  it. 

things  to  come]  the  things  that  are  to 
come,  not  simply  some  things  to  come, 
but  the  whole  system  of  the  world  to  be ;  or 
still  more  exactly  "  the  things  that  are  coming  " 
(ra  tpxofuva,  Vulg.  qua:  Centura  sunt),  "that 
future  which  even  now  is  prepared,  and  in 
the  very  process  of  fulfilment."  The  phrase, 
which  occurs  here  only  in  the  N.  T.,  cor- 
responds with  "  he  that  cometh  "  (Luke  vii. 
19  f.,  &c.),  and  "  the  age  that  cometh  "  (Luke 
xviii.  30).  The  reference  is,  no  doubt,  mainly 
to  the  constitution  of  the  Christian  Church, 
as  representing  hereafter  the  divine  order  in 
place  of  the  Jewish  economy. 

14.  He — that  divine  Person  to  whom  we 
are    now    looking    afar    off   (««vor)— shall 
glorify  me]     The  work  of  the  Spirit  in  rela- 
tion to  the  Son  is  presented  as  parallel  with 
that  of  the  Son    in   relation  to  the  Father. 
Comp.  xiv.  26,  xvii.  4.     He  "glorifies"  the 
Son,  that  is,  makes  Him  known  in  His  full 
majesty  by  gradual  revelation,   taking  now 
this  fragment  and  now  that  from  the  whole 
sum  of  Truth.     For  the  manifestation  of  the 
Truth  is  indeed  the  glorification  of  Christ. 
The  pronoun  (e'/ie)    is   placed    emphatically 
before  the  verb.     It  was   Christ,   and  none 
other,   who  was  the  subject  of  the  Spirit's 
teaching. 

for  (because)  be  shall...]  To  make  Christ 
better  known  is  assumed  to  be  the  same  as 
spreading  His  glory. 

shall  receive]  shall  t&Tte  (as  in  v.  15).  The 
original  verb  may  be  rendered  either  "receive" 
or  "  take."  It  suggests  (as  distinguished  from 
8fXf<r0ai)  the  notion  of  activity  and  effort  on 
the  part  of  the  recipient ;  and  in  this  connexion 
"  take"  brings  out  well  the  personal  action  of 
the  Spirit.  Comp.  xx.  22,  note. 

of  mine]  All  that  is  Christ's  is  at  first 
contemplated  in  its  unity  (TO  (pots'),  and  then 
in  its  manifold  parts  (all  things). 

15.  All  things... mine]     Comp.  xvii.  10. 
therefore  said  /...]     The  message  of  the 

Spirit  was  a  message  of  absolute  divine  Truth ; 
tliat  Truth  which  belonged  to  the  Father  be- 


longed also  to  the  Son  ;  therefore  Christ  could 
say  that  the  Spirit  would  take  of  that  which 
was  His  in  order  to  fulfil  His  works. 

shall  take]   According  to  the  true  reading, 
taketh.      The    work    is  even    now  begun 
(Xapj&Wi),  and  not  wholly  future  (shall  take, 
i,  -v.  14). 


6.     Sorrow  turned  to  joy  (xvi.  16  —  24). 

The  prospect  of  the  fulfilment  of  the  work 
of  the  Paraclete  for  the  world  and  for  the 
disciples  is  followed  by  a  revelation  of  the 
condition  in  which  the  disciples  themselves 
will  be.  They  are  to  stand  in  a  new  relation 
to  Christ  (16  —  18).  A  time  of  bitter  sorrow 
is  to  be  followed  by  joy  (19,  20),  by  joy 
springing  (so  to  speak)  naturally  out  of  the 
sorrow  (21,  22)  ;  and  this  joy  is  to  be  carried 
to  its  complete  fulfilment  (23,  24). 

In  this  and  the  following  section  the  dis- 
ciples again,  though  in  a  body  and  at  first 
indirectly,  appear  as  speakers.  The  form  of 
the  first  part  of  the  discourses  is  partly  re- 
sumed at  the  close,  though  under  new  con- 
ditions. 

16.  ye  shall  not  see  me...  ye  shall  see  me] 
ye  behold  me  no  more.  ..ye  shall  see  me. 
The  last  clause,  because  I  go  unto  the  Father, 
must  be  omitted  in  accordance  with  a  very 
strong  combination  of  authorities.  The  words 
have  evidently  been  introduced  from  v.  17; 
and  they  do  not  occur  in  the  Lord's  repetition 
of  the  sentence,  v.  19.  This  verse  offers  a 
superficial  contradiction  to  xiv.  19,  which  may 
perhaps  have  arrested  the  attention  of  the 
disciples.  Comp.  <v.  12,  viii.  14.  In  xiv.  19 
the  thought  is  of  the  contrast  between  the 
world  and  the  disciples  ;  here  the  thought  is 
of  the  contrast  between  two  stages  in  the 
spiritual  history  of  the  disciples  themselves. 
As  contrasted  with  the  world  the  disciples 
never  lost  the  vision  of  Christ.  Their  life  was 
unbroken  even  as  His  life,  and  so  also  their 
direct  relation  to  Him.  But  on  the  other 
hand,  the  form  of  their  vision  was  altered. 
The  vision  of  wondering  contemplation,  in 
which  they  observed  little  by  little  the  out- 
ward manifestation  of  the  Lord  (dtcapid),  was 
changed  and  transfigured  into  sight  (o^ts), 
in  which  they  seized  at  once  intuitively  all 
that  Christ  was.  As  long  as  His  earthly 
presence  was  the  object  on  which  their  eyes 
were  fixed,  their  view  was  necessarily  im- 
perfect. His  glorified  presence  shewed  Him 
in  His  true  nature. 

ye  shall  see  me]     The  fulfilment   of  this 
promise  must  not  be  limited  to  any  one  special 


232 


ST.  JOHN.   XVI. 


[v.   17 — 21. 


ye  shall  see  me,  because  I  go  to  the 
Father. 

17  Then  said  some  of  his  disciples 
among  themselves,  What  is  this  that 
he  saith  unto  us,  A  little  while,  and 
ye  shall  not  see  me :   and  again,  a 
little  while,  and  ye  shall  see  me :  and, 
Because  I  go  to  the  Father  ? 

1 8  They  said  therefore,  What  is 
this  that  he  saith,  A  little  while  ?  we 
cannot  tell  what  he  saith. 

19  Now   Jesus    knew  that   they 


were  desirous  to  ask  him,  and  said 
unto  them,  Do  ye  inquire  among 
yourselves  of  that  I  said,  A  little 
while,  and  ye  shall  not  see  me : 
and  again,  a  little  while,  and  ye 
shall  see  me  ? 

20  Verily,  verily,  I  say  unto  you, 
That  ye  shall  weep  and  lament,  but 
the  world  shall  rejoice :  and  ye  shall 
be  sorrowful,  but  your  sorrow  shall 
be  turned  into  joy. 

21  A  woman  when  she  is  in  tra- 


event,  as  the  Resurrection,  or  Pentecost,  or 
the  Return.  The  beginning  of  the  new  vision 
was  at  the  Resurrection  ;  the  potential  fulfil- 
ment of  it  was  at  Pentecost,  when  the  spiritual 
Presence  of  the  Lord  was  completed  by  the 
gift  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  This  Presence  slowly 
realised  will  be  crowned  by  the  Return. 
After  each  manifestation  there  is  a  correspond- 
ing return  to  the  Father. 

17.  Then  said  some  of  his  disciples...']  Some 
of  his  disciples  therefore  said. ..     The  par- 
ticularity of  the  expression,  as  compared  with 
•v.  29,  iv.  33,  seems  to  mark  a  distinct  im- 
pression on  the  mind  of  the  Evangelist  as  to 
the  actual  scene.     He,  we  may  suppose,  was 
himself  silent. 

among  themselves]  Rather,  one  to  another 
(irpos  a'XXq'Xovs),  iv.  33,  andsoxix.  24.  The 
phrases  in  v.  19  (/ier'  aXX^Xai/),  and  again  in 
xii.  19  (irpos  eavroviOi  are  different. 

What  is  this...']  The  difficulty  of  the  dis- 
ciples was  twofold,  (i)  as  to  the  fact  itself 
which  was  announced,  and  (a)  as  to  the 
reason  which  they  felt  to  be  alleged  in  expla- 
nation of  it.  It  is  best  to  keep  the  rendering 
because,  for  the  conjunction  (OTI)  which  in- 
troduces the  second  clause.  It  may  however 
serve  simply  to  introduce  the  words  quoted: 
and  I  go  to  the  Father.  But  v.  10  seems  to 
shew  that  it  was  not  only  the  departure  which 
was  perplexing,  but  also  the  consequences 
connected  with  it ;  and  it  is  from  this  verse 
that  the  words  are  quoted,  since  they  are  not 
found  in  the  true  text  of  v.  16. 

ye  shall  not  see  me]  ye  behold  me  not. 

18.  What    is   this  that  he  saith,    A  little 
while?']     What    is     this     little     while 
whereof  he   speaketh?     What  are  these 
strange  intervals,  marked  by  separation  and 
change,  which  break  the  tenour  of  our  inter- 
course ? 

(we  cannot  tell]  we  know  not. 

he  saith]  The  original  marks  the  difference 
between  the  purport  of  the  saying  (o  Xey« 
piKpov,  Vulg.  quod  dicit  modicum),  and  the 
form  in  which  the  saying  was  conveyed  (o 
XaX«,  Vulg.  quid  loquitur).  Comp.  vjii.  43, 
XJi.  49. 


19.  Now  (omit)  Jesus  knew  (perceived, 
eyfa>)]     The  word  used  probably  indicates 
an  outward  occasion  for  the  Lord's  words, 
though  indeed  He  read  the  heart.  The  anxious 
looks  and  whisperings  of  the  disciples  would 
alone  be  sufficient  to  reveal  their  wish.     Com- 
pare v.  6,  vi.  15  (yj/ovs) ;  and  on  the  other 
hand,  vi.  6  (J)8fi),  xiii.  i,  3,  xviii.  4  («»8«s). 
Comp.  ii.  24,  note. 

of  that  1  said]    concerning  this,  that 
(ort)  I  said. 
ye  shall  not  see  me~]  ye  behold  me  not. 

20  ff.  The  Lord  in  His  answer  takes  for 
granted  that  which  He  had  already  made 
known,  and  reveals  the  character  of  the  double 
interval  (20—22),  and  the  new  relation  to  the 
Father  realised  for  the  disciples  by  His  de- 
parture (23,  24). 

20.  ye  shall. . .]  The  order  in  this  first  clause  is 
very  remarkable  (jcXavo-ere  *at  dprfv^afrfvp.f'is). 
Attention  is  at  once  fixed  on  the  sadness  of 
the  immediate  future  for  the  disciples.     It  is 
as  if  «the  Lord  had  said  to  them:  "Sorrow 
and  lamenjtation  there  shall  be.  Do  not  marve! 
at  this.     And  they  shall  be  your  lot.     Mean- 
while the  world  shall  rejoice.     Yes :  this  shall 
be  the  issue  of  thaf  first  'little  while.'     Te 
(omit  a  nd)  shall  be  sorrowful;  but  your  sorrow, 
in  that  you  think  that  you  have  lost  me,  shall 
be  turned  into  joy.    This  shall  be  the  issue  of 
the  second  'little  while.' " 

ye  shall  weep  and  lament]  The  words  mark 
the  open  expression  of  intense  sorrow.  Such 
lamentation  was  the  natural  accompaniment 
of  Christ's  death.  Comp.  Luke  xxiii.  27  f., 
ch.  xx.  ii. 

the  world  shall  rejoice]  as  having  _  been 
freed  from  one  who  was  a  dangerous  inno- 
vator as  well  as  a  condemner  of  its  ways. 

and  (omit)  ye  (vpf'is)  shall  be  sorrowful] 
The  inward  feeling  is  now  substituted  for  the 
outward  expression  of  grief.  The  first  sharp 
utterance  or  lamentation  was  to  be  followed 
by  a  more  permanent  sorrow.  The  words, 
which  had  an  immediate  fulfilment  in  the 
experience  of  the  Apostles  before  the  Resur- 
rection, and  again  before  Pentecost,  have  also 
a  wider  application.  The  attitude  of  sorrow 


V.  22,  2  3.] 


ST.  JOHN.    XVI. 


233 


vail  hath  sorrow,  because  her  hour  is 
come :  but  as  soon  as  she  is  delivered 
of  the  child,  she  remembereth  no 
more  the  anguish,  for  joy  that  a  man 
is  born  into  the  world. 

22    And    ye  now  therefore   have 


sorrow :  but  I  will  see  you  again,  and 
your  heart  shall  rejoice,  and  your  joy 
no  man  taketh  from  you. 

23   And  in  that  day  ye  shall  ask 
me  nothing.     *  Verily,  verily,  I  say  "  Matt-  ?• 
unto  you,   Whatsoever  ye  shall  ask  ? 


marks  in  one  aspect  the  state  of  the  Church 
until  the  Return.     Comp.  v.  16,  note. 

turned  into  (cycpero  «y)]  Gomp.  Matt.  xxi. 
42  ;  Luke  xiii.  19  ;  Acts  iv.  u,  v.  36  ;  i  Pet. 
ii.  7;  Rom.  xi.  9;  i  Cor.  xv.  45;  Rev. 
viii.  ii,  xvi.  19.  The  sorrow  itself  is  trans- 
formed. 

21.  A  (woman]  The  exact  form  of  ex- 
pression (17  yvvrf)  marks  not  simply  a  single 
case,  but  the  universal  law.  The  illustration 
is  not  taken  from  any  one  woman,  but  from 
woman  as  such. 

for  joy]  for  the  joy,  the  special  joy  which 
answered  to  her  pangs. 

a  man}  a  being  endowed  with  all  the  gifts 
of  humanity  (avBpmiros,  Vulg.  homo).  The 
potential  fulness  of  the  completed  life  is  re- 
garded as  present  to  the  mother's  mind. 

born  into  the  world']  The  complex  phrase 
marks  not  only  the  fact  but  the  sphere  of  the 
new  life.  The  man  is  introduced  to  a  place 
in  the  great  order  in  which  he  has  a  part  to 
play.  Comp.  viii.  26. 

The  image  of  a  new  birth  is  constantly  ap- 
plied to  the  institution  of  Messiah's  kingdom. 
Comp.  Matt.  xxiv.  8 ;  Mark  xiii.  8  (o>8u>«)  ; 
Rom.  viii.  22  (owaSiVet).  And  it  is  applied 
more  generally  to  the  passage  to  joy  through 
sorrow:  Isai.  Ixvi.  6  if.;  Hos.  xiii.  13.  St 
Paul  uses  the  same  image  to  describe  the  re- 
lation of  an  apostle  to  his  converts,  Gal.  iv.  19. 

22.  And  ye  (v/xetr)  now  therefore..."]  Or, 
Ye  also  therefore  now....  The  application  or 
the  image  (therefore)  clearly  indicates  that 
something  more  is  intended  by  it  than  the 
mere  passage  of  the  disciples  through  suffering 
to  joy.  The  proper  idea  of  birth-throes  is  not 
that  of  the  transition  from  suffering  to  joy, 
but  of  suffering  as  the  necessary  condition  and 
preparation  for  joy.  Under  this  aspect  the 
disciples  in  some  sense  occupied  the  position 
of  the  mother.  It  was  their  office,  as  the 
representatives  of  the  Church,  to  realise  the 
Christ  of  the  Resurrection  and  present  Him 
to  the  world  (comp.  Rev.  xii.  z  ff.).  The  time 
of  transition  from  their  present  state  to  that 
future  state  was  necessarily  a  period  of  anguish, 
and  that  time  was  even  now  come  (now ye  have). 
But  the  image  is  not  exhausted  by  this  appli- 
cation. It  appears  also  to  have  a  reference  to 
Christ  Himself.  For  Him  death  was  as  the 
travail-pain  issuing  in  a  new  life  (Acts  ii.  24). 
His  passage  through  the  grave  was  as  the  new 
birth  of  humanity  brought  about  through  the 
extremity  of  sorrow. 


have  sorrow]  The  phrase  is  not  identical 
with  be  sorrowful,  but  expresses  the  full 
realisation  of  sorrow.  See  iii.  15,  note. 

/  (will  see  you  again]  The  implied  reference 
to  Christ  as  Himself  rising  through  the  Passion 
to  His  glory  seems  to  have  led  to  the  use  of 
the  first  person  here,  as  contrasted  with  the 
second  person  which  was  used  before  (w. 
l6>  I9)J"?  shall  see  me).  The  highest  blessing 
lies  not  in  the  thought  that  God  is  the  object 
of  our  regard,  but  that  we  are  objects  of 
God's  regard.  Comp.  Gal.  iv.  9 ;  i  Cor. 
viii.  3;  (ch.  x.  14,  15). 

and  your  joy... taketh  (perhaps  shall  take)..."] 
The  sorrow  of  the  disciples  (v.  20)  under- 
went a  sudden  transformation.  Their  joy 
was  stable.  The  turn  of  the  sentence  implies 
that  they  would  have  enemies,  but  that  their 
enemies  would  not  prevail. 

23.  in  that  day]  when  the  new  relation 
is  realised,  and  you  enjoy  the  fulness  of  my 
glorified  presence  (xiy.  20).  "That  day" 
begins  with  Pentecost  and  is  consummated  at 
the  Return.  The  Lord  now  brings  before  the 
disciples  the  consequences  of  this  "going  to 
the  Father"  (v.  17),  perfect  knowledge,  the 
perfect  fulfilment  of  prayer,  perfect  joy. 

ye  shall  ask  me  (epe  OVK  f'pwrr/crfre)  nothing"] 
ye  shall  ask  me  no  question.  All  will 
then  be  clear.  The  mysteries  which  now  per- 
plex you  will  have  been  illuminated.  You 
will  not  need  to  seek  my  guidance  when  you 
enjoy  that  of  the  Spirit.  The  verb  (epomfo-eTf  ) 
appears  to  answer  directly  to  the  same  word 
used  before  in  v.  19  (epwrqv),  and  so  to  be 
used  in  the  same  sense.  The  phrase  may  how- 
ever be  rendered  (as  A.  V.)  ye  shall  ask  me 
nothing,  in  the  sense  "  ye  shall  make  no  re- 
quest of  me."  But  the  context  appears  to 
favour  the  other  interpretation.  Thus  the 
change  in  the  position  of  the  disciples  as 
suggested  in  this  clause  when  compared  with 
the  next  is  twofold.  Their  relation  to  Christ 
(the  pronoun  me  stands  in  a  position  of  em- 
phasis) is  to  be  fulfilled  in  the  recognition  of 
a  relation  to  the  Father.  The  questioning  of 
ignorance  is  to  be  replaced  by  the  definite 
prayer  which  claims  absolute  accomplishment 
as  being  in  conformity  with  the  will  of  God. 
Comp.  xv.  1 6  n. 

Verily,  verily..."]  According  to  uniform 
usage  this  formula  introduces  a  new  thought. 
The  preceding  clause  must  therefore,  as  it 
seems,  te  taken  rather  with  what  has  gone 
before  than  with  these  words. 


234 


ST.  JOHN.   XVI. 


[v.  24 — 27. 


the  Father  in  my  name,  he  will  give 
it  you. 

24  Hitherto  have  ye  asked  nothing 
in  my  name :   ask,  and  ye  shall  re- 
ceive, that  your  joy  may  be  full. 

25  These   things  have  I   spoken 
unto  you  in  '  proverbs  :  but  the  time 


cometh,  when  I  shall  no  more  speak 
unto  you   in  "proverbs,  but  I  shall 5Or-,, 

i  i    •    i          r    \       V>      i  parables. 

shew  you  plainly  of  the  r1  ather. 

26  At  that  day  ye  shall  ask  in  my 
name :  and  I  say  not  unto  you,  that 
I  will  pray  the  Father  for  you  : 

27  For  the  Father  himself  loveth 


Whatsoever  ye  shall  ask  (alnj<nfri)-"in  my 
name,  he...']  Rather,  according  to  the  true 
reading:  if  ye  shall  ask  anything  of. ..he 
shall  give  it  you  in  my  name. 

the  Father]  The  return  of  Christ  to  the 
Father  restored  in  its  completeness  the  con- 
nexion of  man  with  God,  which  had  been 
broken. 

give  it  you  in  my  name]  Not  only  is 
the  prayer  offered  in  Christ's  name  (v.  24, 
xv.  1 6),  but  the  answer  is  given  in  His  name. 
Every  divine  gift  represents  in  part  the  work- 
ing of  that  Spirit  who  is  sent  in  His  name 
(xiv.  26). 

24.  Hitherto]    As  yet  Christ  Himself  was 
not  fully  revealed.     His  name  in  its  complete 
significance  was  not  made  known ;  nor  had 
the  disciples  at  present  the  power  to  enter  into 
its  meaning. 

ask]  The  end  is  assumed  to  be  already 
reached.  The  command  implies  a  continuous 
prayer  (atreire,  Matt.  vii.  7),  and  not  a  single 
petition  (Mark  vi.  22,  atnjo-ov). 

may  be  full  (fulfilled)]  The  phrase  im- 
plies not  only  the  fact  (&a...*rXiMM»d$1  xv.  u), 
but  the  abiding  state  which  follows  (u>a... 
77  ireir\T)papevr),  comp.  xvii.  13;  i  John  i.  4; 
2  John  12).  This  fulness  of  joy  is  the  divine 
end  of  Christ's  work  according  to  the  Father's 
will. 

7.     After  failure,  victory  (xvi.  25 — 33). 

This  section  forms  a  kind  of  epilogue  to 
the  discourses.  The  Lord  gathers  up  in  a 
brief  summary  His  present  and  future  rela- 
tions to  the  disciples  (25 — 27),  and  the 
character  of  His  mission  (28).  This  is  fol- 
lowed by  a  confession  of  faith  on  the  part  of 
the  disciples  (29,  30);  to  which  the  Lord 
replies  with  a  warning,  and  with  a  triumphant 
assurance  (31 — 33). 

25 — 27.  The  teaching  of  w.  23  f.  is  un- 
folded more  fully  in  these  verses.  There  will 
be  hereafter  no  need  of  questioning,  because 
the  revelation  will  be  plain  ("23  a,  25) :  the 
fulfilment  of  prayer  in  Christ  s  name  will  be 
absolute,  because  of  the  relation  established  be- 
tween believers  and  the  Father  (23  b,  f.,  26  f.). 

25.  These  things... in  pro-verbs']    All    that 
had  been  said  since  they  had  left  the  Upper 
Room.     Of    these   revelations  part  had  been 
veiled  in  figures  (the  Vine,  the  Woman  in 
travail),  and  part  was  for  the  time  only  half 


intelligible.  A  deeper  meaning  lay  beneath 
the  words,  which  could  not  yet  be  made  plain. 
It  seems  to  be  unnatural  to  limit  the  reference 
to  the  answer  to  the  question  in  v.  17.  The 
description  applies  in  fact  to  all  the  earthly 
teaching  of  the  Lord.  The  necessity  which 
veiled  His  teaching  to  the  multitudes  (Matt, 
xiii.  ii  ff.)  influenced,  in  other  ways,  His 
teaching  to  the  disciples.  He  spoke  as  they 
could  bear,  and  under  figures  of  human 
limitation. 

proverbs']    Comp.  x.  6,  note. 

but  the  time  comet h~]  the  hour  cometh. 
Omit  but.  Comp.  iv.  21,  note.  From  the 
day  of  Pentecost,  Christ,  speaking  through 
the  Holy  Spirit,  has  declared  plainly  the  re- 
lation of  the  Father  to  men  (fw.  13  ff., 
xiv.  26). 

shew  you]  tell  you,  or  declare  unto  you, 
•w.  13  ff. ;  i  John  i.2  f.  The  original  word 
according  to  the  true  text  (dn-ayyeX<5)  marks 
the  origin  rather  than  the  destination  (avay- 
yeXeS)  of  the  message. 

plainly}  without  reserve,  or  concealment. 
Here  the  objective  sense  of  the  original  term 
(irappr](ria,  Vulg.palam)  prevails.  See  vii.  13, 
note. 

26.  At  that  day...']  <v.  23,  note.  The 
fulness  of  knowledge  leads  to  the  fulness  of 
prayer.  The  clearer  revelation  of  the  Father 
issues  in  the  bolder  petitions  "in  the  Son's 
name ;"  and  this  revelation  is  given  by  the 
Paraclete  after  Pentecost. 

/  say  not... that  I  (eya)]  Your  confidence 
will  then  rest  upon  a  direct  connexion  with 
God.  I  speak  not  therefore  of  my  own  in- 
tercession in  support  of  your  requests.  This 
intercession  however  is  still  necessary  (i  John 
ii.  i  f.)  so  far  as  the  disciples  realise  imper- 
fectly their  position  as  sons. 

pray  (ask)  the  Father  for  you]  not  directly 
"in  behalf  of  you,"  but  "about  you"  (ire pi 
v^a>v),  as  inquiring  what  was  the  Father's 
will,  and  so  laying  the  case  before  Him. 
Comp.  Luke  iv.  38  ;  ch.  xvii.  9,  20.  This  use 
of  ask  (epwraf)  in  connexion  with  prayer  ad- 
dressed to  God  is  peculiar  to  St  John.  It 
expresses  a  request  made  on  the  basis  of  fel- 
lowship and  is  used  in  the  Gospel  only  of  the 
petitions  of  the  Lord  (contrast  alrfiv,  xi.  22, 
note).  This  peculiarity  of  sense  explains  the 
use  of  the  word  in  i  John  v.  16,  where  the 
circumstances  exclude  the  idea  of  prayer  for  a 
brother  in  fellowship  with  the  common  Father. 


v.  28—30.] 


ST.  JOHN.   XVI. 


you,  because  ye  have  loved  me,  and 
have  believed  that  I  came  out  from 
God. 

28  I  came  forth  from  the  Father, 
and  am  come  into  the  world :  again,  I 


235 

now  speakest  thou  plainly,  and  speak- 
est  no  'proverb.  "Or, 

30    Now  are  we  sure  that  thou^' 
knowest  all  things,  and  needest  not 
that  any  man  should  ask  thee :    by 


n^,  mim  LUC         m .  again,  i      tnat  any  man  snouid  ask  tnee  :    by 
leave  the  world,  and  go  to  the  Father,      this  we  believe  that  thou  earnest  forth 
29  His  disciples  said  unto  him,  Lo,      from  God. 


27.  the  Father  himself,  without  any  plead- 
ing on  my  part,  lovethyou  with  the  love  which 
springs  from  a  natural  relationship  (<pi\fl), 
for  the  disciples  are  also  sons  (Rom.  viii.  15). 
Comp.  v.  20;  Rev.  iii.  19.  This  assurance 
carries  out  yet  further  the  promise  in  xiv.  21, 
2  3  (ayairqv). 

ye  have  loved  me  (nt(])t\ri<aT( )]  The  word 
is  used  here  only  in  the  Gospels  of  the  affec- 
tion of  the  disciples  for  their  Lord  (yet  see 
xxi.  15  ff.,  note),  and  the  juxtaposition  of  the 
pronouns  (v^ds  */ie  TT*<£.)  gives  force  to  the 
personal  relationship.  Comp.  Matt.  x.  37. 
The  word  is  used  also  i  Cor.  xvi.  22.  The 
love  of  the  disciples  is  to  be  regarded  no  less 
as  the  sign  than  as  the  cause  of  the  Father's 
love  (xiv.  21,  23).  His  love  made  their  love 
possible,  and  then  again  responded  to  it 
(i  Johniv.  10 ;  "donumDeiestdiligereDeum," 
Aug.  ad  loc.).  Their  love  is  regarded  both  in 
its  origin,  and  in  its  continuance  (have  loved, 
7rf(j)i\^KaTf) :  His  love,  in  its  present  opera- 
tion (loveth,  0(XfI). 

came  out  from  God]  According  to  the  trile 
reading,  came  forth  from  the  Father. 
The  preposition  used  here  (nnpa)  denotes  the 
leaving  a  position  (as  it  were)  by  the  Father's 
side  (comp.  xv.  26) ;  that  used  in  the  next 
verse  («)  an  issuing  forth  from  the  Father 
as  the  spring  of  deity.  The  twofold  require- 
ment of  true  discipleship  is  laid  down  to  be : 
(i)  personal  devotion,  (2)  belief  in  the  per-* 
sonal  (t'yoi)  mission  of  Christ  from  heaven 
(xvii.  8).  The  recognition  of  the  Son  depends 
on  a  right  sense  of  His  relation  to  the  Father. 
The  common  reading  (from  God)  obscures 
this  thought. 

28.  /  came  forth  from...~]  I  came  out 
from.,..  No  phrase  could  express  more  com- 
pletely unity  of  essence  than  the  true  original 
of  these  words  (tgqXdov  eV).  Comp.  viii.  42, 
note.  Thus  the  Lord,  while  He  recognises 
the  faith  of  the  disciples,  lays  before  them  a 
revelation  of  deeper  mysteries.  The  verse  is 
indeed  a  brief  summary  of  the  whole  historic 
work  of  Christ :  clause  answers  to  clause :  the 
Mission,  the  Nativity;  the  Passion,  the  As- 
cension. 

again]  This  revelation  is  complementary 
to  the  other.  Comp.  i  John  ii.  8. 

leave  the  world]     Comp.  iv.  3,  note. 

go  to  the  Father]  That  which  was  before 
(w.  10,  17)  described  as  a  withdrawal 
,  is  now  again  described  as  a  journey 


fot1  a  purpose  (rropfvo^ai).     Comp.  xiv.  la, 
28. 

29  f.  The  Lord  had  interpreted  the  dis- 
ciples' thoughts,  atid  they  openly  confess  their 
gratitude  and  faith,  as  satisfied  with  what 
they  can  grasp  already. 

29.     said  unto  him]  say. 

Lo,  now. ..Now  we  know...]  The  revela- 
tion seemed  to  the  disciples  to  have  outrun 
the  promise.  Their  Master  had  spoken  of 
some  future  time  in  which  He  would  give  a 
clear  declaration  of  the  Father.  They  answer, 
Now  thou  speakest  plainly ;  and  we  need  not 
wait  in  darkness  any  longer.  Now  we  know 
that  which  makes  silent  patience  easy. 

Lb~]  The  sharp  interjection  is  characteristic 
of  St  John's  narrative.  It  occurs  more  often 
in  his  Gospel  than  in  all  the  other  books  of 
the  N.  T.  together.  Comp.  iii.  a6,  v.  14,  xi. 
36,  xii.  19,  xix.  4,  5,  14,  &c. 

plainly]  "In  plainness"  (Iv  irapprja-ia) ; 
tl»e  slight  change  of  form  from  v.  25  (nap- 
prjo-iq)  marks  a  difference  between  the  sphere 
of  the  revelation  and  the  simple  manner ;  ch. 
vii.  4  ;  Eph.  vi.  19  ;  Col.  ii.  15. 

30. .  Now  are  <we  sure]  Now  we  know. 
The  discernment  of  their  thought  (v.  19) 
seemed  to  the  disciples  a  sure  pledge  that  ail 
was  open  before  Christ.  A  human  helper 
needs  to  have  the  thoughts  of  those  whom 
he  has  to  help  interpreted  to  him.  In  such  a 
case  the  question  is  the  natural  prelude  to 
assistance.  So  the  disciples  had  hitherto  stood 
towards  Christ ;  but  now  they  had  gained  a 
fresh  confidence.  It  was  enough  for  the 
believer  to  feel  the  want.  The  Lord  would 
satisfy  it  as  was  best,  without  requiring  to 
hear  it  from  him. 

by  this~\  Literally  "in  this"  («/  TOUTW). 
The  proof  is  rather  vital  (so  to  speak)  th'an 
instrumental.  Comp.  i  John  ii.  3,  5,  iii.  16, 
19,  24,  iv.  9,  10,  13,  17,  v.  2.  Conscious  of 
the  Lord's  knowledge  of  their  hearts,  they 
found  in  this  the  assurance  of  His  divine 
mission  (a-iro  6tov).  The  "that"  (on)  is 
to  be  connected  with  "believe,"  and  gives  the 
object  of  faith.  St  John's  usage  generally  is 
against  the  connexion  of  the  particle  with  "  in 
this"  in  the  sense  of  "because;"  ch.  xiii. 
35 ;  i  John  ii.  3,  5,  iii.  19,  24,  v.  a.  In  i  John 
iv.  13  the  two  constructions  occur  together. 

earnest  forth  from  God]  This  common 
confession  of  faith  shews  how  little  even  yet 


236 


ST.  JOHN.    XVI. 


[v.  31—33- 


31    Jesus  answered  them,  Do  ye 
now  believe  ? 

*  Matt.  26.      32  ^Behold,  the  hour  cometh,  yea, 

is  now  come,  that  ye  shall  be  scat- 

n  Or,  MS    tered,  every  man  to  "  his  own,   and 

**'  shall  leave  me  alone :  and  yet  I  am 

not    alone,    because    the    Father    is 

with  me. 

33    These  things   I   have   spoken 


unto  you,  that  in  me  ye  might  have 
peace.  In  the  world  ye  shall  have 
tribulation  :  but  be  of  good  cheer ;  I 
have  overcome  the  world. 

CHAPTER  XVII. 

I  Christ  prayelh  to  his  Father  to  glorify  hint, 
6  to  preserve  his  apostles,  1 1  in  unity,  1 7  and 
truth,  20  to  glorify  them,  and  all  other  be- 
lievers with  him  in  heaven. 


the  disciples  had  apprehended  the  nature  of 
Christ.  As  a  body  they  had  not  advanced  as 
far  as  the  Baptist. 

31  ff.  The  answer  of  the  Lord  recognises 
the  faith  of  the  disciples,  and  indicates  its  in- 
completeness. The  last  trial  had  not  yet 
come  outwardly ;  but  even  this  was  already 
surmounted.  In  the  victory  of  the  Master 
the  essential  peace  of  the  disciple  was  in- 
cluded. 

31.  Do  ye  now  'believe?'}     The  words  are 
half  question,  half  exclamation  (xx.  29).    The 
power  and  the  permanence  of  their  faith  are 
brought  into  doubt,  and  not  its  reality.     The 
now  (apri)  marks  more  than  a  mere  point  of 
time  (vvv,  w.  29,  30).     It  suggests  a  par- 
ticular state,  a  crisis ;  v.  12,  xiii.  7,  33  ;  Rev. 
xii.  10. 

32.  yea,  is  now  (omit  now)  come]     This 
clause,  as  contrasted  with  "and  now  is"  (iv. 
23),  presents  rather  the  fulfilment  of  condition 
than  the  beginning  of  a  period. 

that  ye  shall  be  scattered.  ..and  sfyall  leave. . .] 
that  ye  may^  be  scattered.. .and  leave... 
Comp.  v.  2  note.  Even  this  was  part  of  the 
divine  counsel. 

be  scattered]  Comp.  ch.  x.  ja;  Zech.  xi. 
16,  xiii.  7;  (Matt.  xxvi.  31  ;  i  Mace.  vi.  54). 

to  his  own]  i.e.  "to  his  own  home"  (xix. 
27 ;  Luke  xviii.  28,  true  reading),  or  (more 
generally)  "to  his  own  pursuits."  The  bond 
which  had  held  them  together  in  a  society  was 
to  be  broken ;  Matt.  xxvi.  56. 

and  yet]  For  the  use  of  the  conjunction 
see  viii.  20.  It  is  natural  to  imagine  a  pause 
after  which  this  clause  is  solemnly  added. 

is  with  me']  both  now  and  always.  This 
truth  must  be  set  side  by  side  with  the 
mysterious  reference  to  a  moment  of  leaving 
in  Matt,  xxvii.  46  (fycar&am)*  See  note 
on  that  passage. 

33.  These  things...]     All   that  has  been 
spoken  since  the  departure  of   Judas:  the 
words  to  the  faithful. 

in  me  ye  might  (may)  have. ..In  the  world..."] 
The  believer  lives  two  lives  in  two  different 
spheres,  the  eternal  life  in  Christ,  the  temporal 
life  in  the  world.  There  is  distrust,  division, 
isolation  for  a  time,  but  Christ  becomes  again 
the  centre  of  a  vital  union. 


ye  shall  have]  ye  have.  Even  then  their 
conflict  had  begun. 

be  of  good  cheer]  The  word  (dapveire)  is 
found  here  only  in  St  John.  Comp.  Matt. 
ix.  a,  22,  xiv.  27  ;  Mark  x.  49. 

/  (eyo>)  bave  overcome  the  world]  The 
pronoun  stands  out  with  stronger  emphasis 
from  the  absence  of  the  pronoun  of  the 
second  person  in  the  parallel  clause.  Thus 
in  His  last  recorded  words  of  teaching  before 
the  Passion,  the  Lord  claims  the  glory  of  a 
conqueror.  Comp.  i  John  v.  4  (»;  vmija-acra'). 
The  Christian's  vjctory  is  in  virtue  of  that 
which  Christ  has  already  won  for  all  time. 
The  image  of  the  "victory"  of  believers  re- 
curs constantly  in  i  John  and  Rev.  Elsewhere 
it  is  found  only  in  Rom.  viii.  37,  xii.  21. 

XVII.    THE  PRAYER  OF  CONSECRATION 

i.  This  chapter  stands  alone  in  the  Gospels. 
It  contains  what  may  be  most  properly  called 
"the  Lord's  Prayer,"  the  Prayer  which  He 
Himself  used  as  distinguished  from  that  which 
He  taught  to  His  disciples.  On  other  occasions 
we  read  that  the  Lord  "prayed"  (Matt.  xiv. 
23  and  parallels,  xix.  13 ;  Mark  i.  35  ;  Luke 
iii.  21,  v.  16,  ix.  18,  28  f.,  xi.  i),  but  here 
the  complete  outline  of  what  He  said  is  pre- 
served. In  this  respect  it  is  noticeable  that 
the  other  Evangelists  have  recorded  words 
used  shortly  afterwards  at  Gethsemane  (Matt. 
xxvi.  36  ff.  and  parallels).  The  nearest  parallel 
to  the  Prayer  is  the  Thanksgiving  in  Matt.  xi. 
25  ff.  St  John,  it  may  be  added,  never  speaks 
in  his  narrative  of  the  Lord  as  "  praying,"  as 
the  other  Evangelists  do,  but  on  one  occasion 
he  gives  words  of  thanksgiving  which  imply  a 
previous  prayer,  xi.  41  f.,  and  on  another 
occasion  he  gives  a  brief  prayer :  xii.  27,  note. 

a.  It  is  evident  from  v.  i  that  the  prayer 
was  spoken  aloud  (comp.  Matt.  xi.  25  ff.). 
While  it  was  a  communing  of  the  Son  with 
the  Father,  it  was  at  the  same  time  a  most 
solemn  lesson  by  the  Master  for  the  disciples 
(v.  13).  At  the  supreme  crisis  of  the  Lord's 
work  they  were  allowed  to  listen  to  the  inter- 
pretation of  its  course  and  issue,  and  to  learn 
the  nature  of  the  office  which  they  had  them- 
selves to  fulfil.  The  words  are  a  revelation  of 
what  He  did  and  willed  for  men,  and  a  type 
of  that  fellowship  with  the  Father  in  which  all 


ST.  JOHN.   XVII. 


237 


is  accomplished.  Teaching  is  crowned  by 
prayer.  Such  words,  however  little  under- 
stood at  the  time,  were  likely  to  be  treasured 
up,  and  to  grow  luminous  by  the  divine  teach- 
ing of  later  experience. 

3.  There    is  no  direct  evidence  to  shew 
where  the  Prayer  was  uttered.     It  is  most 
natural  to  suppose  that  it  followed  directly 
after  the  close  of  the  address  to  the  disciples 
(xvi.  33);  and  in  that  case  that  it  followed 
without  change  of  place.    The  discourses  again 
in  cc.  xv.,  xvi.  allow  no  break,  and,  though 
they  may  have  been  spoken   on  the  way,  it 
seems  more  likely  that  xiv.  31  marks  the  de- 
parture to  some  fresh  spot  in  which  chapters 
xv. — xvii.    were    spoken.      St   John's   usage 
admits  such  a  change  of  scene  without  explicit 
notice ;    and  the  second  group  of  discourses 
forms  a  distinct  whole,  which  at  least  suggests 
corresponding  external  conditions. 

It  is  scarcely  possible  that  chapters  xv.,  xvi. 
could  have  been  spoken  in  the  streets  of  the 
city.  It  is  inconceivable  that  ch.  xyii.  should 
have  been  spoken  anywhere  except  under 
circumstances  suited  to  its  unapproachable 
solemnity.  The  character  of  the  descent  to 
the  Kidron,  and  of  the  ground  on  the  western 
side,  does  not  afford  a  suitable  locality.  The 
upper  chamber  was  certainly  left  after  xiv.  31. 
One  spot  alone,  as  it  seems,  combines  all  that 
is  required  to  satisfy  the  import  of  these  last 
words,  the  Temple  Courts.  It  may  be  true 
that  there  is  nothing  in  the  narrative  which 
points  immediately  to  a  visit  there ;  but  much 
in  what  is  recorded  gains  fresh  significance  if 
regarded  in  connexion  with  the  seat  of  the 
old  worship.  The  central  object  was  the  great 
Golden  Vine(comp.  Fergusson, '  The  Temples 
of  the  Jews,'  pp.  151  ff.),  from  which  the 
Lord  derived  the  figure  of  His  own  vital 
relation  to  His  people.  Everything  which 
spoke  of  a  divine  Presence  gave  force  to  the 
promise  of  a  new  Advocate.  The  warning  of 
persecution  and  rejection  found  a  commentary 
in  the  scenes  with  which  the  temple  had  been 
associated  in  the  last  few  days.  Nowhere,  as 
it  seems,  could  the  outlines  of  the  future 
spiritual  Church  be  more  fitly  drawn  than  in 
the  sanctuary  of  the  old  Church.  Nowhere, 
it  is  clear,  could  our  High  Priest  more  fitly 
offer  His  work  and  Himself  and  believers  to 
the  Father,  than  in  the  one  place  in  which 
God  had  chosen  to  set  His  Name. 

It  may  indeed  have  been  not  unusual  for 
Paschal  pilgrims  to  visit  the  temple  during 
the  night.  At  least  it  is  recorded  that  at  the 
Passover  "  it  was  the  custom  of  the  priests  to 
open  the  gates  of  the  temple  at  midnight"  (« 
/i«np  WKTOJ)  (Jos.  'Antt.'  XVIII.  2.  2).  Such 
a  visit,  therefore,  as  has  been  supposed,  is  in 
no  way  improbable. 

4.  This  prayer  of  consecration  is  the  com- 
plement to  the  Agony.    There  is  no  incon- 
sistency between  the  two  .parts  of  the  one 
final  conflict.     Viewed  from  the  divine  side, 


in  its  essential  elements,  the  victory  was  won 
(xiii.  31).  Viewed  from  the  human  side,  in 
its  actual  realisation,  the  victory  was  yet 
future  (xiv.  30).  All  human  experience  bears 
witness  in  common  life  to  the  naturalness  of 
abrupt  transitions  from  joy  to  sadness  in  the 
contemplation  of  a  supreme  trial.  The  abso- 
lute insight  and  foresight  of  Christ  makes 
such  an  alternation  even  more  intelligible. 
He  could  see,  as  man  cannot  do,  both  the 
completeness  of  His  triumph  and  the  suffering 
through  which  it  was  to  be  gained.  Some- 
thing of  the  same  kind  is  seen  in  the  conflict 
of  deep  emotion  joined  with  words  of  perfect 
confidence  at  the  grave  of  Lazarus  (xi.  IT, 
23.  33>  35>  38,  40  ff.) ;  and  again  on  the 
occasion  of  the  visit  of  the  Greeks  (xii.  23, 

2 7  f-,  3°  ff)- 

5.  The  general  scope  of  the  prayer,  which 
is  at  once  a  prayer  and  a  profession  and  a 
revelation,  is  the  consummation  of  the  glory 
of  God  through  Christ,  the  Word  Incarnate, 
from  stage  to  stage,  issuing  in  a  perfect  unity 
(vv.  21  ff.).     The  Son  offers  Himself  as  a 
perfect  offering,  that  so  His  disciples  may  be 
offered  afterwards,  and  through  them,  at  the 
last,  the  world  may  be  won.    In  the  perfected 
work  of  the  Saviour  lies  the  consecration  of 
humanity.    The  Son  declares  the  accomplish- 
ment of  the  Father's  work,  and  this  being 
accomplished  expresses  His  own  will  (v.  24). 

6.  The  chapter  falls  into  three  main  sections: 

I.  THE  SON  AND  THE  FATHER  (1—5) ; 

II.  THE  SON  AND  His  IMMEDIATE  DIS- 
CIPLES (6 — 19) ; 

III.  THE  SON  AND  THE  CHURCH  (20— 
36). 

The  subordinate  divisions  will  be  seen  in 
the  following  analysis : 

I.  THE  SON  AND  THE  FATHER  (1—5)- 

(The  past  as  the  basis  for  the  future.) 
Prayer  for  fresh  glory  as  the  condition  of 

the  Father's  glory  (i). 
Such  was  Christ's  work  on  earth  in  its 
aim  (2), 
method  (3). 

This  had  been  accomplished  (4). 
Christ    therefore  claims   to    resume    His 
glory  (5). 

II.  THE  SON  AND  His   IMMEDIATE  DIS- 

CIPLES (6 — 19). 

(The  Revelation  of  the  Father  by  the  Son.) 
i.  The  revelation  given  and  accepted  (6 — 8). 
2    The  disciples  watched  over  though  left 
(9— n). 

3.  The  past  work  and    the    future  aim 

4.  The  conflict  and  the  strength  (14,  15)' 

5.  The  issue  (16—19). 


2*8 


ST.  JOHN.    XVII. 


[V.   I,  2. 


r  I  AHESE  words  spake  Jesus,  and 
J_  lifted  up  his  eyes  to  heaven, 
and  said,  Father,  the  hour  is  come  ; 
glorify  thy  Son,  that  thy  Son  also 
may  glorify  thee  : 


2  "As  thou  hast  given  him  power  "8Matt- 
over  all   flesh,   that  he    should    give 
eternal  life  to  as  many  as  thou  hast 
given  him. 


III.  THE  SON  AND  THE  CHURCH  (20 — 26). 

(The  Revelation  of  the  Son  to  the  Church 

and  to  the  world.} 

1.  The  unity  of  the  Church  the  tonviction 

of  the  world. 

By  the  faith  of  believers  to  come  (20,  21). 
By  the  glory  of  the  disciples  (22,  23). 

2.  The  progress  of  revelation. 

By  the  contemplation  of  the  glory  of  the 

Son  (24). 
By  the  revelation  through  the  Son  of  the 

Father's  name  (25,  26). 

I.  THE  SON  AND  THE  FATHER  (1—5). 

1 — 5.  The  completion  of  the  work  given 
by  the  Father  to  the  Son  is  the  ground  for 
His  glorifying  by  the  Father.  The  work  of 
the  Son  was  to  give  eternal  life  to  men.  This 
life  is  the  knowledge  of  God.  The  glory  of 
the  Son,  resting  upon  His  perfected  work,  issues 
therefore  in  the  glory  of  the  Father ;  for  to 
know'  God  is  to  give  Him  honour. 

CHAP.  XVII.  1.  These  words']  These 
things  (raCra).  The  reference  is  to  that 
which  precedes.  The  Lord  completed  His 
words  of  warning  and  hope  and  love  with 
the  final  assurance  of  victory,  and  then  He 
turned  from  earth  to  heaven,  from  the  dis- 
ciples to  the  Father,  from  teaching  to  prayer. 

lifted  up... and  said...']  St  John  does  not 
separate  the  two  actions:  lifting  up... he 
said...  The  trait  marks  at  once  the  new 
region  to  which  the  thoughts  of  the  Lord  are 
turned,  and  the  sense  of  perfect  fellowship 
with  the  spiritual  world.  Comp.  ch.  xi.  41 ; 
Luke  xviii.  13  ;  Acts  vii.  55. 

The  attitude  forms  a  natural  contrast  to 
Luke  xxii.  41,  and  parallels. 

Father]  <wv.  5,  n,  24,  ch.  xi.  41,  xii.  27  f. 
Matt.  xi.  25,;  (Luke  x.  21);  Luke  xxii.  42, 
xxiii.  34,  46.  Comp.  Luke  xi.  z.  The  form 
of  the  petition  includes  the  ground  on  which 
it  rests,  the  absolute  relation  of  the  Father  to 
the  Son.  The  prayer  is  not  regarded  as  directly- 
personal  (glorify  me;  contrast  xi.  41);  nor 
is  it  in  a  universal  type  (0  God, glorify;  see 
Luue  xviii.  n,  13,  and  also  Mark  xv.  34). 
If  the  prayer  was  (as  is  likely)  spoken  in 
Aramiean,  we  cannot  but  recall  Mark  xiv.  36 ; 
Rom.  viii.  i  j ;  Gal.  iv.  6  ('A/3/3a). 

the  hour]  Comp.  vii.  30,  viii.  30,  xii.  23, 
xiii.  i,  note.  All  the  circumstances  of  redemp- 
tion proceeded  (is  come,  comp.  ii.  4)  according 
to  a  divine  law.  In  the  accomplishment  of 
this  there  is  no  delay  and  no  haste. 

glorify  thy  Son,  that    thv  (the)  Son... may 


(omit  also)...']  The  "  glorifying"  of  the  Son 
is  the  fuller  manifestation  of  His  true  nature. 
This  manifestation,  given  in  the  fact  of  His 
victory  over  death,  established  by  the  Resur- 
rection and  Ascension,  is  set  forth  as  having 
for  its  end  the  fuller  manifestation  of  the 
Father.  It  is  through  the  Son  that  men  know 
and  see  the  Father,  ch.  xiv.  7  ff. ;  and  the  one 
end  of  all  work  and  of  all  partial  ends  is  the 
glory  of  the  Father.  The  "  glorifying  "  of  the 
Son  must  not  be  limited  to  His  support  in  the 
Fission,  nor  to  His  wider  acknowledgment, 
though  the  revelation  of  His  Being  includes 
the  thoughts  which  were  suggested  by  these 
partial  interpretations.  Comp.  xii.  23,  note. 
The  true  commentary  on  the  words  is  Phil, 
ii.  9  ff. 

It  must  be  observed  that  the  prayer  is  ex- 
pressed in  an  impersonal  form.  It  is  based 
upon,  essential  relations  (thy  Son,  the  Son,  not 
me,  I).  In  this  respect  it  corresponds  to  the 
promise  in  Ps.  ii.  8.  Comp.  viii.  50. 

2.  As  th6u  hast  given  him  power..."]  Even 
as  thou  gavest  him  authority...  The 
complete  elevation  of  the  Incarnate  Son  to 
His  divine  glory  was  necessarily  presupposed 
in  His  mission.  He  received  a  legitimate 
authority  (fgavo-id)  over  humanity  as  its  true 
Head,  and  this  could  only  be  exercised  in  its 
fulness  after  the  Ascension.  At  the  same  time 
the  exaltation  of  the  Son  as  Saviour  carried 
with  it  the  glorification  of  the  Father,  as  the 
spring  of  the  eternal  life  which  Christ  sent 
through  the  Spirit  from  heaVen. 

thou  gavest...]  The  original  charge  once 
given  (e5o>Ka?)  is  treated  as  the  ground  and 
measure  of  the  prayer  for  its  fulfilment. 
Nothing  is  said  or  implied  as  to  the  sovereignty 
of  the  Son  over  other  created  beings  (e.g. 
angels).  His  office  is  regarded  primarily  in 
relation  to  man  fallen. 

authority]  Comp.  ch.  v.  27  ;  Matt.  vii. 
29,  ix.  6,  xxviii.  18.  For  the  genitive  (IT.  a-ap- 
KOJ)  see  Matt.  x.  i ;  Mark  vi.  7. 

all  flesh}  The  phrase  is  the  rendering  of  a 
Hebrew  phrase  ("ib'a  7D)  which  describes 
mankind  in  their  weakness  and  transitoriness, 
as  contrasted  with  the  majesty  of  God,  Gen. 
vi.  12;  Ps.  Ixv.  2,  cxlv.  21  ;  Isai.  xl.  5  f, 
xlix.  26,  Ixvi.  16,  23  f. ;  Joel  ii.  28  ;  Ezek.  xx. 
48,  xxi.  5  ;  Jer.  xii.  12,  xxv.  31 ;  Job  xii.  10, 
xxxiv.  15  ;  and  from  that  side  of  their  nature 
in  which  they  are  akin  to,  and  represent,  the 
lower  world,  Gen.  vi.  19,  vii.  15  f.,  21,  viii. 
17,  ix.  ii,  15  ff. ;  Ps.  cxxxvi.  25  ;  Jer.  xxxii. 
27,  xiv.  5. 

Comp.  Matt.  xxiv.  22  ;  Luke  iii.  6  ;  Acts 


V-3-] 


ST.  JOHN.    XVII. 


3  And  this  is  life  eternal,  that  they     and   Jesus  Christ,  whom   thou  hast 
might  know  thee  the  only  true  God,     sent. 


239 


ii.  17;  i  Pet.  i.  24;  Rom.  iii.  20;  i  Cor.  i. 
29  ;  Gal.  ii.  16. 

From  this  point  of  sight  the  whole  clause 
brings  out  forcibly  the  scope  of  the  Incarna- 
tion, as  designed  to  bring  a  higher  life  to  that 
which  in  itself  was  incapable  of  regaining  fel- 
lowship with  God.  Comp.  Iren.  '  Adv.  hxr.' 
v.  1 6.  2. 

At  the  same  time  the  universality  of  the 
Gospel  is  laid  open.  Not  all  Israel  only  (Luke 
ii.  10,  all  the  people,  Matt.  xv.  34),  but  all 
humanity  are  the  subjects  of  Messiah  (Matt, 
xxviii.  19). 

give., .to  as  many  as  thou  hast...']  The 
original  form  of  expression  is  remarkable : 
that  all  that  (nav  o)  thou  hast  given 
him  to  them  he  should  give.  The  Chris- 
tian body  is  first  presented  in  its  unity  as  a 
whole,  and  then  in  its  individual  members. 
Comp.  "v.  24,  vi.  37. 

The  contrast  implied  in  qll  flesh  and  all 
that  has  been  given,  marks  a  mystery  of  the 
divine  working  which  we  cannot  understand. 
The  sovereignty  is  universal,  the  present  bless- 
ing is  partial.  Comp.  iii.  16. 

3.  And  this  is  life  eternal  (the  life 
eternal)]  The  definition  is  not  of  the  sphere 
(in  this),  but  of  the  essence  of  eternal  life 
(comp.  xii.  50).  The  subject  is  taken  from 
the  former  clause:  The  life  eternal — the  life 
eternal,  of  which  Christ  had  just  now  (as 
ever)  spoken  (i;  atowos  £&)>;) — it  this,  that... 
Eternal  life  lies  not  so  much  in  the  possession 
of  a  completed  knowledge  as  in  the  striving 
after  a  growing  knowledge.  The  that  (£/a) 
expresses  an  aim,  an  end,  and  not  only  a  fact. 
Comp.  iv.  34,  vi.  29.  So  too  the  tense  of  the 
verb  (•ytpwoTKoxri)  njarks  continuance,  pro- 
gress, and  not  a  perfect  and  past  apprehension 
gained  once  for  all.  Comp.  v.  23,  x.  38; 
i  John  v.  20;  ch.  xiv.  31  (iva  yfw),  xix.  4; 
I  John  iv.  7,  8  (yivaxricei,  tyvco). 

The  construction  which  occurs  here  (avrq 
f(rr\v  TI  at.  £.  iva...)  is  characteristic  of  St 
John,  ch.  xv.  12;  i  John  iii.  ii,  23,  v.  3; 
a  John  6.  The  force  of  the  article  (jj  at.  f.) 
appears  in  the  only  other  passages  of  the  New 
Testament  where  it  is  found :  Acts  xiii.  46 ; 
i  Tim.  vi.  12  (i  John  v.  20  is  a  false  reading). 
Comp.  i  John  i.  a,  ii.  25  (77  f.  77  at.). 

The  knowledge  which  is  life,  the  knowledge 
which  from  the  fact  that  it  is  vital  is  always 
advancing  (yivciorKoxn,  see  above),  is  two- 
fold ;  a  knowledge  of  God  in  His  sole,  supreme 
Majesty,  and  a  knowledge  of  the  revelation 
which  He  has  made  in  its  final  consummation 
in  the  mission  of  Christ.  To  regard  the  phrase 
the  only  true  God  as  embracing  here  both 
thee  and  him  whom  thou  didst  send,  a  con- 
struction adopted  by  Ccssarius  (Cramer, '  Cat.' 


ad  loc.)   and  by  many    Latin   fathers  from 
Augustine  downwards,  or  to  regard  the  juxta- 
position of  thee,  the  only  true  God,  and  him 
whom  thou  didst  send,  as  in  any  way  impairing 
the  true  divinity  of  Christ,  by  contrast  with 
the  Father,  is  totally  to  misunderstand  the 
passage.     It  is  really  so  framed  as  to  meet  the 
two  cardinal  errors    as    to    religious  truth 
which  arise  in  all  times,  the  error  which  finds 
expression  in  various  forms  of  polytheism,  and 
the  error  which  treats  that  which  is  prepara- 
tory in  revelation  as  final.     On  the  one  side 
men  make  for  themselves  objects  of  worship, 
many  and  imperfect.     On  the  other  side  they 
fail  to  recognise  Christ  when  He  comes.    The 
primary  reference  is,  no  doubt,  to  the  respec- 
tive trials  of  Gentile  and  Jew,  but  these  in- 
clude in  themselves  the  typical  trials  of  all  ages. 
Cyril  of  Alexandria  (ad  loc.}  justly  remarks 
that  the  knowledge  of  God  as  the  Father  really 
involves  a  knowledge  of  the  Son  as  God.    The 
true  (d\r)6iv6s)  God  is  the  Father  who  is  made 
known  in  and  by  the  Son  (i  John  v.  20). 
And  the  revelation  of  God  as  Father,  which  is 
the  Personal  revelation  of  God  as  love  in  Him- 
self, involves  at  the  same  time  the  knowledge 
q(  the  Holy  Spirit.     The  epigram  which  ex- 
presses the  teaching  of  St  Augustine,   "ubi 
amor  ibi  Trinitas,"  has  its  fulfilment  in  this 
conception.     Comp.   Aug.   '  De  Trin.'  vin. 
14,  ix.  8. 

The  verse  finds  an  instructive  comment  in 
the  double  command,  ch.  xiv.  i. 

this  it...']  Life — eternal  life — is  charac- 
teristically spoken  of  by  St  John  as  truly 
present:  iii.  36,  v.  24,  vi.  47,  54;  i  John  v. 
1 2 ;  and  the  possession  of  this  life  may  become 
a  matter  of  absolute  knowledge:  i  John  v.  13. 
At  the  same  time  this  life  is  regarded  as  future 
in  its  realisation :  iv.  14,  36,  vi.  27,  xii.  25. 
The  two  thoughts  are  united  in  vi.  40,  see 
note. 

might  know]  may  know.  In  such  a  con- 
nexion "  knowledge  "  expresses  the  apprehen- 
sion of  the  truth  by  the  whole  nature  of  man. 
It  is  not  an  acquaintance  with  facts  as  external, 
nor  an  intellectual  conviction  of  their  reality, 
but  an  appropriation  of  them  (so  to  speak)  as 
an  influencing  power  into  the  very  being  of 
him  who  "knows "them.  " Knowledge "  is 
thus  faith  perfected ;  and  in  turn  it  passes  at 
last  into  sight  (i  John  iii.  2;  comp.  i  Cor. 
xiii.  9  ff.).  It  is  remarkable  that  the  noun 
(yvao-is,  eirtyvaHTis)  is  not  found  in  the 
writings  of  St  John ;  the  verb  on  the  contrary 
(yu/wo-KO))  is  relatively  more  frequent  in  these 
than  in  any  other  section  of  the  New  Testa- 
ment. As  in  the  corresponding  case  of  "  faith" 
(see  ii.  23,  note)  St  John  dwells  on  the  active 
exercise  of  the  power,  and  not  on  the  abstract 
idea. 


240 


ST.  JOHN.   XVII. 


[v.  4-6. 


4  I   have    glorified    thee   on    the 
earth :  I  have  finished  the  work  which 
thou  gavest  me  to  do. 

5  And   now,    O   Father,    glorify 


thou  me  with  thine  own  self  with 
the  glory  which  I  had  with  thee  be- 
fore the  world  was. 

6  I  have  manifested  thy  name  un- 


the  only  true  God]  On  the  word  "true" 
(dX?;#ii/or)  see  iv.  23,  note.  There  are  many 
to  whom  the  name  of  God  has  been  applied 
(i  Cor.  viii.  4  ff.),  but  One  only  fulfils  the 
conception  which  man  can  dimly  form  of  the 
absolute  majesty  of  God.  Comp.  Rom.  xvi. 
27 ;  i  Tim.  vi.  15  f. 

Jesus  Christ^  whom  thou  hast  sent"]  Him 
whom  thou  didst  send,  even  Jesus  Christ. 
The  emphasis  is  laid  on  the  single  historic  fact 
of  Christ's  mission  (didst  send,  dirf<rrei\ai), 
and  not  on  the  continuity  of  its  effects  (hast 
sent,  direa-ra^Kus,  v.  36,  xx.  21,  note). 

even  Jesus  Christ]  The  occurrence  of 
these  words  creates  .great  difficulty.  The  diffi-i 
culty  is  materially  lessened  if  Christ  is  regarded  as 
a  predicate :  "  that  they  know. ..Jesus  as  Christ." 
The  general  structure  of  the  sentence  however 
is  unfavourable  to  this  view.  The  complex 
name  "Jesus  Christ"  appears  to  answer 
exactly  to  the  corresponding  clause,  "  the  only 
true  God."  These  two  clauses  are  thus  most 
naturally  taken  to  define  the  persons  indicated 
before,  "Thee"  and  "Him  whom  Thou  didst 
send."  If  we  accept  this  construction  we  have 
then  to  consider  whether  the  definitions  are  to 
be  treated  as  literally  parts  of  the  prayer,  or  as 
words  used  by  the  Evangelist  in  his  record 
of  the  prayer,  as  best  fitted  in  this  con- 
nexion to  convey  the  full  meaning  of  the 
original  language.  In  favour  of  the  latter  view 
it  may  be  urged  (i)  that  the  use  of  the  name 
"Jesus  Christ  "by  the  Lord  Himself  at  this 
time  is  in  the  highest  degree  unlikely,  while 
the  compound  title,  expressing  as  it  did  at  a 
later  time  the  combination  of  the  ideas  of  true 
humanity  and  of  divine  office,  may  reasonably 
be  supposed  to  give  the  exact  sense  of  the 
Lord's  thought;  (2)  that  the  phrase  "the 
only  true  God  "  recalls  the  phrase  of  St  John 
"the  true  God"  (i  John  v.  20),  and  is  not 
like  any  other  phrase  used  by  the  Lord ;  (j) 
that  the  clauses,  while  perfectly  natural  as  ex- 
planations, are  most  strange  if  they  are  taken 
as  substantial  parts  of  the  actual  prayer.  It  is 
no  derogation  from  the  truthfulness  of  the 
record  that  St  John  has  thus  given  paren- 
thetically and  in  conventional  language  (so  to 
speak)  the  substance  of  what  the  Lord  said 
probably  at  greater  length. 

4,  5.  I  have  glorified  (I  glorified). ..^«<^ 
now... glorify...]  The  prayer  of  v.  i  is  re- 
peated from  the  opposite  point  of  view.  Here 
the  glorifying  of  Christ  is  treated  as  a  conse- 
quence of  work  done,  and  there  as  a  prepara- 
tion for  work  still  remaining  to  be  done. 
There  is  also  this  further  difference  in  expres- 


sion, that  in  v.  i  the  form  is  indirect  (thy 
Son),  while  here  it  is  direct  (/,  me).  The 
reason  of  this  appears  to  be  that  in  v.  i  the 
central  idea  is  that  of  the  general  relation  of 
Son  and  Father,  while  here  the  attention  is 
fixed  on  what  Christ  had  done  as  man.  The 
eternal  glory  of  the  Son  is  to  be  resumed  by 
the  Incarnate  Son. 

The  parallelism  between  v.  4  and  v.  5  is 
very  close :  /  glorified  thee  upon  earth :  Do 
Thou  glorify  me  with  Thine  o<wn  self  (/.  e .  in 
heaven).  And  in  each\;ase  the  personal  rela- 
tion is  made  emphatic  by  the  juxtaposition  of 
the  pronouns  (7,  Thee,  v.  4  ;  Me,  Thou,  -v.  5). 

4.  I  glorified...]  The  historical  mission 
of  Christ  is  now  regarded  as    ended;    the 
earthly  work  is  accomplished.     By  a  life  of 
absolute  obedience  and  love  Christ  had  re- 
vealed— and  therefore  glorified — the  Father. 

/  have  finished'}  According  to  the  true 
reading,  having  finished  (perfected,  rt- 
Afioxras).  The  participle  defines  the  mode  in 
which  the  glory  of  God  was  secured :  there  is 
but  one  actfon.  For  the  use  of  the  word 
"perfect"  (Vulg.  consummavij  comp.  iv.  34, 
note. 

work... gayest  (hast  given)}  Comp.  v.  36. 
Here  the  work  is  contemplated  in  its  unity,  as 
accomplished,  and  there  in  its  manifold  parts, 
as  still  to  be  done.  Christ's"  work  is  not  self- 
chosen,  but  wrought  out  in  perfect  obedience. 

5.  now}  when  the  hour  has  come,  and 
the  last  sacrifice  of  humiliation  is  over. 

with  thine  own  self  ...with  thee~\  The  sense 
of  the  preposition  in  this  construction  (irapa 
aeavr&j  irapa  troi)  in  St  John  is  always  local 
(and  not  ethical),  either  literally  (i.  40,  iv. 
40,  xiv.  25,  xix.  25  ;  Rev.  ii.  13)  or  figura- 
tively, as  expressing  a  direct  spiritual  con- 
nexion (viii.  38,  xiv.  1 7,  23).  The  sense  there- 
fore here,  in  both  cases,  is  "in  fellowship  with 
thee."  The  rendering  "in  thy  sight,"  which 
is  supported  by  the  usage  of  other  writers  of 
the  New  Testament  (Luke  ii.  52  ;  2  Thess.  i. 
6 ;  i  Pet.  ii.  4,  &c.),  is  excluded  alike  by 
St  John's  usage  and  by  the  context. 

Thus  the  verse  presents  a  contrast  between 
the  state  of  the  Incarnate  Son  and  of  the 
Eternal  Word.  The  Person  is  one  (glorify 
me... which  I  had...},  but  by  the  assumption 
of  manhood  the  Son  for  a  time  emptied  Him- 
self of  that  which  He  afterwards  received 
again. 

which  I  had}  in  actual  possession  and  not 
as  the  object  of  the  divine  thought.  Comp. 
i.  i.  The  " glory"  here  spoken  of  is  not  the 
predestined  glory  of  Christ's  humanity,  but 


v.  7,  8.] 


ST.  JOHN.    XVII. 


241 


to  the   men  which   thou  gavest   me  things  whatsoever  thou  hast  given  me 

the  world  :  thine  they  were,  are  of  thee 

and  thou  gavest  them  me;  and  they  8    For  I    have  given    unto  them 

nnir£»    lr*»r\t-  i-h  «r  «wv^.*»xJ  .  i                       i             ,   .            °. 


have  kept  thy  word. 


the  words  which   thou   gavest   me ; 


•VT  /  •»••        Trillin        UIWU        JidVCSl        1116: 

low  they  have  known  that  all     and  they  have  received  them,  6 and  * chap-  »6- 


the  glory  of  His  divinity  which  He  resumed 
on  His  Ascension. 

before  the  world  was"]  Comp.  v.  24  note 
The  glory  of  the  Eternal  Word  spoken  of  here 
is  distinguished  from  the  glory  of  Christ,  the 
Incarnate  Word,  spoken  of  in  v.  22,  though 
the  two  correspond  to  one  another.  The 
one  is  supra-temporal  (f8a»cas.  v.  24)  ;  the 
other  is  a  present  possession  (8(du>Kas,  v.  22). 

For  St  Paul's  statement  of  the  fulfilment  of 
these  words  see  Phil.  ii.  9  ff. 

II.  THE  Sox  AND  THE  DISCIPLES  (6—19). 

6  ff.  The  fulfilment  by  Christ  of  His  work 
among  men  contained  the  promise  of  the 
wider  work  which  should  be  accomplished  for 
and  through  them  on  His  exaltation.  Thus 
the  current  of  His  prayer  passes  naturally  into 
a  new  channel.  As  He  had  prayed  for  Him- 
self, He  prays  for  His  disciples.  The  petition 
glorify  me  is  represented  in  new  relations  by 
keep  them  (v.  ii),  and  sanctify  them  (v..*i\ 
The  glory  of  Christ,  and  of  the  Father  in 
Christ,  was  to  be  realised  by  the  continuance 
and  completion  of  that  which  He  had  begun 
in  men. 

6.  The  prayer  for  the  disciples  is  based 
upon  a  threefold  declaration  6f  what  they 
were  in  relation  to  Christ  (/  manifested  thy 
name  to  the  men...),  in  relation  to  the  Father 
(thine  they  were...),  and  in  theftiselves  (they 
have  kept  thy  word).  Each  statement  is  a 
plea  in  favour  of  the  petitions  which  follow. 
Together  they  form  a  portraiture  of  true 
discipleship. 

/  have  manifested']  I  manifested.  The 
phrase  is  exactly  parallel  with  "  I  glorified  " 
in  v.  4.  Christ  made  known  perfectly  the 
name  of  God  as  Father  in  His  life.  Even  to 
the  Jew  this  conception  of  the  relation  of  God 
to  man  was  new.  The  revelation  however  was 
not  made  to  all,  but  to  those  who  by  sympathy 
were  fitted  to  receive  it. 

unto  the  men  (rot?  avdpwitois)']  The  full 
form  of  the  phrase  (as  contrasted  with  "to 
those  whom...")  seems  to  mark  a  certain  cor- 
respondence between  the  revelation  and  the 
recipients  of  it.  As  men  the  disciples  were 
enabled  to  receive  the  teaching  of  the  Son  of 
man  (comp.  i.  4). 

gavest]  Comp.  w.  2,  24,  vi.  37,  x.  29, 
xviii.  9.  It  is  only  by  the  influence  of  the 
Father  that  men  can  come  to  Christ,  vi.  44, 
65.  Yet  the  critical  act  admits  of  being  de- 
scribed from  many  sides.  The  Father  is  said 
to  "draw"  men  (vi.  44),  and  Christ  also 


draws  them  (xii.  32).  Christ  "  chooses  "  men 
(vi.  70,  xv.  1 6) ;  and  men  freely  obey  His 
calh 

thine']  not  only  as  creatures  of  God,  or 
as  representatives  by  birth  of  Israel,  the  chosen 
people,  but  as  answering  to  the  true  character 
of  Israel  (i.  47). 

thy  word]  The  revelation  of  Christ  as  a 
whole  (d  Xdybff,  Vulg.  sermo)  is  spoken  of  as 
the  Father's  word  (comp.  vii.  16,  xii.  48,  49). 
All  was  included  implicitly  in  the  word  by 
which  the  disciples  were  bidden  to  seek  Christ 
(vi.  45).  As  they  "heard"  this  at  first,  so 
they  continued  to  hear  it.  On  keep  (mow) 
see  viii.  51,  note. 

7,  8f.  These  verses  unfold  the  growth  of 
discipleship  which  is  summarised  in  the  pre- 
ceding clause  (they  have  kept  thy  word).  The 
disciples  who  followed  Christ  in  obedience  to 
the  Father  had  come  to  know  by  actual  ex- 
perience the  nature  and  the  source  of  His  mis- 
sion. They  trusted  Him,  and  then  they  found 
out  little  by  little  in  whom  they  had  trusted. 

7.  Now  they  have  known]  Now  thy  know 
(tyv&Kav),  now  they  have  learnt  through  the 
teaching  of  discipleship.     The  English  present 
seems  to  express  best,  both  here  and  in  v.  8, 
the  actual  result  of  past  experience.     Comp. 
v.  42,  vi.  69,  viii.  52,  55,  xiv.  9;  i  John  ii.  4. 

all  things  whatsoever  thou  hast  given]  It 
might  have  seemed  simpler  to  say  "all  that  I 
have,"  but  by  such  a  mode  of  expression  the 
thought  of  the  special  charge  committed  to 
the  Son  would  have  been  lost.  And  yet 
further,  the  reference  is  to  all  the  elements  of 
the  Lord's  Life  and  Work — His  words  and 
acts — which  are  severally  attributed  to  the 
Father's  love  (v.  19,  30,  viii.  28,  xii.  49  f., 
xiv.  10),  and  now  regarded  in  their  abiding 
consequence  (are,  not  were). 

8.  The  fuller  insight  which  the  disciples 
gained  into  the  being  of  Christ  came  through, 
the  gradual  manifestations  which  He  "gave" 
and  they  "  received." 

the  words...']  That  teaching  which  was 
before  (v.  6)  regarded  in  its  unity,  is  now 
regarded  in  its  component  elements  (TO  pij- 
fiara).  That  which  was  organically  one,  was 
made  known  in  many  parts  according  to  the 
Father's  will  (the  words  which  thou  gavest 
me). 

The  contrast  between  "  the  word  "  (Xdyor), 
the  complete  message,  and  "  the  saying " 
(pfjfM),  the  detached  utterance,  is  frequently 
important  in  St  John,  and  yet  difficult  to 
express  without  a  paraphrase.  Comp.  v.  38 


242 


ST.  JOHN.   XVII. 


[v.  9— ii. 


have  known  surely  that  I  came  out 
from  thee,  and  they  have  believed 
that  thou  didst  send  me. 

9  I  pray  for  them  :  I  pray  not  for 
the  world,  but  for  them  which  thou 
hast  given  me  j  for  they  are  thine. 


10  And  all   mine   are   thine,   and 
thine  are  mine ;  and  I  am  glorified 
in  them. 

1 1  And  now  I  am  no  more  in  the 
world,  but  these  are  in    the  world, 
and  I  come  to  thee.     Holy  Father, 


(word),  47  (sayings'),  vi.  60  (word),  63  (say- 
ings), 68  (sayings), _  viii.  43  (word),  47  (say- 
ings), 51  (word),  xii.  47  (sayings'),  48  (word), 
xv.  3  (word),  7  (sayings).  The  plural  of 
"word"  occurs  x.  19,  xiv.  24  ;  "saying"  does 
not  occur  in  St  John  in  the  singular,  though 
it  is  frequent  in  other  parts  of  the  New  Testa- 
ment. 

they  have  received. ..and  have  known. ..and 
they  have  believed ...]  they  received  ...  and 
know. ..and  believed...  The  issues  of  the 
reception  of  the  successive  relations  of  Christ 
are  gathered  under  the  two  heads  of  know- 
ledge and  faith  (comp.  vi.  69,  note),  and  both 
alike  are  directed  to  the  recognition  of  Christ 
and  His  mission.  The  disciples  in  their  con- 
verse with  their  Master  perceived,  and  per- 
ceived truly,  on  such  evidence  as  to  exclude 
all  doubt,  that  the  source  of  His  life  was 
divine.  This  was  a  matter  on  which  they 
could  themselves  judge.  So  far  the  voice  of 
conscience  was  authoritative  as  to  the  character 
of  Christ.  But  beyond  this  they  believed  that 
Christ  was  directly  sent  by  God  to  fulfil  a 
special  office.  This  was  no  longer  within  the 
province  of  knowledge;  it  was  a  conclusion 
of  faith.  Yet  here  again  in  due  course  "  faith" 
is  transformed  into  knowledge,  v.  25. 

9  fF.  The  Lord  has  set  forth  the  character 
and  the  position  of  the  disciples,  what  they 
had  received  and  made  their  own ;  He  now 
looks  forward  to  their  future.  They  are 
watched  over  though  left  (9 — n). 

9.  I  pray  for  them]  The  pronouns  are 
emphatic :  "  I  on  my  part,  in  answer  to  their 
devotion ;  I,  thy  Son,  for  those  who  have  been 
faithful  to  Thee."  The  emphatic  "  I  "  occurs 
throughout  the  prayer;  see  specially  vv.  4,  12, 
14,  19.  On  the  word  for  "pray"  (epcurw, 
"ask")  see  xvi.  26,  note. 

The  exclusion  of  "  the  world"  from  Christ's 
prayer  is  no  limitation  of  the  extent  of  His 
love  (comp.  v.  21,  note),  but  a  necessary  result 
of  the  immediate  circumstances  of  the  prayer. 
His  work  is  fulfilled  in  ever-increasing  circles 
of  influence.  At  present  He  is  interceding  for 
those  who  have  been  prepared  beforehand  to 
continue  His  work;  and  in  their  behalf  He 
pleads  a  request  of  which  the  fulfilment  is 
guaranteed  (so  to  speak)  by  a  threefold  claim. 
The  disciples  for  whom  intercession  is  made 
were  indeed  the  Father's  (they  are  thine :  comp. 
v.  6),  and  therefore  He  could  not  but  regard 
His  own  children.  And  further,  in  respect 
of  their  relation  to  Christ,  so  far  as  they  had 


been  attached  to  Him  this  also  was  a  relation 
to  the  Father  equally  (all  things  that  are  mine 
are  thine).  And  thirdly,  this  relation  had 
issued  in  Christ's  glory,  and  therefore  in  the 
glory  of  the  Father,  so  that  by  the  fulfilment 
of  their  part  hitherto  they  called  out  fresh 
gifts  of  divine  love  (/  have  been  glorified  in 
them). 

ip.  all  nfine  are  thine...']  all  things  that 
are  mine  are  thine...  This  general  state- 
ment, which  is  expressed  in  the  most  compre- 
hensive form,  and  does  not  include  only  per- 
sons, prepares  the  way  for  the  next.  Service 
rendered  to  Christ  is  rendered  to  the  Father 
(xiii.  20),  so  that  those  who  were  from  the 
first  God's  children  had  become  nearer  to 
His  love  by  their  faith  in  the  Son  of  God. 
The  second  clause  (and  the  things  that 
are  thine  are  mine)  is  not  required  by  the 
argument,  but  serves  to  emphasize  the  asser- 
tion of  the  perfect  communion  of  the  Son  and 
the  Father.  The  words  are  not  to  be  regarded 
as  parenthetical,  but  as  part  of  the  exposition 
of  the  argument,  which  is  made  by  parallel 
sentences. 

lam  (I  have  been) glorified]  To  "glorify" 
God  (or  Christ)  is  to  make  Him  known  or 
to  acknowledge  Him  as  being  what  He  is  (xiL 
28,  note).  Here  then  Christ  bears  witness 
to  the  faith  of  the  disciples  who  had  been 
enabled  to  recognise  and  to  confess  Him  even 
in  His  state  of  self-humiliation  (vi.  69).  This 
glory  gained  in  the  persons  of  the  disciples  is 
not  looked  upon  as  past  (edogda-drjv,  xiii.  31), 
but  as  abiding  (fif  8o£ao><u,  *  Pet.  i.  8 ;  a  Cor. 
iii.  10). 

in  them~\  Faithful  disciples  are  the  living 
monuments  in  which  Christ's  glory  is  seen. 
So  also  a  church  is  the  "  glory"  of  its  founder, 
i  Thess.  ii.  20. 

11.  The  declaration  of  the  grounds  on 
which  the  prayer  is  urged  is  followed  by  the 
statement  of  the  circumstances  which  make  the 
prayer  necessary.  These  are  simply  coordi- 
nated (and... and... and)  ;  and  the  bare  enume- 
ration of  the  facts  is  left  without  comment. 
Christ  leaves  the  world,  the  disciples  remain 
in  the  world ;  Master  and  scholars  must  then 
be  separated,  so  that  the  old  connexion  will 
be  broken.  Christ  goes  to  the  Father ;  He 
enters  therefore  upon  a  new  sphere  of  His 
mediatorial  work,  in  which  His  mode  of  action 
will  be  changed. 

And  now  I. ..but  these..."]  And  I. ..and 
they...  See  above. 


V.   12,   1 3.] 


ST.  JOHN.    XVII. 


243 


keep  through  thine  own  name  those 
whom  thou  hast  given  me,  that  they 
may  be  one,  as  we  are. 

12  While  I  was  with  them  in  the 
world,  I    kept  them  in   thy  name : 


those   that  thou  gavest  me   I   have 
kept,  and  none  of  them  is  lost,  but 
the  son  of  perdition  ;  'that  the  scrip-  ^P 
ture  might  be  fulfilled. 

13  And  now  come  I  to  thee ;  and 


/  come  to  thei\  The  return  of  Christ  to 
the  Father  involves  more  than  a  local  separa- 
tion from  His  people.  It  has  a  spiritual  cor- 
respondence with  His  "coming"  into  the 
world  (viii.  14,  xiii.  3),  by  which  the  idea  of 
separation  (/  am  no  more  in  the  'world...') 
passes  into  that  of  a  new  union.  It  typified 
a  new  relation  towards  the  disciples.  For  a 
time  they  would  be  unable  to  "see"  Him 
(xvi.  10,  16  ff.),  or  to  "follow"  Him  (xiii. 
33,  36  f.:  comp.  vii.  33  ff.,  viii.  21  flf.).  Yet 
this  change  was  designed  to  contribute  to 
their  good  (xvi.  7),  and  was  to  be  followed 
by  a  fresh  "coming"  to  them  (xiv.  3  fF.,  18, 
23,  28,  xxi.  22  f.). 

Holy  Father. . .]  The  substance  of  the  prayer 
here  at  length  finds  expression  when  the  pleas 
in  support  of  it,  and  the  occasion  which  calls 
it  out,  have  been  set  forth.  The  unique  phrase  of 
address  (Holy  Father,  comp.  Rev.  vi.  10 ;  i  John 
ii.  20 ;  v.  25 ,  righteous  Father)  suggests  the  main 
thought.  The  disciples  hitherto  had  been  kept 
apart  from  the  corruption  of  the  world  by  the 
present  influence  of  Christ.  The  revelation  of 
holiness  which  He  had  made  had  a  power  at 
once  to  separate  and  to  unite.  He  asks  that 
God,  regarded  under  the  separate  aspects 
of  purity  and  tenderness,  may  carry  forward 
to  its  final  issue  (that  they  may  be  one  even  as 
we  are)  that  training  which  He  had  Himself 
commenced,  and  that  too  in  the  same  way 
(keep in  thy  name,  comp.  v.  12).  The  "name" 
of  the  Father,  the  knowledge  of  God  as 
Father,  is  regarded  as  an  ideal  region  of 
security  in  which  the  disciples  were  preserved. 
It  is  the  ground  of  their  safety  and  not  of 
Christ's  power. 

keep  through  thine  own  name  those  whom 
thou  hast  given  me}  According  to  the  text 
which  is  supported  by  overwhelming  authority, 
the  rendering  must  be:  keep  them  in  thy 
name  which  thou  hast  given  me.  The 
phrase  is  very  remarkable,  and  has  no  exact 
parallel  except  in  v.  12.  Perhaps  the  same 
thought  is  found  in  Phil.  ii.  9  f. ;  and  it  is 
illustrated  by  the  imagery  of  the  Apocalypse. 
Thus  in  Rev.  ii.  17,  a  promise  is  made  to  the 
victorious  Christian  :  I  will  give  Aim  a  white 
stone,  and  on  the  stone  a  new  name  written, 
which  no  man  knoweth  saving  he  that  receiveth 
it;  and  again  it  is  said  of  "the  Word  of 
God : "  he  had  a  name  written  that  no  man 
knew  but  he  himself  (xix.  la)  ;  and  again  of 
the  saints  in  glory,  they  shall  see  his  face,  and 
his  name  shall  be  on  their  foreheads  (xxii.  4). 
These  passages  suggest  the  idea  that  the  "  giv- 
ing of  the  Father's  name"  to  Christ  expresses 

New  Test.— VOL.  II. 


the  fulness  of  His  commission  as  the  Incarnate 
Word  to  reveal  God.  He  came  in  His 
Father's  name  (v.  43),  and  to  make  that  name 
known  (comp.  vv.  4  ff.).  He  spoke  what 
He  had  heard  (viii.  26,  40,  xv.  15).  And  all 
spiritual  truth  is  gathered  up  in  "the  name" 
of  God,  the  perfect  expression  (for  men) 
of  what  God  is,  which  "  name "  the  Father 
gave  to  the  Son  to  declare  when  He  took  man's 
nature  upon  Him.  Comp.  Exod.  xxiii.  21. 

one,  even  as  five  are]  The  unity  is  not 
only  of  will  and  love  but  of  nature,  perfectly 
realised  in  absolute  harmony  in  Christ.  As 
the  divine  Unity  consists  with  a  variety  of 
Persons,  so  too  the  final  unity  of  men  does  not 
exclude  but  perfectly  harmonizes  the  separate 
being  of  each  in  the  whole. 

as  we  are}  The  use  of  the  plural  pronoun 
in  such  a  connection  is  a  distinct  assertion 
of  sameness  of  essence.  The  "  we  "  which 
unites  the  Father  and  Christ  affirms  that  their 
nature  is  one.  Comp.  x.  28,  29. 

12  f.  The  Lord  looks  back  upon  the  work 
which  He  had  wrought  for  the  disciples  (v. 
12),  now  that  He  is  passing  into  the  new 
order  (v.  13).  The  place  which  He  had  oc- 
cupied (I  [«y«]  kept)  must  hereafter  be  filled 
otherwise. 

12.  While... with  them  (omit  in  the  world) 
I  kept... kepi]  While... with  them  I  kept— 
guarded.  The  tenses  of  the  original  verb 
(e'nfpow,  «<£vXa£a,  Vulg.  servabam,  custodivi) 
mark  respectively  the  continuous  action  of 
watching  and  its  completed  issue.  The  differ- 
ence between  the  verbs  themselves  appears  to 
be  that  "kept"  (rripelv)  expresses  the  careful 
regard  and  observance  of  that  which  is  looked 
at  as  without  (e.g.  Matt,  xxvii.  36),  while 
"guarded"  (c^uXao-o-eti/)  describes  the  pro- 
tection of  something  held  as  it  were  within  a 
line  of  defence  from  external  assaults. 

in  thy  name:  those  that  thou  gavest  me  1 
have  kept...}  in  thy  name  that  thou  hast 
given  me;  and  I  guarded  them...  as  in 
v.  n. 

but...}  The  excepting  phrase  («'  p?)  does 
not  necessarily  imply  that  Judas  is  reckoned 
among  those  whom  the  Lord  "guarded." 
The  exception  may  refer  simply  to  the  state- 
ment "not  one  perished."  Comp.  Matt.  xii. 
4 ;  Luke  iv.  26,  27 ;  Gal.  i.  19,  ii.  16 ;  Rev. 
xxi.  27.  Contrast  xviii.  9. 

the  son  of  perdition}  He  whose  character 
was  defined  by  this  terrible  mark,  2  Thess.  ii. 
3  ;  (28.  xii.  5).  Comp.  xii.  36,  note.  The 
solemn  repetition  of  cognate  words  in  the  on- 


244 


ST.  JOHN.    XVII. 


[v.  14—18. 


these  things  I  speak  in  the  world, 
that  they  might  have  my  joy  fulfilled 
in  themselves. 

14  I  have  given  them  thy  word  ; 
and  the  world  hath  hated  them,  be- 
cause they  are  not  of  the  world,  even 
as  I  am  not  of  the  world. 

15  I  pray  not  that  thou  shouldest 


take  them  out  of  the  world,  but 
that  thou  shouldest  keep  them  from 
the  evil. 

1 6  They   are  not  of  the  world, 
even  as  I  am  not  of  the  world. 

17  Sanctify    them    through    thy 
truth :  thy  word  is  truth. 

18  As  thou  hast  sent  me  into  the 


ginal  cannot  be  preserved  ("not  one  perished 
but  the  son  of  perishing"). 

that  the  scripture.. .]  Judas  was  lost,  but 
even  the  fall  of  Judas  found  a  place  in  the 
whole  scheme  of  divine  Providence,  comp.  xii. 
38,  note.  The  reference  is  to  Ps.  xli.  9  (ch.  xiii. 
1 8),  rather  than  to  Ps.  cix.  8  (Acts  i.  20). 

13.  And  now  come  /...]  But  now  I  come... 
The  old  relation  was  on  the  point  of  being 
broken. 

Christ  was,  so  to  speak,  already  on  His 
way  to  the  Father,  but  at  the  same  time  He 
had  not  yet  left  the  world.  His  prayer  there- 
fore was  offered  while  He  was  still  on  the 
scene  of  human  conflict,  that  the  disciples, 
conscious  of  His  intercession,  might  be  able 
when  alone  to  realise  in  themselves  (comp. 
xiv.  23)  that  joy,  characteristic  of  Him  (comp. 
xv.  n,  note),  which  they  had  hitherto  found 
in  His  presence. 

these  things  I  speak...  that  they  might 
(may)...]  The  prayer  was  uttered  aloud 
that  the  disciples  might  draw  strength  from 
the  words  which  they  heard. 

14,  15.     The  joy  of  Christ  must  be  won 
through  conflict.    The  disciples  are  strong  by 
the  Word  of  God  and  by  the  Lord's  inter- 
cession, but  the  world  naturally  hates  them. 

14.  I  (e'yw)  have  given... ~\     The  revela- 
tion which  the  Lord  had  made  is  now  regarded 
in  its  completeness  (rov  \oyov  as  compared 
with  ra  pjp.ara,  v.  8),  and  in  connexion  with 
Himself  (eyw  8.) :    /  in  the  fulness  of  my 
presence  have  given...     The  disciples  were 
furnished  with    their  power,   and  the  crisis 
which  decided  their  future  was  over.     When 
they  came  before  the  world  the  world  hath 
hated  (bated)    them,  shewed  at    once  and 
decisively  its  position  of  antagonism  to  the 
Gospel.     The  single  act  (hated,   fpia-rjo-ev) 
is  contrasted  with  the  permanent  endowment 
(Se'SwKa).     On  the  other  hand,  see  xv.  18,  24 
(fjLffjiio-r)K(v).    These  two  facts,  /  have  given... 
and  the  world  hated...,  form  the  conditions 
which  determine  the  nature  of  the  apostolic 
work. 

thy  word']  Comp.  vv.  6,  note,  17,  v.  38, 
viii.  31  f. 

they  are  not  of...']  Comp.  v.  16,  viii.  23, 
note. 

15.  It  might  have  seemed  best  that  the 
Lord  should  remove  His  disciples  from  a  scene 


of  inevitable  conflict.  But  for  them,  as  for 
Himself  (xii.  27),  the  conflict  was  the  condi- 
tion of  victory.  His  prayer  therefore  was  for 
their  protection,  and  not  for  their  withdrawal 
either  by  isolation  or  by  removal. 

from  the  evil}  out  of  the  evil  one.  The 
parallel  words  in  i  John  v.  18,  19,  seem  to 
shew  conclusively  that  the  original  phrase 
(fK  rov  irovrjpov,  Vulg.  ex  malo),  which  is  of 
doubtful  gender,  is  here  masculine  (the  evil 
one).  Just  as  Christ  is  Himself  the  medium 
or  sphere  in  which  the  believer  lives  and  moves 
((v  xpurroi),  so  the  prince  of  the  world,  the 
evil  one,  is  the  medium  or  sphere  in  which 
they  live  and  move  who  are  given  up  to  him 
(eV  r<5  TTOMjpw).  The  relation  of  man  to  good 
and  evil  is  a  personal  relation  ;  and  the  Lord 
prays  that  His  disciples  may  be  kept  out  of 
the  range  of  the  pervading  influence  of  His 
enemy.  He  does  not  pray  only  that  they  may 
be  delivered  from  the  outward  assault  of  the 
evil  one  (2  Thess.  iii.  3,  <t>v\d<raretv  dno  rov 
Trovrjpov),  but  that  they  may  be  preserved 
from  resting  within  his  domain.  St  John 
especially  dwells  on  this  personal  character  of 
the  evil  with  which  man  has  to  contend, 
i  John  ii.  13,  14  (vtviK^Kart  rov 
iii.  12  (fK  rov  irovrjpov  rjv)  ;  V.  18  (o 


v.  19  (eV  T<5  7roj/j/po3  Kflrai).  Comp.  xii.  31, 
xiv.  30,  xvi.  ii.  [Comp.  «  for  «*c  veipos  in 
LXX.:  Job  vi.  23  ;  Ps.  cxl.  (cxxxix.).  i.] 

16  —  19.  The  issue  of  the  disciples'  con- 
flict is  not  only  victory  but  complete  conse- 
cration. The  truth  for  which  they  are  hated 
and  by  which  they  are  strong  (v.  14)  is  the 
power  by  which  they  are  transformed. 

16.  The  last  clause  of  v.  14  is  repeated  as 
the  ground  of  a  new  petition.    Protection  is 
to  be  followed  by  hallowing.     The  possibility 
of  this  complete  consecration,  no  less  than  the 
certain  prospect  of  hostility,  lies  in  the  affinity 
of  the  disciples  to  their  Lord  (they  are  not... 
even  as  1  am  not...').     A  transposition  gives 
emphasis  to  the  idea  of  "  the  world,"  which 
comes  at  the  beginning  and  end  of  the  verse 
(of  the  world  they  are  not...  I  am  not  of  the 
world). 

17.  Sanctify]    i.e.    Consecrate,   hallow. 
Comp.  x.  36,  note. 

The  prayer  is  that  the  consecration  which 
is  represented  by  admission  into  the  Christian 
society  may  be  completely  realised  in  fact; 


V.  IQ 21.] 


ST.  JOHN.    XVII. 


245 


world,  even  so  have  I  also  sent  them 
into  the  world. 

19  And  for  their  sakes  I  sanctify 
I0r>t"'1?  myself,  that  they  also  might  be  'sanc- 

tancttftea.      .f-,\  ,       /  .     O 

tified  through  the  truth. 


20  Neither  pray  I  for  these  alone, 
but  for  them  also  which  shall  believe 
on  me  through  their  word  ; 

21  That  they  all  may  be  one;  as 
thou,  Father,  art   in  me,  and  I   in 


that  every  power  and  faculty,  offered  once  for 
all,  may  in  due  course  be  effectually  rendered 
to  God  (Rom.  xii.  i).  It  is  not  enough  for 
the  Christian  to  be  "  kept "  (vv.  n,  15)  ;  he 
must  also  advance. 

through  thy  truth']  in  the  truth.  The 
"  truth,"  the  sum  of  the  Christian  revelation, 
"the  word  of  God,"  at  once  embodied  in 
Christ  and  spoken  by  Him,  is  (as  it  were)  the 
element  into  which  the  believer  is  introduced, 
and  by  which  he  is  changed.  The  "  truth  " 
is  not  only  a  power  within  him  by  which  he  is 
moved ;  it  is  an  atmosphere  in  which  he  lives. 
The  end  of  the  Truth  is  not  wisdom,  which 
is  partial,  but  holiness,  which  is  universal. 

thy  word]  The  exact  form  of  the  original 
(o  Xoyoy  6  croj),  "the  word  that  is  thine," 
emphasizes  the  fact  that  Christ's  teaching  was 
"  not  His  own,  but  His  that  sent  Him  "  (Vii. 
1 6).  And  this  teaching  must  not  be  limited 
to  His  spoken  Word  or  to  the  written  Word, 
but  extended  to  every  utterance  of  God  in 
nature  and  history  through  the  WORD. 

The  word  of  God  is  not  only  "  true,"  but 
"truth,"  and  has  a  transforming  virtue. 
Comp.  viii.  31.  The  phrase  occurs  in  one 
of  the  Jewish  prayers  for  the  new  year  in  a 
different  connexion:  "Purify  our  hearts  to 
serve  Thee  in  truth.  Thou,  O  God,  art 
Truth  (Jerem.  x.  10),  and  Thy  word  is 
Truth  and  standeth  for  ever." 

18,  19.  The  sanctifying  of  the  apostles  is 
connected  with  two  thoughts,  firstly  with  that 
of  their  own  work,  and  secondly  with  that  of 
Christ's  work  for  them.  They  needed  the 
"  sanctifying  "  which  He  Himself  received  (x. 
36)  in  order  that  they  might  fulfil  their  office; 
and  He  made  that  sanctifying  possible  for 
them. 

18.  As  (Even  ai)  thou  hast  sent  (didst 
send)  me. ..so  have  I  also  sent  (did  I  also 
send)  them...']  Comp.  xx.  ai  (irfniru).    The 
Lord  appears  to  look  upon  the  first  mission 
of  the  apostles  (Matt.  x.  5 ;  iMark  vi.  7 ;  Luke 
ix.  a)  as  including  their  whole  future  work. 
Comp.  iv.  38.    After  His  departure  they  con- 
tinue His  work.     Comp.  i  John  ii.  ao. 

19.  I  sanctify  (consecrate)  myself... might 
(may)  be  sanctified  (consecrated)]     The 
work  of  the  Lord  is  here  presented  under  the 
aspect  of  absolute  self-sacrifice.     He  shewed 
through  His  life  how  all  that  is  human  may 
be  brought  wholly  into  the  service  of  God ; 
and  this  He  did  by  true  personal  determina- 
tion, as  perfectly  man.     The  sacrifice  of  life 
(Hebr.  x.  6  f.)  was  now  to  be  consummated 


in  death,  whereby  the  last  offering  of  self  was 
made.  The  fruits  of  His  victory  are  commu- 
nicated to  His  disciples.  By  union  with  Him 
they  also  are  "  themselves  sanctified  in  truth," 
through  the  Spirit  whose  mission  followed  on 
His  completed  work,  and  who  enables  each 
believer  to  appropriate  what  Christ  has  gained 
(xvi.  14).  Christ  does  for  Himself  (cya>  dytd- 
£&>  ffiavTov)  that  which  is  done  for  the  disciples 
(tra  «<rtj>  j/yiaoyxe'cot). 

through  the  truth]  in  truth  (eV  d\r)0eia), 
truly,  really,  and  not  merely  in  name  or  ex- 
ternally (comp.  iv.  33,  note).  The  absence  of 
the  article  distinguishes  this  phrase  from  that 
in  v.  17  (in  the  truth).  Comp.  a  John  i; 
3  John  i ;  Col.  i.  6 ;  Matt.  xxii.  16. 

III.  THE  SON  AND  THE  CHURCH  (ao — a6). 

The  prayer  of  the  Lord  is  now  extended 
from  the  Eleven  to  the  Church,  and  through 
them  to  the  world.  There  is  to  be  a  progress 
both  in  the  breadth  of  unity,  and  in  the  ap- 
prehension of  revelation.  The  unity  of  be- 
lievers is  the  conviction  of  the  world  (ao — 
a 3) ;  and  believers  advance  in  knowledge  of 
the  Son  and  of  the  Father  (24—26).  Christ 
Himself  prays  for  all  in  all  time. 

20 — 23.  The  unity  of  the  first  disciples 
(v.  n)  is  replaced  by  a  larger  unity  (vv.  21, 
a3),  which  is  regarded  as  influencing  the 
world  to  faith  (v.  ai)  and  knowledge  (v.iz). 

20.  for   them    also    (which    shall    believe 
(which  believe)]  The  final  issue  is  gathered 
up  in  a  present.    The  Church  of  the  future  is 
regarded  as  actually  in  existence  (which  believe 
[ru>v  nurrfvovratv]  and  not  which  shall  believe 
[TWJ/  7rioTewo»T<Bi/,  Vulg.  qui  credituri  sunfy. 
The  immediate  success  of  the  apostles  carried 
with  it  that  success  which  should  be.    Their 
"word"  is  the  appointed  means  for  the  calling 
out  of  faith  (Rom.  x.  14  f.).     This  "word" 
is  the  "  word  "  which  they  had  received  from 
Christ  (v.  14),  the  interpretation  as  well  as 
the  assertion  of  the  facts  of  Christ's  life.     In 
the  arrangement  of  the  original,  by  their  word 
is  closely  connected  with  believe,  so  as  to  form 
a  compound  idea,  which  is  followed  by  in  me. 

21.  That  they  all. ..that  they  also. ..that  the 
world...']    The  great  end  is  regarded  in  its 
growing  extension.     The  simple   and  abso- 
lute idea  of  unity  comes  first  (that  a//... who 
now  and  hereafter  believe) ;   this  is  then  de- 
finitely extended  to  the  later  generations  of 
believers  (that  they  also),  and  finally  the  effect 
on  the  world  comes  within  the  scope  of  the 

R  2 


246 


ST.  JOHN.    XVII. 


[v.   22. 


thee,  that  they  also  may  be  one  in 
us :  that  the  world  may  believe  that 
thou  hast  sent  me. 


22  And  the  glory  which  thou  gav- 
est  me  I  have  given  them ;  that  they 
may  be  one,  even  as  we  are  one : 


prayer.  And  the  unity  of  believers  is  itself 
presented  in  a  threefold  form,  as  a  unity  of  all, 
a  unity  similar  to  that  of  the  Father  and  the 
Son,  and  a  unity  realised  in  the  Father  and 
the  Son. 

be  one]  Comp.  x.  30,  w.  n,  22;  (i  Cor. 
iii.  8). 

as  (even  as)...]  The  idea  of  the  divine 
unity,  which  has  been  given  generally  before 
(v.  n,  and  i).  22),  is  set  out  in  detail  in  its 
correlative  manifestation.  Comp.  x.  38,  xiv. 
10,  n,  20.  There  is,  so  to  speak,  an  inter- 
change of  the  energy  of  the  divine  Life  (Thou 
in  me,  and  I  in  Thee),  which  finds  a  counter- 
part in  the  harmonious  relations  of  the  members 
of  the  Church.  The  true  unity  of  believers, 
like  the  Unity  of  Persons  in  the  Holy  Trinity 
with  which  it  is  compared,  is  offered  as  some- 
thing far  more  than  a  mere  moral  unity  of 
purpose,  feeling,  affection ;  it  is,  in  some  mys- 
terious mode  which  we  cannot  distinctly  ap- 
prehend, a  vital  unity  (Rom.  xii.  5 ;  Eph.  iv.  4). 
In  this  sense  it  is  the  symbol  of  a  higher  type 
of  life,  in  which  each  constituent  being  is  a 
conscious  element  in  the  being  of  a  vast  whole. 
In  "the  life,"  and  in  "the  life"  only,  each 
individual  life  is  able  to  attain  to  its  perfec- 
tion. Such  a  conception,  however  imperfectly 
it  may  be  grasped,  meets  many  of  the  diffi- 
culties which  beset  the  conception  of  an  abid- 
ing continuance  of  our  present  individual 
separation. 

may  be.. .in  us]  Omit  one.  The  omission 
of  "one"  emphasizes  the  thought  of  their 
unity.  They  who  are  "  in  God  and  Christ " 
necessarily  find  unity  in  that  fellowship.  God 
is  the  essential  centre  of  unity. 

in  KJ]  Not  simply  in  Me  or  in  Thee.  Else- 
where the  relation  is  definitely  connected  with 
the  Son,  vi.  56,  xv.  4,  5  ;  (i  John  iii.  24).  It 
is  through  the  Son  that  men  are  united  with 
the  Father  (v.  23,  /  in  them) ;  and  so  they 
are  said  "to  be  in  God  and  God  in  them" 
(i  John  iv.  13,  16,  d  0e6s)- 

It  will  be  observed  that  the  prayer  for  unity 
is  offered  up  when  the  Lord  is  looking  towards 
the  widest  extension  of  the  faith ;  and  the  full 
significance  of  the  prayer  is  made  plainer  if 
we  bear  in  mind  the  religious  differences  (e.g. 
Jew  and  Gentile)  of  the  apostolic  age,  and 
the  struggles  through  which  the  Catholic 
Church  strove  towards  its  ultimate  victory. 

that  the  'world...']  Two  results  in  regard 
to  the  world  are  set  forth  by  Christ.  The 
first,  that  it  may  believe  that  thou  hast  sent 
(didst  send)  me,  and  the  second,  that  it  may 
know  that  thou  hast  sent  (didst  send)  me, 
and  hast  loved  (didst  love)  them  as  thou  hast 
loved  (lovedst)  me  (v.  23).  The  first  has 


been  already  given  as  the  mark  of  the  disciples 
(v.  8,  faith),  and  (in  part)  the  second  (v.  25, 
knowledge)  has  the  same  value.  So  also  in  xi. 
42,  the  words  used  by  the  Lord  at  the  raising 
of  Lazarus  are  said  to  have  been  spoken  for 
the  sake  of  the  multitude,  that  they  may  believe 
that  thou  didst  send  me.  Such  faith  then  as  is 
here  contemplated  is  at  least  the  beginning  of 
a  true  faith,  and  not  a  mere  unwilling  acknow- 
ledgment of  the  fact.  In  this  connexion  it 
must  further  be  noticed  that  the  verbs  in  vv. 
21,  23  are  both  present  (numvri,  ytvaxTKr))  as 
contrasted  with  the  aoristsin  vv.  8,  25.  Thus 
it  appears  that  the  end  which  is  proposed  as  the 
last  reward  of  earthly  work  is  that  described  in 
general  terms  in  i  Cor.  xv.  28  ;  Phil.  ii.  10,  n. 
This  end,  as  here  regarded,  is  to  be  brought 
about  by  the  spectacle  of  the  unity  of  the 
disciples  (comp.  xiii.  35) ;  and  the  same  thought 
is  expressed  more  fully  in  v.  23.  The  unity 
of  disciples,  therefore,  while  it  springs  out  of 
a  direct  relation  to  Christ,  must  have  some 
external  expression  that  it  may  affect  those 
without  the  Church. 

the  •world']  A  comparison  of  Rom.  xi. 
25  ff.  with  this  passage  seems  to  indicate  that 
the  Lord  looks  forward  to  the  time  when 
"  Israel "  shall  have  become  included  in  "  the 
world,"  and  at  last  prove  the  instrument  of  its 
conversion. 

that  thou  (<n5>..]  that  Thou,  the  God  of 
Israel,  the  God  of  the  Covenant,  and  none 
other...  Comp.  vv.  8,  18,  23,  25,  xi.  42. 

22.  The  mention  of  the  office  of  future 
believers,  to  evoke  faith  in  the  world,  leads  to 
the  mention  of  their  endowment.  In  the 
former  verse  the  Lord  prayed  for  the  dis- 
ciples ;  He  now  declares  what  He  has  Him- 
self done  for  them  (eyw  Se'Swcca).  Hence  the 
emphatic  personal  pronoun  stands  in  the  front 
of  the  sentence  (i<aya>...).  He  communicated 
to  them  the  glory  which  He  had  Himself 
received.  The  gift  of  this  glory  (like  the 
prayer  in  v.  21)  has  regard  to  a  threefold 
consequence:  that  they  maybe  one. ..that  they 
may  be  perfected  in  one. ..that  the  world  may 
know... 

the  glory  which  thou  gavest  (hast  given). . .] 
Comp.  vv.  5,  24.  This  glory  comes  from 
the  perfect  apprehension  of  the  Father  as  ful- 
filling His  work  of  love  (comp.  v.  3).  Viewed 
from  another  point  of  sight  it  is  the  revelation 
of  the  divine  in  man  realised  in  and  through 
Christ.  So  to  know  God  as  He  accomplishes 
His  will  is  to  find  all  things  transfigured ;  and 
as  the  Son  of  Man  in  His  own  Person  ex- 
perienced and  shewed  the  Father's  purpose, 
so  He  enabled  His  disciples  to  appropriate  the 


v.  23,  24-] 


ST.  JOHN.   XVII. 


247 


23  I   in  them,  and  thou  in  me,         24    d  Father,    I    will    that    they  rfcl«P- » 

that  they  may  be  made  perfect  in  one;  also,    whom    thou    hast    given    me, 

and  that  the  world  may  know  that  be  with  me  where  I  am  j  that  they 

thou  hast   sent  me,   and   hast  loved  may  behold   my  glory,  which   thou 

them,  as  thou  hast  loved  me.  hast    given    me  :    for    thou   lovedst 


truth  which  He  made  clear.  Comp.  xiii.  31, 
note.  Such  divine  glory  leads  to  the  unity  of 
all  being.  The  fulness  of  this  glory  is  to  be 
made  known  hereafter  in  the  Lord's  presence ; 
but  meanwhile  it  is  partially  presented  in  the 
different  manifestations  of  Christ's  action  in 
believers  through  the  power  and  beauty  and 
truth  of  the  Christian  life.  But  the  idea  of 
"the  glory"  cannot  be  limited  to  any  one  of 
these. 

them]  the  members  of  the  universal  Church. 

23.  I  In  them...']  This  clause,  standing 
in  apposition  to  that  which  precedes,  explains 
the  nature  of  the  double  unity  of  believers  in 
themselves  and  with  God.  Christ  in  the  body 
of  believers  is  the  ground  of  their  unity ;  and 
the  Father  is  in  Him.  The  unity  of  believers 
is  therefore  like  that  of  the  divine  Persons 
and  with  Them.  The  two  members  of  the 
clause  suggest  the  full  parallel :  /  in  them  and 
they  in  me :  I  in  Thee  and  Thou  in  me. 

that  they]  The  possession  of  the  divine 
"  glory  " — the  absolute  harmony  of  life — 
furnishes  the  sure  foundation  for  spiritual 
unity. 

made  perfect  (perfected)  in  one~\  brought 
(«tr)  to  a  final  unity  in  which  they  attain  their 
completeness  (reTeX«o>/i«'ot  ei?  Iv,  Vulg.  con- 
summati  in  unum).  For  perfected  see  Phil.  iii. 
iz ;  Hebr.  ii.  10,  v.  9,  vii.  28,  ix.  9,  x.  i,  14, 
xi.  40,  xii.  23;  i  John  ii.  5,  iv.  la,  17,  18. 
That  which  is  completed  at  once  on  the 
divine  side  has  to  be  gradually  realised  by  man. 
So  the  essential  unity  is  personally  appre- 
hended, and  issues  in  the  perfection  of  each 
believer  as  he  fulfils  his  proper  part. 

and  (omit)  that  the  world  may  know ...  hast 
sent  (didst  send)...]  not  at  once  (-yvw),  but 
by  slow  degrees  (•yn/oxj-^).  See  v.  ai,  note. 
This  knowledge  (like  the  "belief"  above) 
cannot  be  taken  in  any  other  general  sense  than 
that  which  is  found  in  the  other  verses  of  the 
chapter  (v.  8,  &c.).  It  is  the  knowledge  of 
grateful  recognition  and  not  of  forced  con- 
viction. 

hast  loved  ^lovedst)  them,  as... (lovedst) 
me~]  The  spiritual  effect  wrought  in  Chris- 
tians, the  visible  manifestation  of  a  power  of 
love  among  them  (comp.  xiii.  35),  is  declared 
to  be  a  sufficient  proof  of  the  divine  mission 
of  Him  from  whom  it  comes,  and  of  the  con- 
tinuance in  them  of  the  divine  working.  This 
working  is  not  however  such  as  might  have 
been  anticipated.  The  life  of  believers  shews 
the  same  contrasts  of  joy  and  apparent  failure 
as  the  life  of  Christ.  But  those  contrasts  are 


no  disparagement  of  the  perfectness  of  the 
love  of  God  towards  them. 

24 — 26.  While  believers  overcome  the 
world  by  their  unity,  they  are  themselves  also 
to  advance  in  the  fulness  of  knowledge.  This 
progress  belongs  in  part  to  a  higher  order  of 
being  (v.  24)  ;  but  it  rests  essentially  on  the 
knowledge  of  Christ  as  the  interpreter  of  the 
Father  (v.  25) ;  and  therefore  is  realised  on 
earth  as  Christ  makes  Himself  better  known 
(v.  26). 

24.  The  prospect  of  the  completion  of 
the  work  of  believers  leads  directly  to  the 
thought  of  their  bliss.  In  portraying  this  the 
Lord  places  side  by  side  Him  to  whom,  and 
the  united  body  for  whom,  He  speaks  (irarijp, 
o  Se'Swxay  /zoi).  He  no  longer  "  prays,"  but 
gives  expression  to  His  "  will."  /  will  that... 
For  the  use  of  the  word  (0eX«)  by  Christ, 
see  ch.  xxi.  22,  23;  Matt.  viii.  3,  xxiii.  37, 
xxvi.  39  and  parallels,  xv.  32,  (xx.  14);  Luke 
xii.  49. 

It  is  further  interesting  to  contrast  this  ex- 
pression of  Christ's  own  will  in  behalf  of  His 
disciples  with  His  submission  to  His  Father's 
will  in  His  prayer  for  Himself,  Mark  xiv.  36. 

they... whom... ]  that  which...  All  be- 
lievers regarded  as  one  whole.  See  v.  2,  note. 
The  original  runs  literally :  Father,  as  for  that 
•which  Thou  hast  given  me,  I  will  that... they 
also... 

The  will  of  Christ  for  His  people  includes 
two  things,  first  that  they  may  be  where  He 
is  (xii.  26,  xiv.  3),  and  so  attain  in  the  end  to 
the  sphere  for  the  time  unattainable  by  them 
(xiii.  36.  Comp.  vii.  34);  and  secondly,  as 
dependent  on  this,  that  they  may  behold  His 
glory.  Each  of  these  two  issues  contains  an 
element  not  contained  in  the  corresponding 
gifts  already  described.  Presence  with  Christ, 
as  involving  personal  fellowship  with  Him  in 
the  sphere  of  His  glorified  being,  is  more  than 
a  union  effected  by  His  presence  with  the 
Church.  And  the  contemplation  of  His  glory, 
in  its  whole  extent,  by  those  lifted  beyond  the 
limits  of  time,  is  more  than  the  possession  of 
that  glory  according  to  the  measure  of  present 
human  powers. 

where  I  am... may  behold]  as  sharing  in 
the  Lord's  kingdom,  2  Tim.  ii.  12.  The 
scene  of  this  vision  is  not  defined.  Under  one 
aspect  it  may  be  placed  at  the  Lord's  "Pre- 
sence." But  no  one  special  application  ex- 
hausts the  meaning  of  the  words.  Comp. 
i  John  iii.  a ;  a  Cor.  iii.  18. 

my  glory,  which  thou  hast  given  ...]     The 


248 


ST.  JOHN.    XVII. 


[v.  25,  26. 


me    before    the    foundation    of    the  26    And    I    have    declared    unto 

world.  them    thy   name,    and    will    declare 

25  O  righteous  Father,  the  world  it :    that   the   love   wherewith    thou 

hath  not  known  thee :   but  I  have  hast  loved  me  may  be  in  them,  and 

known  thee,  and  these  have  known  I  in  them, 
that  thou  hast  sent  me. 


full  expression  (literally,  the  glory  that  is 
mine,  which...  See  xv.  9,  note)  as  compared 
with  the  glory  which... (v.  22)  is  to  be  noticed. 
"The  glory"  is  here  regarded  as  belonging 
and  answering  to  the  very  nature  of  the  Son. 
Yet  it  is  not  simply  the  glory  of  the  Word 
(v.  5),  but  the  glory  of  the  Incarnate  Son 
(Phil.  ii.  9).  The  "glory"  of  the  Word, 
apart  from  the  Incarnation,  is  not  said  in  the 
language  of  the  New  Testament  to  be  "  given  " 
to  Him,  though  the  Father  is  the  "  one  fountain 
of  Godhead."  The  "  glory  "  here  spoken  of 
is  the  glory  of  a  restored  and  consummated 
harmony  of  God  and  man,  which  is  made  the 
final  object  of  the  contemplation  of  believers, 
even  as  it  is  already  potentially  given  to  them 
(v.  22). 

for...']  because...  The  love  of  the  Father 
for  the  Son  belongs  to  the  eternal  order.  This 
love  when  outwardly  realised  is  seen  as  glory 
i»-  the  object  of  it.  And  since  the  Father's 
love  continued  unchanged  towards  the  Incar- 
nate Son,  this  love  necessarily  involved  the 
fulfilment  of  His  glory  as  the  Redeemer  and 
Perfecter  of  humanity.  To  be  allowed  to 
"  behold  "  such  glory  is  to  be  admitted  to  the 
contemplation  of  an  inexhaustible  object. 

before  the  foundation...']  Comp.  Eph.  i.  4  ; 
i  Pet.  i.  20.  The  corresponding  phrase  "  since 
the  foundation  of  the  world  "  (<wr6  K.  K.)  is 
not  unfrequent:  Rev.  (npo  KaraBo\i)s  Kooyiou; 
Vulg.  ante  constitutionem  mundi)  xiii.  8,  xvii. 
8;  Hebr.  iv.  3,  &c. 

The  words  distinctly  imply  the  personal  pre- 
existence  of  Christ.  The  thought  of  an  eternal 
love  active  in  the  depths  of  divine  Being  presents, 
perhaps,  as  much  as  we  can  faintly  apprehend 
of  the  doctrine  of  the  essential  Trinity. 

25,  26.  In  these  concluding  verses  the 
justification  (if  we  may  so  speak)  of  the  whole 
prayer  is  gathered  up  in  a  simple  enumeration 
of  the  facts  of  the  world's  ignorance,  Christ's 
knowledge,  and  the  disciples'  faith ;  and  the 
substance  of  it  in  the  twofold  end,  that  the 
love  of  the  Father  for  the  Son,  and  the  Son 
Himself,  may  be  in  the  disciples,  who  hence- 
forward represent  Him. 

25.  righteous  Father]  The  epithet  (comp. 
•v.  n,  Holy  Father)  emphasizes  the  nature  of 
the  plea.  It  is  to  the  righteousness  of  the 
Father  that  the  Son  appeals,  and  He  had  fitted 
them  in  part  and  would  still  more  completely 
fit  them  to  bear  the  vision  of  the  divine  beauty. 
Those  for  whom  He  speaks  had  in  part  proved 
their  faith. 


the  world  hath  not  known  thee  (knew  Thee 
not):  but  I  have  known  (knew)  thee,  and 
these  have  known  (knew)...]  In  the  original 
a  conjunction  (KCU)  stands  before  "the  world" 
which  cannot  easily  be  translated.  It  serves 
to  co-ordinate  the  two  main  clauses,  which 
bring  out  the  contrast  between  the  world  and 
the  disciples.  The  force  of  it  is  as  if  we  were 
to  say:  "Two  facts  are  equally  true;  it  is 
true  that  the  world  knew  Thee  not ;  it  is  true 
that  these  knew  that  Thou  didst  send  me." 
The  first  shewed  that  in  the  way  of  "  nature  " 
men  had  failed ;  the  second  that  the  Son  had 
found  partial  welcome  in  the  way  of  "grace  " 
(comp.  i  Cor.  i.  ai). 

but  I  have  known  (knew)  thee"\  This  clause 
comes  parenthetically  to  prepare  for  the  next. 
Even  if  the  world  failed  to  read  the  lesson 
which  was  offered  to  it,  there  was  yet  another 
channel  by  which  the  knowledge  could  be 
conveyed.  The  Son,  as  the  eternal  Word,  had 
the  knowledge,  and  He  came  to  men,  and  as 
man  realised  the  knowledge  in  human  life,  and 
found  some  at  least  who  admitted  His  mission. 
Thus  in  virtue  of  the  Incarnation  that  was  at 
last  gained  by  His  disciples,  which  the  world 
had  not  gained,  even  the  true  knowledge  of 
the  Father. 

have  known]  knew.  That  which  before 
(v.  8)  had  been  described  as  a  matter  of  faith, 
is  now  presented  in  its  final  acceptance  as  a 
matter  of  knowledge. 

26.  The  revelation  of  the  Father's  name 
by  Christ  followed  on  the  personal  acknow- 
ledgment of  His  mission.  This  revelation, 
complete  in  one  sense  (7  made  known ;  comp. 
xv.  15),  is  none  the  less  continuous  (7  will 
make  known).  It  cannot  be  finished  while  the 
world  lasts.  The  end  of  it  is  that  the  Father 
may  regard  the  disciples  in  response  to  their 
growing  faith  even  as  He  regarded  the  Son, 
and  that  they  may  feel  His  love  (that  the  love 
wherewith  thou  loved  at...  in  them;  comp. 
Rom.  v.  5).  The  possibility  of  such  a  con- 
summation lies  in  the  fact  of  the  Presence  of 
the  Son  Himself  in  them  (7  in  them). 

I  have  declared... 'will  declare  it]  I  made 
known. ..and  will  make  it  known,  hence- 
forward by  the  Holy  Spirit,  whom  Christ 
sent,  xv.  26. 

/  in  them]  The  last  word  of  the  Lord's 
prayer  corresponds  with  the  last  word  of  His 
discourses :  7  have  overcome  the  world  (xvi. 
3  T).  He  is  Himself  the  source  of  victory  and 
life. 


ST.  JOHN.   XVIII. 


249 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 

I  Judas  betrayeth  Jesus.  6  The  officers  fall 
to  the  ground.  10  Peter  smiteth  off  Malchus1 
ear.  12  Jesus  is  taken,  and  led  unto  Annas 


and  Caiaphas.  15  Peter's  denial.  19  Jesus 
examined  before  Caiaphas.  28  His  arraign- 
ment before  Pilate.  36  His  kingdom.  40  Tne 
Jews  ask  Barabbas  to  be  let  loose. 


xvin. — xx.    THE  VICTORY  THROUGH 
DEATH. 

This  last  main  division  of  the.  Gospel  falls 
naturally  into  four  principal  sections: 

I.  The  betrayal  (xviii.  i — n). 

II.  The  double  trial  (xviii.  12 — xix.  16). 

III.  The  end  (xix.  17—42). 

IV.  The  new  life  (xx.). 

The  last  three  sections,  as  will  appear  after- 
wards, require  further  subdivision. 

1.  In  comparing  the  narrative  of  St  John 
with  the  parallel  narratives  of  the  Synoptists, 
it  must  be  observed  generally  that  here,  as 
everywhere,  St  John  fixes  the  attention  of  the 
reader  upon  the  ideas  which  the  several  events 
bring  out  and  illustrate.    The  Passio    and 
Resurrection  are  for  him  revelations  of  the 
Person  of  Christ.      The  objective  fact  is  a 
"  sign  "  of  something  which  lies  deeper.     It  is 
a  superficial  and  inadequate  treatment  of  his 
narrative  to  regard  it  as  a  historical  supple- 
ment of  the  other  narratives,  or  of  the  current 
oral  narrative  on  which  they  were  based.     It 
does  (it  is  true)  become  in  part  such  a  supple- 
ment, because  it  is  a  portrayal  of  the  main 
spiritual  aspects  of  the  facts  illustrated  from 
the  fulness  of  immediate  knowledge,  but  the 
record  is  independent  and  complete  in  itself. 
It  is  a  whole,  and,  like  the  rest  of  the  Gospel, 
an  interpretation  of  the  inner  meaning  of  the 
history  which  it  contains. 

Thus  in  the  history  of  the  Passion  three 
thoughts  among  others  rise  into  clear  promi- 
nence : 

(1)  The  voluntariness  of  Christ's  sufferings. 
xviii.  4.  xviii.  36. 

—  8.  xix.  28. 

—  II.  —    3°- 

(2)  The  fulfilment  of  a    divine  plan  in 
Christ's  sufferings : 

xviii.  4.  xix.  ii. 

—  9.  —  24- 

—  ii.  —  a8. 
Comp.  Lukexxii.  53. 

(3)  The    majesty    which     shines    through 
Christ's  sufferings : 

xviii.  6.  xix.  ii. 

—  20  ff.  —      26  f. 

—  37-  —    36  £ 

The  narrative  in  this  sense  becomes  a  com- 
mentary on  earlier  words  which  pointed  to 
the  end, 
(i)  x.  17,  18.         (2)  xiii.  i.        (3)  xiii.  31. 

2.  In  several   places  the  full  meaning  of 
St  John's  narrative  is  first  obtained  by  the 
help  of  words  or  incidents  preserved  by  the 


Synoptists.    His  narrative  assumes  facts  found 
in  them : 

e.g. 


xvm.  ii. 
—    33- 


xvm.  40. 
xix.  41. 


3.  The  main  incidents  recorded  by  more 
than  one  of  the  other  evangelists  which  are 
omitted  by  St  John  are : 

The  agony  (Matt.,  Mark,  Luke). 

The  traitor's  kiss  (Matt.,  Mark,  Luke). 

The  desertion  by  all  (Matt.,  Mark).     Comp. 

John  xvi.  32. 
The  examination  before  the  Sanhedrin  at  night ; 

the  false  witness;  the  adjuration;  the  great 

Confession  (Matt.,  Mark). 
The  mockery  as  prophet  (Matt.,  Mark,  Luke). 
The  council  at  daybreak  (Matt.,  Mark,  Luke). 
The  mockery  after  condemnation  (Matt.,  Mark). 
The  impressment  of  Simon  (Matt,  Mark,  Luke). 
The  reproaches  of  spectators  (Matt.,  Mark, 

Luke)  and  of  the  robbers   (Matt.,  Mark, 

[Luke]). 

The  darkness  (Matt.,  Mark,  Luke). 
The  cry  from  Ps.  xxii.  (Matt.,  Mark). 
The  rending  of  the  veil  (Matt.,  Mark). 
The  confession  of  the  centurion  (Matt.,  Mark, 

Luke). 

Other  incidents  omitted  by  St  John  are 
recorded  by  single  Evangelists : 

ST  MATTHEW. 
Power  over  the  hosts  of  heaven. 
Pilate 's  wife's  message. 
Pilate's  hand-washing. 
The  self-condemnation  of  the  Jews. 
The  earthquake. 

ST  MARK. 

The  flight  of  the  young  man. 
Pilate'' s  question  as  to  the  death  of  Christ. 

ST  LUKE. 

The  examination  before  Herod. 
The  lamentation  of  the  women. 
Three  "  words  "  from  the  cross  (xxiii.  34,  43? 

46). 
The  repentance  of  one  of  the  robbers. 

4.  The  main  incidents  peculiar  to  St  John 
are: 

The  words  of  power  at  the  arrest  (xviii.  4 — 9)- 

The  examination  before  Annas  (xviii.  13 — 24). 

The  first  conference  of  the  Jews  wit h^ Pilate, 
and  Pilate's  private  examination  (xviii.  28 — 
37,  xix.  9 — n).  Comp.  Matt,  xxvii.  ii; 
Mark  xv.  2  ;  Luke  xxiii.  3. 

The  first  mockery,  and  the  Ecce  Homo  (xix. 

2 — 5). 

Pilate's  maintenance  of  his  words  (xix.  ai,  22). 


ST.  JOHN.    XVIII. 


I,  2. 


«  Matt  26. 
36. 


w 


HEN  Jesus  had  spoken  these 
words,  *he  went  forth  with 
his  disciples  over  the  brook  Cedron, 


where  was  a  garden,  into  the  which 
he  entered,  and  his  disciples. 

2  And  Judas  also,  which  betrayed 


The  last  charge  (xix.  2{ — 27). 

The  thirst.     "  It  is  finished  ^  (xix.  28—30). 

The piercing  the  Me  (xix.  31 — 37). 

The  ministry  of  Nicodemus  (xix.  39). 

5.  In  the  narrative  of  incidents  recorded 
elsewhere   St    John   constantly  adds   details, 
often  minute  and  yet  most  significant ;  e.g. 

xviii.  i.  xviii.  15.  xix.  17. 

—  2.  —     16.  —  19. 

—  10.  —     26.  —  23. 

—  ii.  —    28.  —  41. 

—  12.  xix.    14. 
See  the  notes. 

6.  In  the  midst  of  great  differences  of  de- 
tail the  Synoptists  and  St  John  offer  many 
impressive  resemblances  as  to  the  spirit  and 
character  of  the  proceedings ;  e.g. 

(1)  The  activity  of  the  "  High  Priests  " 
(i.e.  the    Sadducaean    hierarchy)   as    distin- 
guished from  the  Pharisees. 

(2)  The  course  of  the  accusation :    civil 
charge :  religious  charge :  personal  influence. 

(3)  The  silence  of  the  Lord  in  His  public 
accusations,  with  the  significant    exception, 
Matt.  xxvi.  64. 

(4)  The  tone  of  mockery. 

(5)  The    character  of  Pilate ;    haughty, 
contemptuous,  vacillating,  selfish. 

7.  The  succession  of  the  main  events  re- 
corded by  the  four  Evangelists  appears  to 

have  been  as  follows : 

i 

Approximate 

time. 

I  a.m.      The  agony. 
„        The  betrayal. 

,,        The  conveyance  to  the  high-pries  fs 
house,  probably  adjoining  "the  Booths 
ofHanan" 
^  a.m.      The  preliminary  examination  before 

Annas  in  the  presence  ofCaiaphas. 
3  a.m.      The  examination  before  Caiaphas  and 
the  Sanhedrin  at  an  irregular  meet- 
ing at  "  the  Booths." 

5  a.m.       The  formal  sentence  of  the  Sanhedrin 
in  their  own  proper  place  of  meeting, 
Gazith   or    Beth  Midrash  (Luke 
xxii.  66) ;  Matt,  xxvii.  i    (trpmtas 
•vfvoufvrjs :    comp.    Mark    xv.    i ; 
Luke  xxii.  66,  &s  eylvtro  ^ftfpa). 
The  first  examination  before  Pilate, 
at  the  palace. 
5.30  a.m.  The  examination  before  Herod. 

„        The  scourging  and  first  mockery  by 

'the  soldiers  at  the  palace. 
6.30  a.m.    The  sentence  of  Pilate  (John  xix.  14, 

<Spa  i)v  cos  turrf). 

1  a,m.       The  second  mockery  by  the  soldiers  of 
the  condemned  " King" 


Approximate 

time. 

9  a.m.  The  crucifixion,  and  rejection  of  the 
stupefying  draught  (Mark  xv.  25,  jjj/ 
<Spa  TpiTrj). 

12  noon.     The  last  charge. 
12  —  sp.m.The  darkness     (Matt,   xxvii.    45; 
Mark  xv.  33  ;    Luke  xxiii.  44, 


3  p.m. 


(oo~f\  topa  fKTij. 
The  end. 


.f<os  copay 


I.  THE  BETRAYAL.   Jesus  and  the  disciples  ; 
Judas  and  the  adversaries  (i  —  n). 

The  substance  of  this  section  is  peculiar  to 
St  John,  though  it  presents  many  points  of 
contact  with  the  Synoptic  narratives.  The 
conflict  which  the  other  Evangelists  record  is 
here  presupposed  and  regarded  in  its  issues. 
The  victory  follows  the  battle.  The  Lord 
acts  freely  and  with  sovereign  and  protecting 
power  towards  His  enemies  and  His  disciples 
at  the  moment  when  He  is  given  over  for 
death. 

CHAP.  XVIII.  1.  When  Jesus  had  spo- 
ken.,.~]  ch.  xvii.  i. 

he  fiuent  forth']  from  the  limits  of  the  city 
(comp.  i  K.  ii.  37),  probably  in  the  direction 
of  the  present  St  Stephen's  Gate,  by  the  same 
route  as  on  other  days  when  He  went  to  the 
Mount  of  Olives  (Luke  xxi.  37,  xxii.  39;  Mark 
xi.  19;  Matt.  xxi.  17);  but  now  Jerusalem 
was  left.  The  Lord  returned  only  to  die  there. 
In  the  parallel  passages  the  same  word  (f'^X- 
6fv)  is  used,  according  to  the  context,  of  the 
departure  from  the  upper  room  (Luke  xxii. 
39  ;  Matt.  xxvi.  30  ;  Mark  xiv.  26). 

the  brook  Cedron  (Kidron)]  See  Additional 
Note.  This  detail  is  peculiar  to  St  John. 
The  parallel  narratives  have  simply  "  went  to 
the  Mount  of  Olives."  The  exact  description 
is  probably  introduced  with  a  significant  re- 
ference to  the  history  of  the  flight  of  David 
from  Absalom  and  Ahithophel  (2  S.  xv.  23  ; 
comp.  ch.  xiii.  18).  The  "brook"  (^ei'/xap- 
poy,  compare  Neh.  ii.  15  ;  i  Mace.  xii.  37), 
i.e.  winter  torrent  or  ravine  (/HJ),  Kidron, 
separating  the  Mount  of  Olives  from  the 
Temple-mount,  is  noticed  several  times  in  the 
Old  Testament:  i  K.  ii.  37,  xv.  13  ;  2  K. 
xxiii.  4  ff.  ;  a  Chro.  xxix.  16  ;  Jer.  xxxi.  40, 
and  these  passages  mark  the  associations 
which  would  be  called  up  by  the  mention  of  the 
name.  For  a  description  of  the  ravine  and  the 
"  Wady  "  see  '  Dictionary  of  the  Bible,'  j.  v. 

a  garden]  on  the  Mount  of  Olives  (Luke 
xxii.  39).  The  name  of  the  "small  farm" 
(xa>plov)  to  which  it  belonged,  Gethsemane, 
is  given  by  St  Matthew  and  St  Mark  (Matt. 
xxvi.  36,  note;  Mark  xiv.  32).  Josephus 


v-3-] 


ST.  JOHN.   XVIII. 


him,  knew  the  place :  for  Jesus  oft- 
times  resorted  thither  with  his  dis- 
ciples. 


3  b  Judas  then,  having  received  a*Matt2& 
band  of  men  and  officers   from   the 47' 
chief  priests  and    Pharisees,  cometh 


mentions  that  "  gardens "  (7rapaS«o-ot)  were 
numerous  in  the  suburbs  of  Jerusalem  ('  B.  J.' 
VI.  i.  i.  Comp.  ch.  xix.  41).  There  is 
nothing  in  the  context  to  indicate  the  exact 
position  of  the  garden.  The  traditional  site, 
which  may  be  the  true  one,  dates  from  the 
time  of  Constantine,  when  "  the  faithful  were 
eager  to  offer  their  prayers  there"  (Euseb. 
'  Onom.'  j.  «y.). 

Commentators  from  Cyril  downwards  have 
drawn  a  parallel  and  contrast  between  the 
histories  of  the  Fall  and  the  Victory  con- 
nected with  the  two  "gardens,"  Eden  and 
Gethsemane.  But  there  is  no  indication  in 
the  Gospel  that  such  a  thought  was  in  the 
mind  of  the  Evangelist.  Yet  see  Mark  i.  13. 

entered']  The  garden  would  naturally  be 
enclosed  by  a  fence  which  secured  the  privacy 
of  the  retreat.  Some  time  passed  (Matt.  xxvi. 
40)  between  the  entry  into  the  garden  and 
the  arrival  of  Judas.  In  this  interval  the 
Agony  took  place,  of  which  St  John  says 
nothing,  though  he  implies  a  knowledge  of 
the  event  in  v.  n.  It  is  evident  from  xii.  47 
that  that  incident  is  not  alien  from  his  narra- 
tive. 

and  his  disciples]  himself  and  his  disciples. 
Judas  was  finally  excluded  from  the  divine 
company :  xiii.  30. 

2.     Judas   also knew  the  place]      The 

withdrawal  of  the  Lord  from  the  city  was  not 
now  (x.  40)  for  the  purpose  of  escaping  from 
the  assaults  of  His  enemies.  The  place  to 
which  He  retired  was  well  known.  Judas, 
no  less  than  the  other  apostles,  was  acquainted 
with  the  spot.  Thus  the  words  meet  by 
anticipation  the  scoff  of  Celsus  that  the  Lord 
"  was  taken  while  trying  to  hide  Himself  and 
to  escape  in  the  most  disgraceful  way"  (Orig. 
'  c.  Gels.'  II.  9),  as  Origen  justly  argues  (id. 
c.  10). 

(which  betrayed]  The  original  (as  in  a;.  5, 
o  TrapaSiSovs)  marks  the  process  of  betrayal  as 
going  on,  and  not  the  single  past  act  (o  napa- 
Souf,  Matt,  xxvii.  3).  Comp.  xiii.  u.  Judas 
was  already  engaged  in  the  execution  of  his 
plan. 

ofttimes~\  Comp.  Luke  xxii.  39,  (xxi.  37). 
The  word  can  scarcely  be  limited  to  the 
present  visit  to  Jerusalem.  It  is  reasonable  to 
suppose  that  the  owner  was  an  open  or  secret 
disciple  of  Christ.  Comp.  Matt.  xxvi.  18. 

resorted']  The  exact  force  of  the  original 
is  rather,  "  Jesus  and  (with)  His  disciples 
assembled  (<TVI/T;X^)  there."  The  idea  ap- 
pears to  be  that  of  a  place  of  gathering,  where 
the  Lord's  followers  met  Him  for  instruction, 
and  not  simply  of  a  restingplace  during  the 
night.  But  it  is  possible  that  the  spot  was 


used  for  this  latter  purpose  also  during  the 
present  visit  (Luke  xxi.  37,  •ju'Xtftro),  and 
that  Judas  expected  to  find  all  sleeping  at  the 
time  of  his  arrival.  But  the  Lord's  nights 
were  now,  as  at  the  other  crises  of  His  life, 
times  of  prayer  (Luke  vi.  12  ix.  a  8 :  comp. 
Luke  v.  16). 

3—8.  A  difficulty  arises  as  to  the  recon- 
ciliation of  the  incidents  described  in  this 
passage  with  the  narrative  of  the  betrayal  in 
the  Synoptists.  In  the  Synoptists  the  arrest 
follows  close  upon  the  kiss  of  Judas,  which 
St  John  does  not  mention  (Matt.  xxvi.  50; 
Mark  xiv.  45  f.,  yet  see  Luke  xxii.  48  ff.). 
It  is  very  difficult  to  believe  that  the  kiss  either 
preceded  -v.  4,  or  came  after  v.  8.  Perhaps 
it  is  simplest  to  suppose  that  the  unexpected 
appearance  of  the  Lord  outside  the  enclosure 
discomposed  the  plan  of  Judas,  who  had  ex- 
pected to  find  the  whole  party  resting  within 
the  garden,  and  that  for  the  moment  he  failed 
to  give  the  appointed  sign,  and  remained  awe- 
stricken  in  the  crowd  (-v.  5).  This  being  so, 
the  event  of  v.  6  followed,  and  afterwards 
Judas,  taking  courage,  came  up  to  Christ 
(Matt.  xxvi.  49  f.;  Mark  xiv.  45),  who  then 
repelled  him  (Luke  xxii.  48)  and  again  ad- 
dressed the  hesitating  multitude. 

Others  suppose,  with  somewhat  less  pro- 
bability, as  it  seems  (but  see  Matt.  xxvi.  49, 
note),  that  the  kiss  of  Judas  immediately  pre- 
ceded the  first  question,  Whom  seek  ye?  and 
that,  touched  by  his  Master's  reproof  (Luke 
xxii.  48),  he  fell  back  into  the  crowd.  Either 
view  presents  an  intelligible  whole;  but  the 
phrase  in  v.  5  (was  standing)  is  more  appro- 
priate to  the  attitude  of  one  who  hesitates  to 
do  that  which  he  has  purposed  to  do,  than  of 
one  who  has  been  already  repulsed. 

It  may  be  added  that,  though  St  John  does 
not  mention  the  "  sign  "  of  Judas,  yet  he  im- 
plies that  he  had  undertaken  to  do  more  than 
guide  the  band  to  the  place  where  Christ 
might  be  found,  by  noticing  that  he  was  with 
them  after  they  had  reached  the  spot  (v.  5). 

3.  Judas  then  (therefore)...]  using  his 
knowledge  for  the  furtherance  of  his  design. 

a  band  of  men  and  officers  from  ...]  the 
band  of  soldiers  and  officers  from...  The 
force  is  clearly  divided  in  the  original  into 
two  main  parts:  (i)  the  band  of  soldiers,  and 
(2)  the  "officers"  (police)  despatched  by 
"the  chief  priests  and  Pharisees"  (the  Sanhe- 
drin).  The  soldiers  were  part  of  the  well- 
known  body  of  Roman  soldiers  stationed  as 
a  garrison  in  Antonia  (comp.  Matt,  xxvii.  27; 
Mark  xv.  16 ;  Acts  xxi.  31  f. ;  and  also  Jos. 
'Ant.'  XX.  4.  3?  'B.  \:  v.  5.  8>  The 
original  word  (o-Trttpa)  is  used  by  Polybius 


252 


ST.  JOHN.    XVIII. 


thither  with  lanterns  and  torches  and 
weapons. 

4    Jesus    therefore,    knowing    all 


[v.  4,  5- 
said    unto   them, 


went    forth,    and 
Whom  seek  ye  ? 

5   They  answered   him,  Jesus  of 


things  that  should  come  upon  him,     Nazareth.     Jesus  saith  unto  them,  I 


as  the  representative  of  the  Latin  mani- 
pulus  (not  cohort:  see  Polyb.  XI.  23,  with 
Schweighauser's  note),  consisting  of  about 
200  men,  the  third  part  of  a  cohort.  Whether 
the  word  is  taken  here  in  this  technical  sense 
(v.  12,  note),  or  (as  is  more  likely)  in  the 
larger  sense  of  "  cohort,"  which  it  appears  to 
bear  in  the  New  Testament,  it  will  naturally 
be  understood  that  only  a  detachment  of  the 
whole  body  was  present  with  their  commander 
(jv.  12). 

The  "officers"  (virrjpfTai)  who  came  with 
"the  band"  were  members  of  the  temple- 
police,  who  were  under  the  orders  of  the 
Sanhedrin.  Comp.  vii.  32,  45  ff. ;  Acts  v. 

22,  26. 

In  the  Synoptists  the  whole  company  is 
described  in  general  terms  (Matt.  xxvi.  47; 
Mark  xiv.  43;  Luke  xxii.  47;  comp.  xxii. 
52),  and  the  soldiers  are  not  distinctly  men- 
tioned. But  it  is  difficult  to  suppose  that  the 
priests  would  have  ventured  on  such  an  arrest 
as  that  of  Christ  without  communicating  with 
the  Roman  governor,  or  that  Pilate  would 
have  found  any  difficulty  in  granting  them  a 
detachment  of  men  for  the  purpose,  especially 
at  the  feast-time.  Moreover,  Pilate's  early 
appearance  (v.  28)  at  the  court,  no  less  than 
the  dream  of  his  wife  (Matt,  xxvii.  19,  that 
just  man),  implies  some  knowledge  of  the 
coming  charge.  Perhaps  too  it  is  not  fanciful 
to  see  a  reference  to  the  soldiers  in  the  turn  of 
the  phrase  "  twelve  legions  of  angels"  (Matt, 
xxvi.  53). 

The  special  mention  of  the  soldiers  and  of 
the  watch  fixes  attention  on  the  combination 
of  Gentile  and  Jew  in  this  first  stage  of  the 
Passion  as  afterwards. 

the  chief  priests  and  Pharisees'}  and  the 
Pharisees.  Comp.  xi.  47,  note. 

with  lanterns  and  torches']  Although  the 
party  had  the  light  of  the  Paschal  full  moon, 
they  prepared  themselves  also  against  the  pos- 
sibility of  concealment  on  the  part  of  Him 
whom  they  sought.  The  other  Evangelists  do 
not  notice  the  lights.  The  detail  belongs  to 
a  vivid  impression  of  the  scene  received  by  an 
eye-witness.  The  temple- watch,  to  whom  the 
"officers"  belonged,  made  their  rounds  with 
torches  ('Middoth'  I.  2,  quoted  by  Lightfoot 
on  Rev.  xvi.  15  ;  and  in  a  most  interesting 
note  on  Luke  xxii.  4),  and  were,  for  the  most 
part,  not  regularly  armed  (Jos.  'B.  J.'  IV. 
4-6). 

4.  Jesus  therefore...']  There  was,  so  to 
speak,  a  divine  necessity  which  ruled  the 
Lord's  movements.  By  Him  all  was  foreseen : 
and  He  who  had  before  withdrawn  Himself 


(viii.  59,  xii.  36,  v.  13,  yi.  15),  now  that 
"  His  hour  was  come  "  anticipated  the  search 
for  which  His  enemies  had  made  provision, 
and  went  forth  from  the  enclosure  of  the 
garden  (opposed  to  entered,  i>.  i)  to  meet 
them  (not  simply  from  the  innermost  part  of 
the  garden  or  from  the  circle  of  the  disciples : 
-v.  26  proves  nothing  against  this  view).  The 
clause  corresponds  with  the  words  in  St 
Matthew  (xxvi.  46)  and  St  Mark  (xiv.  42), 
"  Rise,  let  us  be  going,"  which  are  followed 
by,  "Behold  he  is  at  hand  that  betrayeth  me." 

that  should  come...]  More  exactly,  all  the 
tilings  that  were  coming  (navra  ra  fp- 
xoufva).  The  Passion  has  already  begun. 
Comp.  xiii.  i,  note.  It  must  further  be  no- 
ticed that  the  Passion  is  spoken  of  in  relation 
to  the  divine  order  (the  things  that  were  com- 
ing), and  not  as  sufferings  to  be  borne,  or  evil 
prepared  by  enemies.  Comp.  i>.  1 1 . 

'went  (or  came)  forth,  and  said]  ...  and 
saith.  According  to  the  true  reading  the 
two  acts  are  marked  separately.  Christ  left 
the  place  in  which  He  might  have  sought 
concealment;  and  then  He  addressed  those 
who  sought  to  take  Him. 

Whom  seek  ye  ?]  The  question  (as  in  v.  8)  is 
designed  to  shield  the  disciples,  and  at  the 
same  time  to  bring  clearly  before  the  mind  of 
the  assailants  the  purpose  for  which  they  had 
come,  and  who  He  was  whom  they  sought. 
The  words  fall  in  completely  with  the  circum- 
stances. The  Lord  was  not  recognised  in 
the  uncertain  light.  The  company  who  had 
come  to  apprehend  Him  naturally  supposed 
that  He  would  not  Himself  advance  to  meet 
them,  but  that  the  questioner  must  be  some 
friend.  The  idea  of  early  commentators,  that 
they  were  miraculously  blinded,  finds  no  sup- 
port in  the  narrative. 

5.  Jesus  of  Nazareth]  The  tinge  of  con- 
tempt (comp.  Matt.  ii.  23),  which  appears  to 
lie  in  the  title  here,  as  borrowed  from  popular 
usage,  is  given  better  by  the  literal  rendering, 
Jesus  the  Nazarene  ('I.  TOV  Nafwpatoi/,  as 
distinguished  from  'I.  TOV  airb  Nafaper,  i.  45). 
Comp.  xix.  19;  Matt.  xxvi.  71;  Mark  xiv.  67. 
The  title  is  characteristic  of  the  first  stage  of 
the  preaching  of  the  Gospel,  when  the  re- 
proach was  turned  into  glory  :  Acts  ii.  22,  iii. 
6,  iv.  10,  vi.  14,  (xxii.  8,  xxvi.  9).  It  was 
also  used  by  disciples  at  an  earlier  date: 
Mark  x.  47,  xvi.  6  ;  Luke  xviii.  37,  xxiv.  19. 
Comp.  Mark  i.  24 ;  Luke  iv.  34. 

Jesus  (He)  saith...  I  am  he~\  The  same 
words  (e'yeo  tlpi)  were  used  on  several  memor- 
able occasions,  (iv.  26),  vi.  20,  viii.  24,  28,  58, 
and  on  this  evening,  xiii.  19.  For  Judas  at 


v.  6 — io.] 


ST.  JOHN.  XVIII. 


253 


am  he.     And  Judas  also,  which  be- 
trayed him,  stood  with  them. 

6  As  soon  then  as  he  had  said  un- 
to them,  I  am  be,  they  went  back- 
ward, and  fell  to  the  ground. 

7  Then    asked    he   them    again, 
Whom  seek  ye  ?    And  they  said,  Je- 
sus of  Nazareth. 


8  Jesus  answered,  I  have  told  you 
that  I  am  he:  if  therefore  ye  seek  me, 
let  these  go  their  way  : 

9  That  the  saying  might  be   ful- 
filled,  which   he   spake,   c  Of   them  '  chaP- 
which  thou  gavest  me  have   I    lost 
none. 

10  Then  Simon   Peter  having    a 


least  they  must  have  been  significant,  though, 
as  they  stand  in  the  context,  they  simply  re- 
veal the  Person  sought,  and  not  His  nature. 
But  the  self-revelation  of  Christ  tries  to  the 
uttermost  and  answers  the  thoughts  which 
men  have  of  Him. 

And  Judas  ...stood... ~\  ...  was  standing. 
The  one  figure  is  singled  out,  as  it  were,  and 
regarded  as  he  stands.  Comp.  i.  35,  note. 
There  is  nothing  in  the  text  to  support  the 
view  that  Judas  was  paralysed  and  unable  to 
recognise  Jesus. 

6.  As  soon  then  as  he  had  said. . .  (or,  When 
therefore  ...  wj   o*i/)]     Omit   the  had.     The 
incident  which   follows  is  made  to  depend 
upon  the  Lord's  words.    It  is  vain  to  inquire 
whether  the  withdrawal  and  prostration  of 
the  band  of  men  was  due  to  "natural"  or 
"supernatural"  causes.     On  any  view  it  was 
due  to  the  effect  which  the  presence  of  the 
Lord,  in  His  serene  majesty,  had  upon  those 
who  had  come  to  take  Him.    Various  circum- 
stances may  have  contributed  to  the  result. 
It  may  have  been  that  Judas  had  led  his  com- 
pany to  expect  some  display  of  power.    It  may 
have  been  that  he  himself  hoped  for  a  decisive 
manifestation  of  Messiah  in  sovereignty  now 
that  the  crisis  had  come.     But  the  prostration 
seems  to  shew,  at  any  rate,  that  the  Lord 
purposed  to  declare  openly  to  the  disciples 
(comp.  Matt.  xxvi.  53),  that  it  was  of  His 
own  free  choice  that  He  gave  Himself  up. 
And  this  is  the  effect  which  the  narrative  is 
calculated  to  produce  upon  a  reader.     The 
Lord's  assailants  were  overawed  by  Him  in 
some  way,  and  they  fulfilled  their  commission 
only  by  His  consent.     Comp.  vii.  46. 

•went  backward,  and  fell  ...]  The  whole 
action  represents  the  effects  of  fear,  awe, 
veneration,  self-humiliation  (Job  i.  20),  not 
of  external  force.  Comp.  Rev.  i.  17.  The 
exaggeration  which  describes  the  men  as 
"falling  backwards"  is  utterly  alien  from  the 
solemn  majesty  of  the  scene. 

7.  Then  asked  he    them    again]     Again 
therefore  he  asked  them.   This  literal  render- 
ing of  the  original  brings  out  the  connexion 
more  clearly  than   A.  V.     Those  who  had 
come  to  arrest  the  Lord  hung  back,  and  there- 
fore He  Himself  again  roused  them  to  their 
work.    The  spirit  of  the  Lord's  words,  thus 
addressed  to  the  whole  company,  corresponds 


with  that  of  the  words  addressed  to  Judas 
"  Is  it  this  for  which  thou  art  come?"  (Matt, 
xxvi.  50,  note). 

Jesus  of  Nazareth]  Even  after  Christ  had 
made  Himself  known,  His  enemies  only  re- 
peat the  name  which  they  had  been  taught,  as 
if  waiting  for  some  further  guidance. 

8.  I  have  told  you  ...let  these  go]     I  told 
you...     In  the  interval  which  had  passed  since 
the  Lord  came  out   from  the  garden  alone 
(•v.  4),  His  disciples  had  gathered  round  Him 
(let  these  go),  and  for  them  He  still  intercedes. 
Their  deliverance  helped  to  place  His  own 
Passion  in  a  clearer  light.    It  was  fitting  that 
He  should  suffer  alone,   though  afterwards 
others  suffered  for  His  sake.     His  death,  in 
itself  essentially  unique,  was  separated  out- 
wardly from  the  death  of  His  disciples.    They 
were  enabled  to  die  because  He  had  died  first. 
Comp.  Isai.  Ixiii.  3. 

9.  That  the  saying  (word}  ...  <wh'ich  thou 
gavest  me  have  I  lost...}     ...which  thou  hast 
given  me  I  lost.      The  Evangelist  sees  in 
the  care  with  which  the  Lord  provided  for 
the  outward  safety  of  His  disciples,    a  ful- 
filment of  His  words,  xvii.   iz,  which  were 
spoken  of  the  past,  and  which  had  also  a  wider 
spiritual  application.     But,  at  the  same  time, 
those  words  spoken  in  absolute   knowledge 
looked  to  the  end,  and  therefore  included  all 
the  events  of  the  Passion  (comp.  xvii.  4,  note); 
and,  further,  the  deliverance  of  the  disciples 
from  outward  peril  included  the  deliverance 
from  a  temptation  which  they  would  not  at 
present  (as  appears  from  the  history  of  St 
Peter)  have  been  able  to  support.    This  special 
act  of  watchful  protection  was  therefore  one 
fulfilment,  but  neither  the  only  nor  the  chief 
fulfilment,  of  what  the  Lord  had  said  of  His 
effective  guardianship  of  those  given  to  Him. 
The  significant  difference  in  the  form  of  the 
words,  as  spoken  and  as  referred  to  (I  lost  not 
one,  as  distinguished  from  not  one  perished),  is 
to  be  noticed. 

10.  Then  Simon  Peter...]     Simon   Peter 
therefore  ..  foreseeing  what  was  now  about 
to  happen  (comp.  xiii.  37).  The  Jews  among 
the  company  seem  to  have  been  foremost  m  the 
arrest.    The  incident  is  described  by  all  the 
Evangelists,  but  St  John  alone  mentions  the 
names  of  St  Peter  and  Malchus.    It  is  easy  to 
see  why  these  were  not  likely  to  be  particu- 


254 


ST.  JOHN.    XVIII. 


[v.  11—13. 


sword  drew  it,  and  smote  the  high 
priest's  servant,  and  cut  off  his  right 
ear.  The  servant's  name  was  Mal- 
chus. 

1 1  Then  said  Jesus  unto  Peter,  Put 
up  thy  sword  into  the  sheath :  the  cup 


given 


me. 


which    my   Father   hath 
shall  I  not  drink  it  ? 

12  Then  the  band  and  the  captain 
and  officers  of  the  Jews  took  Jesus, 
and  bound  him, 

13  And  led  him  away  to  Annas 


larised  in  the  original  oral  Gospel,  while  both 
were  alive  and  at  Jerusalem  (see  Matt.  xxvi. 
51 ;  Mark  xiv.  47,  and  notes).  In  St  Matthew 
and  St  Mark  the  incident  appears  to  be  placed 
after  "the  multitude"  had  "laid  their  hands 
on  Jesus  and  taken  "  ((Kparno-av)  Him  (Matt, 
xxvi.  50 ;  Mark  xiv.  46) ;  and  St  Luke  implies 
the  same  (xxii.  51).  St  John,  on  the  other 
hand,  appears  to  place  the  "binding"  after- 
wards. If  it  be  so,  the  two  accounts  are  easily 
reconcileable.  It  was  perfectly  natural  that 
the  Lord  should  be  first  seized  by  some  of  the 
more  eager  of  the  crowd,  and  then  afterwards 
bound  by  the  Roman  guard  (v.  la).  St 
Peter's  act  fell  in  the  brief  space  of  confusion 
between  these  two  events. 

sword]  It  was  forbidden  to  carry  wea- 
pons on  a  feast-day. 

the  high  pries  fs  servant]  or  rather,  the  ser- 
vant (SouXos)  of  the  high-priest.  The  de- 
finite article  (TOO  rov  apx-  8.)  is  preserved  in  all 
the  Gospels.  It  is  impossible  to  tell  what  posi- 
tion he  held,  or  why  the  Evangelist  records 
his  name,  which  was  not  an  uncommon  one. 
The  servant's  prominent  action  evidently 
marked  him  out  for  St  Peter's  attack.  And 
further  it  is  difficult  not  to  feel  that  the  heal- 
ing of  the  wound,  recorded  only  by  St  Luke 
(xxii.  51),  helps  to  explain  the  apostle's  es- 
cape from  arrest. 

11.  Then  said  Jesus  ...thy  sivord~\  Jesus 
therefore  said  ...the  sword.  The  words 
are  given  more  at  length  in  St  Matthew,  xxvi. 
5  a  ff.  The  tone  of  the  two  records  is  identi- 
cal, and  the  reference  to  the  Scriptures,  pre- 
served only  by  St  Matthew,  serves  to  illus- 
trate one  side  of  the  phrase  "  which  my 
Father  hath  given  me." 

the  cup  ...]  This  clause  is  peculiar  to  St 
J;ohn.  The  same  image  occurs  in  the  Synop- 
tists,  Matt.  xx.  a  a  f.  (note);  Mark  x.  38  f.; 
and  in  connexion  with  this  scene,  Matt.  xxvi. 
39  ff.;  Mark  xiv.  36;  Luke  xxii.  42.  It 
seems  impossible  not  to  feel  that  the  words 
include  the  answer  to  the  prayer  at  the  Agony, 
not  recorded  by  St  John  (Matt.  xxvi.  39, 
"  O  my  Father. .  .let  this  cup  pass  away  "...),  for 
now,  after  the  prayer,  that  "cup"  is  spoken  of 
as  "the  cup  which  my  Father  hath  given  me." 
The  cup  was  not  taken  away,  but  given,  and 
the  Lord  now  shews  that  He  had  received  it 
willingly.  The  image  is  found  in  several  re- 
markable passages  of  the  Old  Testament: 
Ezek.  xxiii.  31  ff. ;  Ps.  Ixxv.  8,  &c. 


II.  THE  DOUBLE  TRIAL  (xviii.  ia— xix.  16). 

(i.)    The  ecclesiastical  trial  (xviii.  13 — 37). 
(ii.)  The  civil  trial  (xviii.  a 8 — xix.  16). 

i.  The  ecclesiastical  trial.  Master  and  disci- 
ples, Jesus  and  the  high-priest,  Peter  and  the 
servants,  xviii.  ia — a 7. 

The  record  of  the  examination  before  An- 
nas is  peculiar  to  the  narrative  of  St  John. 
The  Evangelist  appears  to  have  been  present 
at  the  inquiry  (w.  15,  19).  See  Additional 
Note. 

12.  Then  the  band  ...  and  officers  ...]     The 
band  therefore  (or,  So  the  band).,,  and  the 
officers...    Seeing  that  there  was  no  longer  any 
resistance.     The  enumeration — the  band,  the 
captain,  the  officers — is  emphatic  and  impres- 
sive. A 11  combined  to  take  the  willing  prisoner. 
In  particular  it  will  be  observed  that  the  action 
of  the  Roman  guard  is  now  noticed.    They 
probably  secured  the  Lord  and  delivered  Him 
to  the  priest's  servants  "bound"  (comp.  v.  34). 
The  "bonds"  are  not  mentioned  in  the  Sy- 
noptists  till  afterwards  (Matt,  xxvii.  a,  note; 
Mark  xv.  i) ;  yet  such  a  precaution  is  implied 
in  their  narrative.     It  was  the  policy  of  the 
priestly  party  to  represent  Christ  as  a  danger- 
ous enemy  to  public  order ;  and  perhaps  they 
really  feared  a  rescue  by  the  "people"  (Matt, 
xxvi.  5).     Early  Christian  writers  laid  stress 
upon  the  "binding"  as  marking  the  parallel 
with  Isaac  (Gen.  xxii.  9 ;  Melito.  ap.  Routh, 
'  Rell.  Sacr.' i.  133  f.). 

The  title  of  the  "captain"  in  the  original 
(xi\iapx*os)  favours  the  view  that  "  the  band  " 
Was  a  "cohort,"  and  not  a  smaller  body 
("  maniple") :  comp.  Acts  xxi.  31.  The  word 
"chiliarch"  was  used  as  the  equivalent  of 
"  tribune,"  the  proper  title  of  the  commander 
of  a  "cohort;"  and  the  other  places  in  which 
a  "band"  (o-TTftpa)  is  spoken  of  in  the  New 
Testament  suggest  the  same  conclusion :  Acts 
x.  i,  xxvii.  i.  The  rendering  of  a-ntlpa  in  the 
Latin  versions  is  uniformly  cohort.  The  words 
"band"  and  "captain"  may  however  be 
both  used  in  a  general  and  not  in  a  technical 
sense  for  a  detachment  of  soldiers  and  the 
officer  in  command  of  it.  (Comp.  Rev.  vi. 
15,  xix.  1 8,  and  Suidas  s.  v.  crnflpa.') 

13.  led  htm  (om.  a<wqy)  to  Annas  first\ 
Annas  (or  Hanan,  Ananias,  Ananus)  is  one  of 
the  most  remarkable  figures  in  the  Jewish 
history  of  the  time.     His  unexampled  fortune 
was  celebrated  in  that  he  himself  and  his  five 


v.  14 — 1 6.] 


ST.  JOHN.    XVIII. 


255 


\AndAr.-  J113L>  f°r  he  was  father  in  law  to 
Christ  Caiaphas,  which  was  the  high  priest 
\ound  un-  that  same  year. ' 

14  "'Now  Caiaphas  was  he,  which 
t%at,       Save   counsel   to   the  Jews,   that   it 
er.  24.      was  expedient  that  one  man  should 

*  chap.  n.    j-       f         .1  1 

So.  die  for  the  people. 


15  11  'And  Simon  Peter  followed  'gMatt  *«• 
Jesus,   and  so  did  another  disciple : 5 

that  disciple  was  known  unto  the 
high  priest,  and  went  in  with  Jesus 
into  the  palace  of  the  high  priest. 

1 6  But  Peter  stood  at  the  door 
without.     Then  went  out  that  other 


sons  held  the  high-priesthood  in  succession. 
He  was  high-priest  himself  from  A.D.  7  —  14 
(Jos.  'Ant.'  xviil.  a.  i  f.);  then,  after  a 
short  time  his  son  Eleazar  held  the  office  for  a 
year;  and  after  a  year's  interval,  his  son-in-law 
Joseph  Caiaphas  succeeded  and  held  the 
office  till  A.D.  35—  6  (Jos.  I.e.).  Another 
son  of  Annas  succeeded  Caiaphas,  and  three 
other  sons  afterwards  held  the  office,  the 
last  of  whom,  who  bore  his  father's  name, 
put  to  death  James  the  brother  of  the 
Lord  (Jos.  'Ant.'  xx.  8.  i).  This  mere  re- 
cord reveals  the  skilful  intriguer  who  exer- 
cised through  members  of  his  family  the 
headship  of  his  party  (comp.  Luke  Hi.  a; 
Acts  iv.  6).  In  the  Talmud  ('Pesach.1  573, 
quoted  by  Derenbourg,  p.  131  n.)  we  find 
a  curse  on  "the  family  of  Hanan  and  their 
serpent-hissings"  (comp.  Matt.  iii.  7).  The 
relationship  of  Caiaphas  to  Annas  is  not  men- 
tioned by  any  writer  except  St  John,  and  yet 
this  relationship  alone  explains  how  Caiaphas 
was  able  to  retain  his  office  by  the  side  of 
Annas  and  his  sons. 

The  narrative  of  St  John  lends  no  support 
to  the  conjecture  (which,  however,  may  be 
true)  that  Annas  held  some  high  office  at  the 
time,  as  the  presidency  of  the  Sanhedrin, 
which  gave  him  a  constitutional  right  to  take 
the  lead  in  the  inquiry.  The  reason  given  for 
the  proceeding  —  his  family  connexion  with 
Caiaphas—  lays  open  alike  the  character  of 
the  man  and  the  character  of  the  trial.  See 
Additional  Note. 

frst]  This  word  conveys  a  tacit  correction 
of  the  popular  misunderstanding  of  the  Sy- 
noptic narratives.  The  Lord  was  examined 
before  Caiaphas  (v.  24),  but  there  was  also  a 
prior  examination. 

tuhicb  ivas  the  high  priest  that  same  year] 
See  ch.  xi.  49,  note.  Comp.  Taylor,  'Sayings 
of  the  Jewish  Fathers,'  1.  19,  note,  ill.  a  6,  note 
(DVa  U). 

14.  No=w  Caiaphas  <was  he  ...]  Ch.  xi.  50. 
The  clause  appears  to  be  added  to  shew  pre- 
sumptively what  would  be  the  selfish  policy 
of  a  man  who  had  chosen  such  a  son.  Annas 
exercised  his  power  through  those  who  were 
like  him. 


15.  followed]  The  imperfect 
paints  the  action  in  progress.  For  the  fact 
comp.  Matt.  xxvi.  58  and  parallels.  After 
the  panic,  in  which  all  the  disciples  fled 


(Matt,  xxvi.  56),  some  again  took  courage 
(Matt.  xxvi.  58). 

another  disciple]  not  the  other  (o  oXXoj). 
The  reader  cannot  fail  to  identify  the  disciple 
with  St  John.  Comp.  xx.  a. 

known  (yvaxTTos.  Comp.  Luke  ii.  44,  xxiii. 
49)]  No  tradition  (so  far  as  it  appears)  has 
preserved  the  nature  of  the  connexion ;  nor  is 
it  possible  to  draw  any  satisfactory  conclu- 
sion from  the  fact  that  both  St  John  (Polycr. 
ap.  Euseb.  '  H.  E.'  v.  24)  and  St  James  the 
Just,  "the  brother  of  the  Lord"  (Epiph. 
'  Haer.'  LXXVIII.  14),  are  said  to  have  worn 
the  TreraXov  or  plate  attached  to  the  high- 
priest's  mitre. 

unto  the  high  priest]  It  is  very  difficult  to 
decide  who  is  here  spoken  of  under  the  title. 
Annas  is  called  the  high-priest  in  Acts  iv.  6, 
while  Caiaphas  is  named  at  the  same  time 
without  any  title;  and  so  Josephus  (' Antt.' 
xviil.  5.  3;  comp.  xviil.  3  (a),  a)  speaks  of 
"Jonathan  the  son  of  Ananus  (Annas)  the 
high-priest"  after  the  removal  of  Caiaphas. 
In  Luk'e  iii.  a,  Annas  and  Caiaphas  bear  the 
title  together.  It  is  therefore  at  least  possible 
that  Annas  may  be  referred  to.  On  the  other 
hand,  Caiaphas  has  just  been  described  as 
"the  high-priest"  (v.  13),  and  is  so  called 
again  in  v.  24,  where  Annas  also  is  men- 
tioned. These  facts  make  it  difficult  to  sup- 
pose that  the  title  is  abruptly  used,  without 
any  explanation,  to  describe  Annas. 

the  palace  (court,  see  Matt.  xxvi.  58;  Mark 
xiv.  54  and  notes)  of  the  high  priest]  i.e.  of 
Caiaphas.  It  is  quite  reasonable  to  suppose 
that  Annas  still  retained  a  lodging,  in  what 
appears  to  have  been  an  official  residence.  In 
this  case  there  is  no  discrepancy  between  St 
John  and  the  Synoptists  as  to  the  scene  of  St 
Peter's  denials  (the  residence  of  Caiaphas). 
Nor  indeed  would  there  be  any  difficulty  in 
supposing  that  Annas  presided  at  an  examina- 
tion in  the  house  of  Caiaphas,  though  he  did 
not  live  there.  St  Luke  (xxii.  54)  says  that 
the  Lord  was  led  "into  the  house  of  the 
high  priest,"  without  mentioning  any  name. 
By  this  form  of  expression  the  Evangelist  per- 
haps wished  to  indicate  that  He  was  not 
brought  at  once  officially  before  Caiaphas, 
though  He  was  taken  to  his  palace.  The  lan- 
guage of  St  Matthew  suggests  the  same  idea 
(Matt.  xxvi.  57,  "to  Caiaphas  ...where..."). 

The  idea  that  a  change  of  scene  from  the 
house  of  Annas  to  the  house  of  Caiaphas  is 


256 


ST.  JOHN.    XVIII. 


[v.  17 — 20. 


disciple,  which  was  known  unto  the 
high  priest,  and  spake  unto  her  that 
kept  the  door,  and  brought  in  Peter. 

17  Then   saith  the    damsel    that 
kept  the  door  unto  Peter,  Art  not 
thou  also  one  of  this  man's  disciples  ? 
He  saith,  I  am  not. 

1 8  And  the  servants  and  officers 
stood  there,  who  had  made  a  fire  of 


coals ;  for  it  was  cold :  and  they 
warmed  themselves  :  and  Peter  stood 
with  them,  and  warmed  himself. 

19  11  The  high  priest  then  asked 
Jesus   of    his    disciples,    and    of  his 
doctrine. 

20  Jesus  answered  him,   I   spake 
openly  to  the  world ;   I  ever  taught 
in  the  synagogue,  and  in  the  temple, 


marked  in  this  verse  is  most  unnatural.  The 
narrative  of  the  whole  section  (vv.  13 — 37) 
implies  an  identity  of  scene. 

16.  Peter  stood]... was  standing.    Comp. 
•v.  5,  note. 

her  that  kept  the  door]    Comp.  Acts  xii.  13. 

17.  Then  saith  the  damsel..,"]    The  maid 
therefore...     The  acquaintance  of  St  Peter 
with  St  John  suggested  the  question.    St  John 
meanwhile  (it  must  be  supposed)  had  pressed 
on  into  the  audience-chamber,  so  that  St  Peter 
was  alone.    St  John,  who  remained  closest  to 
the  Lord,  was  unmolested:    St  Peter,  who 
mingled  with  the  indifferent  crowd,  fell. 

Art  not  thou  also  (Art  thou...)...]  as  well 
as  thy  friend  (John).  The  form  of  the  question 
expresses  surprise,  and  suggests  a  negative 
answer.  See  vi.  67,  vii.  47,  ix.  40.  The 
contemptuous  turn  of  the  sentence,  "  one  of 
the  disciples  of  this  man,"  corresponds  with 
the  same  feeling.  As  the  suggestion  was 
made  St  Peter  yielded  to  it.  His  answer  both 
here  and  in  v.  25  simply  reflects  the  temper  of 
his  questioners. 

18.  And  the  servants  and  officers  stood  there, 
fwho  had  made...]    Now  the  servants  and  the 
officers,  having  made. ..were  standing... 
The  Roman  soldiers  had  now  gone  back,  and 
the  private  servants  of  the  high-priest  (SoiXot), 
and  the  officers — the  temple-police  (virnperai) 
— alone  remained. 

afre  of  coals']  A  charcoal  fire.  There  was 
no  bright  flame,  but  a  glow  of  light  sufficient 
to  shew  the  features  of  any  one  turned  to- 
wards it,  Luke  xxii.  56  (irpbs  TO  <f>a>s). 

for  it  <was  cold]  As  a  general  rule,  the 
nights  in  Palestine  about  Easter-time  are  said 
to  be  warm  throughout.  The  cold  on  this 
occasion  appears  to  be  spoken  of  as  unusual. 

and  Peter  stood  with  them,  and  warmed 
himself]  and  Peter  also  was  with*  them, 
standing  and  warming  himself.  Comp. 
v.  35.  The  two  main  ideas  are  kept  distinct. 
Peter  had  joined  the  company  of  the  indiffe- 
rent spectators ;  he  was  engaged  in  a  trivial 
act.  Such  outward  indifference  often  veils  the 
deepest  emotion. 

19.  The  high  priest  then  (therefore)...] 
i.e.  probably  Caiaphas.    See  v.  15,  note.    The 
narrative  is  connected  with  i>.  14.  The  Master 


is  now  contrasted  with  the  disciple.  It  is 
probable  that  a  better  acquaintance  with  the 
history  of  the  time  would  remove  the  diffi- 
culty which  arises  from  Caiaphas  taking  the 
lead  in  the  examination  before  Annas.  Yet 
it  is  easy  to  imagine  that  arrangements  may 
have  been  made  for  a  private  examination  in 
the  chamber  of  A  nnas,  at  which  Caiaphas  was 
himself  present,  and  in  which  he  took  part. 
At  the  close  of  this  unofficial  proceeding, 
Annas,  the  real  leader  in  the  whole  action, 
sent  Jesus  to  Caiaphas  for  a  formal  trial. 

of  his  disciples... of  his  doctrine  (teaching)] 
This  preliminary  examination  was  directed  to 
the  obtaining  (if  possible)  of  materials  for  the 
formal  accusation  which  was  to  follow.  With 
this  view,  it  was  natural  to  inquire  into  the 
class,  the  character,  the  number  of  the  Lord's 
disciples,  and  into  the  general  substance  of 
His  teaching. 

20.  The  Lord  leaves  unnoticed  the  ques- 
tion as  to  His  disciples  (comp.  v.  8),  and 
fixes  the  attention  of  the  questioner  upon 
Himself  alone.  Hence  an  emphatic  pronoun 
stands  at  the  head  of  each  clause.  /  (ey")? 
whatever  others  may  have  done  with  whom 
you  wish  to  compare  me,  /  have  spoken 
openly  ...  I  (eyco)  ever  taught  ...  So  the 
Lord  presents  His  teaching  first  as  a  com- 
pleted whole  (7  have  spoken,  xvi.  33),  and 
then  in  its  historic  presentation  (/  ever 
taught).  The  form  of  the  sentence  at  the 
same  time  suggests  a  contrast  between  the 
openness  of  His  conduct  and  the  treachery 
which  His  enemies  had  employed. 

openly]  Without  reserve.  Comp.  vii.  13, 
note. 

to  the  (world]  Comp.  viii.  26.  The  teach- 
ing of  the  Lord  was  not  addressed  to  any 
select  group  of  followers,  even  if  it  was  veiled 
in  parables  which  required  spiritual  sym- 
pathy for  their  interpretation,  Matt.  xiii.  10  ff. 

ever  (alivajs)]      The  word  does   not   or. 

'  course  mean  that  the  Lord's  teaching  was 

confined  to  these  public  places,  but  that  at  all 

times  He  used  opportunities  of  speaking  in 

them. 

in  the  synagogue  ...]  Or  rather,  in  syna- 
gogue, "when  people  were  gathered  in  so- 
lemn assembly"  (jtv  ovvayuryn,  as  distinguished 
from  lv  TOIS  crvvayuyals,  Matt.  ix.  35,  &C.). 
Comp.  vi.  59,  note. 


V.    21 27-] 


ST.  JOHN.    XVIII. 


257 


whither  the  Jews  always  resort ;  and 
in  secret  have  I  said  nothing. 

2 1  Why  askest  thou  me  ?  ask  them 
which  heard  me,  what  I  have  said  unto 
them:  behold,  they  know  what  I  said. 

22  And  when  he  had  thus  spoken, 
one   of  the  officers  which  stood  by 

B  Or,  with  struck  Jesus  '  with  the  palm  of  his 
hand,  saying,  Answerest  thou  the  high 
priest  so  ? 

23  Jesus  answered  him,  If  I  have 
spoken  evil,  bear  witness  of  the  evil : 
but  if  well,  why  smitest  thou  me  ? 


a  rod. 


24  /Now   Annas   had   sent  him 'Matt  26. 
bound  unto  Caiaphas  the  high  priest.  57' 

25  And  Simon   Peter   stood   and 
warmed  himself.     ^They  said  there-  lMatt  a& 
fore  unto  him,  Art  not  thou  also  one 

of  his  disciples  ?    He  denied  //,  and 
said,  I  am  not. 

26  One  of  the  servants  of  the  high 
priest,  being  his  kinsman  whose  ear 
Peter  cut  off,  saith,  Did  not  I  see 
thee  in  the  garden  with  him  ? 

27  Peter  then  denied  again:  and 
immediately  the  cock  crew. 


the  Jews  always  resort]  According  to  the 
true  reading,  all  the  Jews  resort  (come 
together),  and  not  a  mere  party  or  clique. 
The  combination  "always,"  "all"  (jravroTt, 
•navTfi),  is  singularly  emphatic.  Christ  was 
from  first  to  last  a  universal  teacher,  and  not 
the  founder  of  a  sect.  In  manner,  time,  place, 
audience,  He  sought  absolute  publicity. 

in  secret  have  I  said~\  in  secret  I  spake. 
The  words  simply  exclude  the  purpose  of 
concealment.  What  the  disciples  heard  in  the 
ear  they  were  charged  to  proclaim  on  the 
housetops  (Matt.  x.  27). 

21.  Why  askest  ...]     The  accusers  are 
bound    to    establish    their    charge    indepen- 
dently. 

which  heard  me,  what  I  ha-ve  said... they 
know ...}  which  have  heard  me,  what  I 
spake. ..these  know...  The  tense  (dicrjicoo- 
rar,  not  dicov&avTas)  and  the  pronoun  (ovroi) 
seem  both  to  point  directly  to  persons  actually 
present  or  close  at  hand,  who  were  able  to 
speak  with  full  knowledge  if  they  pleased. 
Thus  the  Lord  claims  that  the  examination 
may  proceed  in  due  order  by  the  calling  of  wit- 
nesses; and,  according  to  the  rule,  the  wit- 
nesses for  the  defence  were  called  first  ('  Sanh.' 
f.  32.  i ;  f.  40.  i,  quoted  by  Lightfoot,  'Hor. 
Hebr.,1  on  i;.  15). 

22.  with. ..his  hand'}     Or,  "  with  a  rod." 
This  latter  sense  suits  perhaps  better  with  the 
word  used  for  "smiting"  (Sc'pfts),  though 
the  sense  given  in  the  text  appears  to  be  more 
appropriate  to  the  circumstances.     Comp.  xix. 
3  ;  Acts  xxiii.  2  ff.    This  insult  is  to  be  distin- 
guished from  the  corresponding  acts  men- 
tioned, Matt.  xxvi.  67  ;  Luke  xxii.  63,  64. 

23.  If  I  have  spoken    (rather,    spake) 
evil ...]     The  Lord  addresses  the  servant  as 
one  who  had  heard  Him,  and  as  such  He 
challenges  him  to  bear  just  evidence  as  to  His 
words,  and  not  to  use  mere  violence.    The 
reference  (as  it  appears)  is  not  to  the  words 
just  uttered  (v.  21),  but  to  the  teaching  of 
the  Lord  which  was  called  in  question  (v.  20, 
7  spake;  v.  ai,  what  I  spake;    v.  23,  if  I 


spake').  The  old  commentators  saw  in  the 
calm  rebuke  a  true  interpretation  of  the  pre- 
cept, Matt.  v.  39. 

24.  Now  Annas  had  sent  him... "\    Annas 
therefore  sent  him...    The  words  cannot 
be  rendered  otherwise.     See  Additional  Note. 
The  private  interrogation  at  which  Caiaphas 
had  assisted  led  to  no  decisive  result.    Annas 
therefore  sent  Jesus  to  the  high-priest  officially, 
but  as  one  already  stamped  with  a  sign  of  con- 
demnation  (djr(<TT(L\fv,  despatched;    comp. 
note  on  xx.  21).     During  the  inquiry  the 
Lord  would  naturally  be  set  free.    This  ex- 
plains the  notice  that  He  was  (again)  "bound" 
before  going  to  Caiaphas. 

25.  And  Simon  Peter  stood  and  warmed 
himself}    Simon  Peter  was   standing  and 
warming  himself.     Comp.  v.  18. 

They  said  therefore  ...]  Since  St  Peter  was 
evidently  a  stranger  among  them,  attention 
was  necessarily  turned  again  to  him,  when  the 
Lord  was  again  brought  into  the  court  at  the 
close  of  the  private  examination  before  Caia- 
phas, and  so  occasion  was  given  for  the  second 
questioning.  During  this  passage  it  would  be 
easy  for  the  Lord  to  turn  and  "look  on 
Peter"  (Luke  xxii.  61),  when  He  had  already 
gone  by  near  him. 

Art  not  thou  also  ...]  Art  thou;..  The 
form  of  question  is  the  same  as  that  in  v.  17. 
Something  no  doubt  in  St  Peter's  manner,  as 
the  Lord  was  led  by,  betrayed  his  love. 
Whereupon  followed  the  words  of  surprise : 
Can  it  be  that  thou  also  art  one  of  His  disciples  ?  / 

-62,  being  his  kinsman  (a  kinsman  of 
him)  ...]  A  detail  which  marks  an  exact 
knowledge  of  the  household  (v.  15). 

in  the  garden}  as  one  of  His  chosen  disci- 
ples, who  were  gathered  behind  the  Lord 
when  He  stood  outside  at  the  entrance  facing 
the  crowd  (v.  4). 

27.  Peter  then  (therefore)  ...]  He  was 
already  committed  to  the  denial.  St  John,  like 
St  Luke,  omits  all  the  aggravations  of  St 
Peter's  denials  (Matt.  xxvi.  70,  72,  74;  Mark 
xiv.  71). 


258 


ST.  JOHN.    XVIII. 


[v.  28. 


*  Matt.  27.      28  ^  AThen  led  they  Jesus  from     selves  went  not  into  the  judgment 
!P.r,         Caiaphas  unto  "the  hall  of  judgment:      hall,  lest  they  should  be  defiled  ;  but 
and  it  was  early  ;  *  and  they  them-     that  they  might  eat  the  passover. 


t'itat/s 

house. 

*  Acts  10.  28. 


the  cock  crew]  The  indefinite  form  of  the 
phrase  (a  cock  crew)  is  far  more  expressive 
than  A.  V.,  which  rather  describes  the  time 
than  the  incident.  The  silence  of  the  Evange- 
list, as  to  the  repentance  of  St  Peter,  is  illus- 
trated by  xxi.  15  ff.,  where  the  fact  is  pre- 
supposed. The  episode  of  Peter's  fall  is  given 
as  the  fulfilment  of  the  Lord's  word  (xiii.  38), 
who  knew  to  the  last  detail  what  he  had  to 
bear. 

ii.  The  civil  trial.  The  divine  King  and  the 
Roman  governor.  The  divine  King  and 
the  apostate  people,  xviii.  28 — xix.  16. 

The  detailed  account  of  the  private  exami- 
nations before  Pilate  (xviii.  33 — 37,  xix.  8 — 
n)  is  peculiar  to  St  John  (comp.  Matt,  xxvii. 
ii  ff.  and  parallels;  i  Tim.  vi.  13).  St  John 
probably  went  within  the  palace.  He  would 
not  be  deterred  by  the  scruple  of  the  Jews  (v. 
28)  under  such  circumstances,  and  there  does 
not  appear  to  have  been  any  other  obstacle  to 
entrance.  The  apostle  who  had  followed  the 
Lord  to  the  presence  of  the  high-priest  would 
not  shrink  from  following  Him  to  the  pre- 
sence of  the  governor. 

It  will  be  noticed  that  St  John's  narrative 
explains  the  language  of  Pilate  to  the  Jews 
and  to  the  Lord,  which  is  abrupt  and  unpre- 
pared in  the  Synoptic  narratives. 

The  narrative  falls  into  several  distinct  sec- 
tions corresponding  to  scenes  without  and 
within  the  Praetorium. 

1.  Without  the  Prsetorium.     The  Jews 
claim  the  execution  of  their  sentence  (xviii. 
28—32). 

2.  Within  the  Prsetorium.     "The  good 
confession."    Christ  a  King  (33 — 37). 

3.  Without  the  Prsetorium.     First  decla- 
ration of  innocence.     Barabbas  (38 — 40). 

4.  Within   the  Praetorium.      Scourging: 
mockery  (xix.  i — 3). 

5.  Without  the  Praetorium.    Second  and 
third  declarations  of  innocence.     "  Ecce  ho- 
mo," "  Son  of  God"  (4—7). 

6.  Within  the  Praetorium.    The  source  of 
authority,  and  from  this  the  measure  of  guilt 
(8-ii). 

7.  Without  the  Praetorium.     Conviction 
overpowered:  the  King  abjured:  the  last  sen- 
tence (12 — 1 6). 

i.  "w.  28 — 32.  Without  the  Prtetorium : 
Pilate  and  the  Jews:  the  claim  and  the 
refusal. 

28.  Then  led  they  Jesus']  They  lead  Jesus 
therefore...  Comp.  Matt,  xxvii.  i  f.  The 
examination  before  Caiaphas  (Mattxxvi.  59  ff. 


and  parallels)  is  implied,  and  also  its  necessary 
issue.  The  sentence  was  determined,  but  the 
Sanhedrin  had  no  power  to  carry  it  out.  The 
subject  (they)  is  not  exactly  defined.  The 
principal  actors  ("the  chief  priests  and  Phari- 
sees," "the  Jews")  are  everywhere  present  to 
the  mind  of  the  Evangelist.  Comp.  xix.  4. 

hall  of  judgment]  /£<?  palace.  The  official 
residence  (head-quarters)  of  the  Roman  gover- 
nor (Trpmrwptoc).  This  was  the  technical  sense 
of  praetorium  in  the  provinces  (comp.  Acts 
xxiii.  35).  At  Rome  the  usage  of  the  word  was 
different  (comp.  Lightfoot,  '  Philippians,'  pp. 
97  ff.).  The  building  occupied  by  Pilate  is 
commonly  supposed  to  have  been  the  palace 
built  by  Herod  on  the  western  hill  of  Jerusalem. 
This  was  certainly  occupied  at  a  later  time  by 
the  Roman  governors  (Philo,  '  Leg.  ad  Cai.' 
1034),  but  there  is  not  any  direct  evidence,  as 
far  as  appears,  that  it  was  occupied  by  Pilate, 
and  on  the  whole  it  seems  to  be  more  probable 
(comp.  xix.  13)  that  Pilate  occupied  quarters 
in  Antonia,  according  to  the  traditional  view. 
See  the  Additional  Note  on  Matt,  xxvii.  2. 

it  was  early]  Comp.  Matt,  xxvii.  i  paral- 
lels. The  term  (Trpon)  is  used  technically  for 
the  fourth  watch,  3 — 6  a.m.  (Mark  xiii.  35). 
A  condemnation  to  death  at  night  was  tech- 
nically illegal  (Matt.  /.  c.  note).  An  early 
meeting  of  the  Sanhedrin  appears  to  have  been 
held  to  confirm  the  decision  already  made, 
and  so  to  satisfy  the  form  of  law,  which  how- 
ever was  broken  by  the  infliction  and  execu- 
tion of  the  sentence  on  the  day  of  trial.  A 
Roman  court  could  be  held  at  any  time  after 
sunrise.  On  this  occasion  it  was  probably 
held  as  early  as  possible.  Pilate,  as  we  may 
suppose,  had  been  prepared  for  the  charge 
when  application  was  made  for  the  detach- 
ment of  soldiers. 

they  themselves']  In  contrast  with  the  Lord, 
who  was  now  probably  committed  again  to 
the  soldiers,  and  taken  within  the  Praetorium 

(«•  33)- 

lest  they  should  be...  ;  but  that  they  might...'] 
that  they  might  not  £<?...  tout  might... 

be  defied]  by  entering  a  house  from  which 
all  leaven  had  not  been  scrupulously  removed. 
The  praetorium  was  placed  under  the  protection 
of  tutelary  deities  (jdtol  ol  rov  yytpoviKov  irpai- 
Twpt'ov,  'Journal  of  Philology,'  1876,  pp. 
126  ff. ;  comp.  Tac.  'Hist.'  ill.  10),  but 
such  a  dedication  is  out  of  the  question  at 
Jerusalem.  Pilate  had  learnt  by  bitter  ex- 
perience with  what  fierceness  the  Jews  re- 
sented every  semblance  of  a  violation  of  their 
religious  feelings  (Jos.  'Bel.  Jud.'  II,  9.  2. 
Comp.  Philo,  'Leg.  ad  Cai.'  §  38). 

eat  the  passover]    See  note  on  Matt.  xxvi. 


v-  29—33.] 


ST.  JOHN.    XVIII. 


29  Pilate  then  went  out  unto  them, 
and  said,  What  accusation  bring  ye 
against  this  man  ? 

3°  They  answered  and  said  unto 
him,  If  he  were  not  a  malefactor, 
we  would  not  have  delivered  him  up 
unto  thee. 

31  Then  said  Pilate  unto  them, 
Take  ye  him,  and  judge  him  accord- 
ing to  your  law.  The  Jews  there- 


fore said  unto  him,  It  is  not  lawful 
for  us  to  put  any  man  to  death  : 

32  *That    the   saying    of   Jesus 
might  be  fulfilled,  which  he  spake, 
signifying     what    death    he    should 
die. 

33  'Then  Pilate  entered  into  the 
judgment  hall  again,  and  called  Je- 
sus, and  said  unto  him,  Art  thou  the 
King  of  the  Jews? 


259 


*  Matt  20. 


1  Matt.  27. 


29.  Pilate  then  (therefore).  ..jfl/W(salth)] 
Pilate  is  introduced  quite  abruptly,  without 
any  title  or  explanation,  as  one  perfectly  well 
known.  Comp.  Mark  xv.  i  ;  Luke  xxiii.  i. 
In  St  Matthew  he  is  commonly  spoken  of  as 
"the  governor"  (Matt,  xxvii.  2,  note),  a  title 
not  found  in  St  John.  The  scrupulousness  of 
Pilate  needs  some  explanation  (contrast  Acts 
xxii.  24).  The  explanation  is  probably  sup- 
plied by  St  Matthew  (Matt,  xxvii.  19)  in  the 
message  of  Pilate's  wife,  which  at  least  indi- 
cates that  the  accusation  of  Jesus  had  made 
an  impression  upon  her,  and  so  probably  in 
Pilate's  household.  There  is  a  slight  trace  in 
the  narrative  of  St  Matthew  (ch.  xxvii.  19, 
note)  of  the  informal  manner  in  which  the 
trial  was  in  part  conducted. 

'went  out]  The  best  authorities  add  "  with- 
out" («£&>).  St  John  appears  to  emphasize 
the  fact  that  Pilate  "  went  forth  without  "  his 
own  prxtorium,  as  if  it  were  symbolic  of  the 
whole  proceeding. 

What  accusation}  The  words  do  not  ne- 
cessarily imply  that  Pilate  was  ignorant  of  the 
character  of  the  charge  (see  v.  3).  Pilate  re- 
quires that  the  charge  should  be  made  formally. 

30  f.  The  Jews  were  evidently  unprepared 
for  the  governor's  hesitation  in  such  a  case  ; 
and  attempted  to  claim  the  fulfilment  of  their 
sentence  without  rendering  account  of  the 
grounds  on  which  it  rested.  Pilate  met  this 
affectation  of  independence  by  bidding  them 
carry  out  their  purpose  to  the  end  by  their 
own  authority  :  Pi/ate  therefore  said,  Take 
him  yourselves  (v/my).  On  this  they  are 
forced  to  confess  that  nothing  less  than  death 
will  satisfy  them,  and  this  punishment  they 
cannot  inflict. 

malefactor}  Literally,  doing  evil  (KUKOV 
Trotojj/),  actively  engaged  in  evil.  The  word 
in  St  Luke,  xxiii.  32,  is  di 


31.  Take  ye  him...']  Take  him  yourselves... 
The  words  have  a  tinge  of  irony  {yourselves, 
your  law)  ;  and  Pilate  implicitly  reminds  the 
Jews  of  the  limits  within  which  their  power 
of  "judgment"  was  confined. 

The  Je-ius  said  (om.  therefore)  ...]  Pilate's 
words  left  them  no  alternative.  They  could 
not  escape  from  revealing  their  purpose  ;  and 
probably  they  now  brought  forward  against 

New  Test.  —  VOL.  II. 


Christ  the  charge  of  treason  (Luke  xxiii.  2)  in 
order  to  move  Pilate  the  more  easily  (v.  34). 
It  is  not  lawful ...]    See  Additional  Note.' 

32.  the  saying  (word)  of  Jesus. ..signifying 
iv hat  death  (by  what  manner  of  death)  ...] 
Ch.  xii.  32  f.     Comp.  Matt.  xx.  19.     Cruci- 
fixion was  not  a  Jewish   punishment.     The 
clause  must  not  be  interpreted  to  convey  the 
idea  that  the  J[ews  wished  a  particular  form  of 
death  to  be  inflicted,  but  that  the  circum- 
stances of  the  case  led  to  this  issue. 

l.  w.  33 — 37.  Within  the  Prxtorium:  Pilate 
and  Christ:  the  good  confession  and  the  light 
question. 

33.  Then  Pilate  ...~\    Pilate  therefore  ... 
The  urgency  of  the  Jews  constrained  him  to 
make  further  inquiry. 

called  Jesus']  The  Lord  was  already  inside 
the  court  (v.  28) ;  but  Pilate  summoned  Him 
to  his  immediate  presence  (tcfxov^a-fv,  comp. 
ix.  1 8,  24). 

Art  thou  the  King  of  the  Jews?]  The  words 
may  mean  either  "Art  thou  he  who  has  just 
now  become  notorious  under  this  title  ? "  or, 
"Dost  thou  claim  the  title,  as  it  is  said?" 
The  title  itself  would  be  likely  to  arrest 
Pilate's  attention,  whether  he  had  heard  it 
spoken  of  before  in  connexion  with  the  entry 
into  Jerusalem  or  only  now  from  the  Jews. 
And  further,  he  would  rightly  conclude  that 
the  title,  when  thus  put  forward,  would  be 
fitted  to  call  out  any  fanaticism  which  there 
might  be  in  a  political  enthusiast.  The  full 
form  which  the  accusation  assumed  is  given  in 
St  Luke  (xxiii.  2).  See  xix.  12.  In  each  of 
the  four  Gospels  the  first  words  of  Pilate  to 
Jesus  are  the  same:  "Art  thou  the  King  of 
the  Jews?"  (Matt,  xxvii.  n;  Mark  xv.  a; 
Luke  xxiii.  3).  The  form  of  the  sentence 
(on;  e* ... ;)  suggests  a  feeling  of  surprise  in  the 
questioner :  "Art  thou,  poor,  and  bound,  and 
wearied,  the  King  of  whom  men  have  spo- 
ken ?"  Comp.  iv.  12. 

King  of  the  Jews']  v.  39,  xix.  3,  19,  ai. 
Compare  Matt.  ii.  2,  xxvii.  n,  29,  37 ;  Mark 
xv.  a,  9,  12,  18,  26 ;  Luke  xxiii.  3,  37,  38. 
The  theocratic  title  the  King  of  Israel  (i.  49, 
note)  stands  in  marked  contrast  with  this 
civil  title. 


260 


ST.  JOHN.    XVIII. 


34—37- 


34  Jesus  answered  him,  Sayest  thou 
this  thing  of  thyself,  or  did  others  tell 
it  thee  of  me  ? 

35  Pilate  answered,  Am  I  a  Jew  ? 
Thine   own    nation    and    the    chief 
priests  have  delivered  thee  unto  me : 
what  hast  thou  done  ? 

36  Jesus  answered,  My  kingdom 


is  not  of  this  world  :  if  my  kingdom 
were  of  this  world,  then  would  my 
servants  fight,  that  I  should  not  be 
delivered  to  the  Jews :  but  now  is 
my  kingdom  not  from  hence. 

37  Pilate  therefore  said  unto  him, 
Art  thou  a  king  then  ?  Jesus  an- 
swered, Thou  sayest  that  I  am  a 


34.  Jesus  answered  (om.  hirn)~\  The  short 
clauses  are  impressive:  "Jesus  answered" — 
"  Pilate  answered" — •"  Jesus  answered." 

34  f.  Sayest  thou  ...  tell  it  thee  of  me  (or 
tell  tbee  of  me)]  The  Lord's  question 
is  suited  to  lead  Pilate  to  reflect  on  the 
nature  of  the  charge  which  he  had  to  judge. 
In  this  sense  it  is  an  appeal  to  his  conscience. 
If  he  admits  the  alleged  assumption  of  the 
title  to  be  a  crime,  he  must  ask  himself  whe- 
ther the  title  has  any  meaning  for  him  ?  whe- 
ther he  desires  to  learn  what  further  it  may 
signify  ?  or  whether  he  has  simply  adopted  a 
vague  accusation,  an  ambiguous  phrase,  at 
random  ?  Pilate's  reply  affirms  his  utter  in- 
difference to  matters  which  only  concerned 
(as  he  assumes)  a  despised  people.  "  Am  I 
a  Jew  ? "  Is  it  then  possible  for  me  to  care 
for  these  things?  Yet  in  the  words  which 
follow  he  implies  that  there  is  something 
strange  in  the  case.  The  Jews  were  ready  for 
the  most  part  to  favour  any  asserter  of  their 
national  liberty.  Now  they  had  brought  one 
called  their  King  to  be  put  to  death.  "  Thine 
own  nation"  (TO  fdvos  TO  o-w),  and  no  Roman 
informer,  "  and  the  chief  priests,  the  natural 
leaders  of  the  people,  delivered  (om.  have) 
thee  unto  me :  what  hast  thou  done  ?  or,  more 
exactly,  what  didst  thou  do,"  that  is,  to 
turn  those  who  would  naturally  favour  such 
as  thee  into  relentless  enemies  ? 

36.  Without  directly  replying  to  Pilate, 
the  Lord  indicates  the  real  ground  of  the  an- 
tagonism of  the  people  and  of  the  rulers  to 
Himself,  and  at  the  same  time  explains  how 
He  is  a  King :  "  His  kingdom  was  not  of  this 
world"  (Kocrjaos).  He  would  not  make  any 
concessions  to  the  false  patriotism  of  zealots 
(vi.  15),  and  yet  He  did  claim  a  sovereignty, 
a  sovereignty  of  which  the  spring  and  source 
was  not  of  earth  but  of  heaven.  In  both 
respects  He  was  opposed  to  those  who  pro- 
fessed from  different  sides  to  represent  the 
nation  ("the  Jews").  But  as  a  spiritual 
King  He  was  open  to  no  accusation  of  hosti- 
lity to  the  empire.  His  willing  surrender 
was  a  sufficient  proof  that  he  had  never  con- 
templated violence. 

My  kingdom  ...my  kingdom  ...my  servants 
(uTTTjperat,  officers,  -w.  3,  12,  &c.)]  The  pos- 
sebsive  pronoun  is  in  each  case  emphasized : 
"  the  kingdom,  the  servants  (i.e.  disciples  and 


apostles),  who  truly  answer  to  me,  to  my 
nature  and  my  will."  Comp.  xv.  u,  note, 
xii.  26.  There  is  an  obvious  reference  to  the 
Jewish  conceptions  of  a  kingdom  and  to  the 
Jewish  "officers."  The  use  of  the  word 
vtrr)pfTT)s  (here  only  of  Christians  in  the  Gos- 
pels, comp.  i  Cor.  iv.  i ;  Acts  xiii.  5)  corre- 
sponds with  the  royal  dignity  which  Christ 
assumes. 

is  not  of  this  world  . . .  hence"]  does  not  de- 
rive its  origin  or  its  support  from  earthly  forces. 
Comp.viii.  23, xv.  19,  xvii.  14, 16;  i  John  ii.  16, 
iv.  5.  At  the  same  time  Christ's  kingdom  is 
"in  the  world,"  even  as  His  disciples  are 
(xvii.  u).  This  verse  serves  as  a  comment 
on  Matt.  ii.  i  ff.,  and  brings  out  the  full 
force  of  St  Matthew's  characteristic  term  "the 
kingdom  of  heaven."  The  solemnity  of  the 
rhythmical  balance  of  the  sentence  in  the  ori- 
ginal cannot  but  be  felt:  "My  kingdom  ... 
not  of  this  world  ...  if  of  this  world  ...  my 
kingdom."  The  substitution  of  "hence"  for 
"of  this  world"  in  the  last  clause  appears  to 
define  the  idea  of  the  world  by  an  immediate 
reference  to  the  representatives  of  it  close  at 
hand. 

fight}  The  original  (riya>vi£ovTo)  describes  a 
continuous  effort,  and  not  merely  one  definite 
conflict:  "they  would  now  be  striving"  (Luke 
xiii.  24 ;  i  Cor.  ix.  25  ;  i  Tim.  vi.  12  ;  2  Tim. 
iv.  7),  and  not  "  they  would  have  fought "  at 
the  moment  of  my  arrest. 

the  Jews']  The  title  occurs  in  the  record 
of  the  Lord's  words,  iv.  22,  xiii.  33,  and 
above,  v.  20  (comp.  xi.  8).  The  colour  of 
the  word  in  these  places  is  slightly  different 
from  that  which  it  bears  in  the  Evangelist's 
narrative.  The  simple  idea  of  nationality 
prevails  over  that  of  religious  antagonism. 

but  now]  As  the  case  really  stands,  ix.  41, 
xv.  22,  24. 

37.  Art  thou  a  king  then  f]  The  particle 
(OVKOVV),  which  occurs  here  only  in  the  New 
Testament,  gives  a  tinge  of  irony  to  the 
words,  which  are  half  interrogative  in  form 
and  half  an  exclamation :  "  So  then,  after  all, 
thou  art  a  king  ? "  This  scornful  tone  is  fur- 
ther accentuated  by  the  personal  pronoun  at 
the  end  ot  the  sentence:  "thou,  a  helpless 
prisoner."  Comp.  v.  33,  i.  si,  iv.  19,  viii. 
48. 

Thou  sayest...']  The  Lord  neither  definitely 
accepts  nor  rejects  the  title.  He  leaves  the  claim 


.  38.] 


ST.  JOHN.    XVIII. 


261 


king.  To  this  end  was  I  born,  and 
for  this  cause  came  I  into  the  world, 
that  I  should  bear  witness  unto  the 


truth.    Every  one  that  is  of  the  truth 
heareth  my  voice. 

38   Pilate  saith  unto  him,  What 


as  Pilate  had  put  it  forward.  Pilate  had  quoted 
the  words  of  others,  and  the  Lord  had  made 
clear  in  what  general  sense  they  must  be  inter- 
preted. He  now  signifies  further  the  founda- 
tion and  character  of  His  sovereignty,  and  the 
right  which  He  has  to  the  allegiance  of  men. 

that  I  am  ...]  The  translation  Thou  sayest 
(i.e.  rightly),  because  I  am  ...  seems  to  be 
both  unnatural  as  a  rendering  of  the  original 
phrase,  and  alien  from  the  context. 

To  this  end  (ds  rovro)  ...  that  («/a,  in  order 
that)]  The  first  words  (To  this  end)  affirm 
generally  the  fact  of  the  sovereignty  which 
Christ  exercised:  He  was  born  for  the  very 
purpose  that  He  should  reign ;  and  the  last 
(that  I  may)  the  special  application  of  it :  His 
reign  was  directed  to  the  execution  of  a  divine 
purpose.  Comp.  Acts  ix.  21;  Rom.  xiv.  9; 
a  Cor.  ii.  9;  i  Pet.  iii.  9,  iv.  6;  i  John  iii.  8. 

<was  I  born.. .for  this  cause  came  /...]  have 
I  been  born.. .to  this  end  am  I  come  into 
the  world  ...  The  two  phrases  appear  to 
correspond  in  part  with  the  two  in  ch.  xvi.  28, 
"1  came  out  from  the  Father,  and  am  come 
into  the  world."  The  first  marks  the  entrance 
upon  a  new  form  of  being,  the  second  defines 
the  sphere  of  the  Lord's  mission  (comp.  ix. 
39,  note).  Or  again,  the  first  marks  the  be- 
ginning of  the  earthly  life,  the  second  the  pre- 
existence  with  the  Father.  But  as  addressed 
to  Pilate  the  words  declared  only  the  human 
birth  (comp.  Luke  i.  35,  TO  yewmfifvov), 
though  a  deeper  meaning  lies  beneath  them. 
The  emphatic  pronoun  at  the  head  of  the 
sentence  (tytu  ds  TOVTO  ...),  and  the  repeated 
clause  to  this  end,  fix  attention  upon  the 
Speaker  and  His  office.  Christ  not  only 
affirms  the  fact  of  His  kingship,  but  also 
bases  the  fact  upon  the  essential  law  of  His 
being.  He  places  His  own  Person  (eya>)  in 
contrast  with  all  other  men,  whether  they 
disbelieve  (as  Pilate)  or  believe.  And  He 
describes  His  coming  as  permanent  in  its 
effects  (f\r/\vdo)  and  not  simply  as  a  past 
historic  fact  (rfKdov). 

bear  witness  unto  the  truth...']  Truth,  abso- 
lute reality,  is  the  realm  of  Christ.  He  marks 
out  its  boundaries  ;  and  every  one  who  has  a 
vital  connexion  with  the  Truth  recognises 
His  sway.  He  does  not  only  "bear  witness 
concerning  the  truth"  (fiaprvptlv  Trept,  i.  7, 
8,  &c.),  but  "bears  witness  to,  maintains, 
the  truth"  (paprvpt'tv  nvi,  iii.  26),  as  John  had 
done  in  his  place,  v.  33.  Comp.  Acts  x.  43, 
xv.  8,  &c. ;  3  John  12. 

that  is  of  the  truth]  who  draws  from  the 
truth  the  inspiration  of  his  life  (comp.  i  John 
ii.  21,  iii.  19).  The  phrase  is  parallel  to 
"that  is  of  God"  (viii.  47,  note).  Comp. 


also  v.  36,  iii.  31,  viii.  23,  xv.  19,  xvii.  14; 
i  John  ii.  1 6,  iii.  8  ff.,  and  in  a  wider  sense 
x.  16;  Col.  iv.  ii.  All  who  thus  depend  on 
that  which  is  Christ's  are  His  proper  subjects. 
For  the  whole  answer  comp.  i  Tim.  vi.  13. 
It  is  of  great  interest  to  compare  this  "con- 
fession" before  Pilate  with  the  corresponding 
"confession"  before  the  high-priest,  Matt. 
xxvi.  64.  The  one  addressed  to  Jews  is 
framed  in  the  language  of  prophecy,  the  other 
addressed  to  a  Roman  appeals  to  the  univer- 
sal testimony  of  conscience.  The  one  speaks 
of  a  future  manifestation  of  glory,  the  other 
speaks  of  a  present  manifestation  of  truth. 
The  one  looks  forward  to  the  Return,  the 
other  looks  backward  to  the  Incarnation.  It 
is  obvious  how  completely  they  answer  seve- 
rally to  the  circumstances  of  the  two  occa- 
sions. 

the  truth]  Compare  Introd.  p.  xliv.  Light- 
foot  on  ch.  vi.  27  quotes  two  remarkable  pas- 
sages which  illustrate  one  idea  of  the  word : 
"  When  the  great  synagogue  had  been  weep- 
ing, praying,  and  fasting,  for  a  long  time,  a 
little  roll  fell  from  the  firmament  to  them  in 
which  was  written  Truth.  R.  Chaniach 
saith,  Hence  learn  that  Truth  is  the  seal  of 
God."  ('Sanh.  Bab.'  f.  64.  i.)  And  again: 
"  What  is  the  seal  of  the  holy  blessed  God  ? 
R.  Bibai,  in  the  name  of  R.  Reuben,  saith 
'Truth'  (DDK).  But  what  is  Truth  ?  R.Bon 
saith,  The  living  God  and  King  eternal.  Resh 
Lachish  saith,  X  is  the  first  letter  of  the  alpha- 
bet, J3  the  middle,  and  T\  the  last :  that  is,  I 
the  Lord  am  the  first  ...  and  beside  me  there 
is  no  God  ...  and  I  am  with  the  last"  ('Sanh. 
Hieros.'  f.  1 8). 

The  Lord's  confession  includes  the  fulfil- 
ment of  the  double  hope.  He  is  the  King  of 
the  people  of  God,  and  the  universal  Saviour. 
Comp.  iv.  25  ff.,  ix.  35  ff. 

38.  What  is  truth?']  The  question  of 
Pilate  does  not  deal  with  absolute  Truth— the 
Truth  as  one — of  which  the  Lord  had  spoken 
(77  oXij&ta),  but  simply  with  truth  in  any 
particular  case  (aXijdfta).  There  is  nothing 
of  real  reverence  or  seriousness  in  his  words, 
still  less  of  awe.  He  does  not  shape,  even  in 
passing  thought,  a  subject  for  earnest  inquiry, 
but  half  sadly,  half  cynically,  implies  that  even 
in  ordinary  matters  truth  is  unattainable.  It 
was  so  evidently  to  his  mind  in  the  matter 
before  him ;  but  so  much  at  least  was  plain  to 
his  Roman  clearness  of  vision,  that  the  pri- 
soner accused  by  His  countrymen  was  no 
political  intriguer.  He  therefore  impatiently 
breaks  off  the  examination  which  had  (as  he 
fancied)  shewn  him  enough  to  decide  the  case, 

S2 


262 


ST.  JOHN.    XVIII. 


[v.  39,  40. 


»  Matt 
27.  is- 


is  truth  ?  And  when  he  had  said  this, 
he  went  out  again  unto  the  Jews,  and 
saith  unto  them,  I  find  in  him  no 
fault  at  all. 

39  **But  ye  have  a  custom,  that 
I   should    release  unto    you    one    at 


the  passover :  will  ye  therefore  that 
I  release  unto  you  the  King  of  the 
Jews  ? 

40    n  Then   cried    they  all   again,  * 
saying,  Not  this  man,  but  Barabbas. 
Now  Barabbas  was  a  robber. 


that  he  may  obtain  the  release  of  Jesus  if  pos- 
sible. Corn,  a  Lapide  gives  an  interesting 
series  of  answers  to  the  question,  "What  is 
truth?"  from  classical  and  patristic  writers. 
Though  they  have  no  direct  connexion  with 
Pilate's  thought  they  will  repay  study. 

The  sending  to  Herod  (Luke  xxiii.  6  ff.) 
must  be  placed  between  w.  37,  39. 

3.  "W.  38 — 40.  Without  the  Prxtorium.  The 
judgment  of  Pilate  and  the  judgment  of  the 
Jews.  The  sentence,  the  offer,  the  demand, 
Jesus  and  Barabbas. 

38  ff.  And  when  ...]  The  incident  that 
follows  is  a  complete  revelation  of  a  weak 
worldly  character.  Pilate  addressed  himself, 
as  it  seems,  not  to  the  leading  accusers  of 
Jesus  (the  high-priests  and  Pharisees),  but  to 
the  crowd  which  had  now  gathered  round 
them.  He  trusted  that  an  expression  of  popu- 
lar feeling  would  enable  him  to  follow  his 
own  judgment  without  incurring  any  unpopu- 
larity. He  saw  that  Jesus  was  evidently  the 
victim  of  a  party  (Matt,  xxvii.  18),  and  per- 
haps of  a  small  party.  Moreover  the  festival 
allowed  him  to  effect  his  purpose  without 
absolutely  setting  aside  the  sentence  of  the 
Sanhedrin.  He  suggests  therefore  that  Jesus 
should  be  released  according  to  the  custom  of 
the  Passover.  From  the  narrative  of  St  Mark 
it  appears  that  the  demand  for  the  fulfilment 
of  this  act  of  grace  was  first  made  by  "the 
multitude"  who  had  come  up  to  the  gover- 
nor's house  (di/a/3as,  Mark  xv.  8),  and  it  is 
not  unlikely  that  some  at  least  of  the  people 
hoped  in  this  way  (like  Pilate)  to  deliver 
Jesus.  The  name  of  a  notorious  criminal  was 
coupled  with  that  of  Jesus  (Matt,  xxvii.  17), 
that  the  wish  of  the  people  might  be  expressed 
more  decisively.  When  the  choice  was  put 
to  them  there  was  for  a  time  a  division  of 
feeling,  or  hesitation  (Mark  xv.  u,  note).  At 
length  the  high-priests  prevailed  (comp.  ch. 


xix.  6),  and  Pilate  was  then  overpowered  by 
the  popular  cry,  from  which  he  had  expected 
to  obtain  convenient  support.  He  had  no 
firmness  to  support  him  when  his  scheme  had 
failed ;  and  at  last,  by  a  strange  irony,  he  was 
forced  to  release  a  man  guilty  of  the  very 
form  of  crime  which  the  chief  priests  had 
tried  to  fasten  upon  Christ. 

/  jind  in  him  no  fault  at  all]  I  fnd  no 
charge  (or  crime)  in  him.  The  pronoun  is 
emphatic  here  and  xix.  6  (not  in  xix.  4),  and 
contains  an  implied  contrast  between  the  par- 
tizanship  of  the  priests  and  the  calm  judg- 
ment of  the  Roman  governor. 

39.  at  the  passover]    The  custom  is  made 
more  general  in  St  Matthew  (xxvii.  15)  and 
StMark  (xv.  6),  "at  feast  time"  (KOTO,  (opmjv). 
Nothing  is  known  of  the  origin  of  the  cus- 
tom, nor  is  it  (as  far  as  appears)  noticed  any- 
where except  in  the  Gospels.     Comp.  Matt, 
xxvii.  15,  note. 

the  King  of  the  Jews']  The  title  is  probably 
used,  as  afterwards  (xix.  15),  to  throw  con- 
tempt on  the  pretensions  of  the  Jewish  lead- 
ers. 

40.  Then   cried  they   all  again  ...]     They 
cried  out  therefore  again  with  the  loud 
cry  which  will  make  itself  heard  (e/cpavyacrai/). 
Comp.  xi.  43,  xii.  13,  xix.  6,  la,  15.     The 
people,  in  spite  of  their  late  enthusiasm,  were 
driven  by  their  selfish  hopes  to  prefer  one  who 
had  at  least  defied  the  Roman  power  to  their 
divine  King. 

again]  The  word  is  a  singular  mark  of  the 
brevity  of  St  John's  narrative,  which  assumes 
much  as  known.  The  previous  demands  of 
the  people  have  not  been  noticed  by  him. 

a  robber]  One  of  those  outlaws  who  not 
unfrequently  (Acts  xxi.  38)  covered  their  vio- 
lence with  a  cloke  of  patriotism  (comp.  Luke 
xxiii.  19;  Mark  xv.  7;  Matt,  xxvii.  16,  note). 
There  is  an  impressive  pathos  in  the  brief 
clause.  Comp.  xiii.  30. 


ADDITIONAL   NOTES   on   CHAP.  xvm. 


12—24.  It  is  interesting  to  compare  the 
narratives  of  the  Lord's  trial  preserved  by  the 
Evangelists  with  the  rules  laid  down  in  Jewish 
tradition  for  the  conduct  of  such  cases.  It 
may  be  impossible  to  determine  the  antiquity 
of  the  contents  of  the  Mishna,  but  the  follow- 
ing brief  summary  of  the  contents  of  the  Tract 
'Sanhedrin,'  so  far  as  they  bear  upon  the  sub- 


ject, will  shew  in  what  respects  the  proceed- 
ings as  to  the  Lord  agreed  with  and  differed 
from  what  was  received  as  law  at  a  very  early 
date. 

Capital  offences  were  tried  by  an  assembly 
of  twenty-three  (ch.  i  §  4) :  a  false  prophet 
could  be  tried  only  by  the  great  Sanhedrin,  or 
assembly  of  seventy-one  (ch.  i  §  5). 


ST.  JOHN.    XVIII. 


The  witnesses  were  strictly  and  separately 
examined  in  all  cases,  and  the  agreement  of 
two  was  held  to  be  valid  (ch.  3  §  6  •  ch.  5 
§§  i  ff.). 

In  capital  cases  the  witnesses  were  specially 
charged  as  to  the  momentous  consequences 
of  their  testimony,  and  cautioned  as  to  the 
peril  of  destroying  life  (ch.  4  §  5),  and  they 
were  to  say  nothing  by  conjecture  or  hear- 
say. 

The  judges  sat  in  a  semicircle,  the  president 
being  in  the  middle,  so  that  all  might  be  face 
to  face  (ch.  4  §  3)- 

.  In  capital  cases  everything  was  so  arranged 
as  to  give  the  accused  the  benefit  of  the  doubt, 
and  with  this  view  the  votes  for  acquittal 
were  taken  first  (ch.  4  §  i). 

In  civil  cases  the  trial  might  be  continued 
and  decided  by  night;  and  a  decision  either 
way  might  be  given  on  the  day  of  trial.  In 
capital  cases  the  trial  could  take  place  only  by 
day ;  and  while  an  acquittal  might  be  pro- 
nounced on  the  day  of  trial,  a  sentence  of 
condemnation  could  not  be  given  till  the  next 
day.  Hence  such  cases  could  not  be  tried  on 
the  eve  of  a  Sabbath  or  of  a  Feast  (ch.  4  §  i : 
comp.  ch.  5  §5). 

Even  on  the  way  to  execution  opportunity 
was  given  to  the  condemned,  four  or  five 
times,  if  need  were,  to  bring  forward  fresh 
pleas  (ch.  6  §  i) ;  and  at  the  last  he  was 
urged  to  confession,  that  he  might  not  be  lost 
hereafter  (ch.  6  §  a).  A  crier  preceded  the 
condemned,  saying,  "A.  B.  the  son  of  A.  B. 
goes  forth  to  be  stoned  for  such  and  such  an 
offence  :  the  witnesses  are  C.  and  D.  If  any 
one  can  prove  his  innocence,  let  him  come 
forward  and  give  his  reasons"  (ch.  6  §  i). 

In  cases  of  blasphemy  the  witnesses  were 
rigorously  examined  as  to  the  exact  language 
used  by  the  accused.  If  their  evidence  was 
definite  the  judges  stood  and  rent  their  gar- 
ments (ch.  7  §  c). 

The  blasphemer  was  to  be  stoned  (ch.  7 
§  4).  After  stoning  he  was  to  be  hung  upon 
a  gibbet  (ch.  6  §  4),  and  taken  down  before 
night  (id.)  and  buried  in  a  common  grave 
provided  for  the  purpose  (ch.  6  §  5). 

13.  Derenbourg  ('  Essai  sur  1'Histoire  et  la 
Geographic  de  la  Palestine,'  Paris,.  1867)  has 
called  attention  (pp.  466  ff.)  to  a  remarkable 
passage  of  the  Talmud  ('Jer.  Taanith,'  iv 
8),  which  mentions  that  "on  the  Mount  of 
Olives  there  were  two  cedars,  under  one  of 
which  were  four  booths  (shops,  nvwn)  for 
the  sale  of  objects  legally  pure.  In  one  of 
these,  pigeons  enough  were  sold  for  the  sacri- 
fices of  all  Israel."  He  conjectures  that  these 
booths  were  [part  of]  "the  famous  booths  of 
the  sons  of  Hanan  (Annas),"  to  which  the 
Sanhedrin  retired  when  it  left  the  chamber 
"Gazith"  (see  Add.  Note  on  v.  31).  The 
identification  seems  to  be  very  plausible,  not- 
withstanding Keim's  peremptory  contradiction 


263 


(in.  35 »,  note).  Yet  see  the  note  on  Matt 
xxvii.  i.  But  whether  "the  booths"  were 
on  the  Mount  of  Olives  or  adjoining  the 
temple,  the  place  was  the  seat  of  the  dominant 
faction  of  Annas,  the  centre  of  their  hier- 
archical tyranny.  The  night  meeting  of  mem- 
bers of  the  Sanhedrin  favourable  to  their 
policy  would  therefore  naturally  be  held 
there.  The  regular  meeting  in  the  morning 
of  the  whole  body  (Matt,  xxvii.  i)  was,  on 
the  other  hand  (as  it  appears),  held  in  the  old 
place  of  assembly,  "  Gazith"  (Matt,  xxvii.  5, 
ptyas  ev  TW  yaw).  The  language  of  St  Luke 
points  clearly  to  the  difference  of  place  of  the 
two^  examinations  (xxii.  66,  dnrfyayov  els  TO 
(rvveSpiov  avT<nv,  as  contrasted  with  xxii.  54, 
fls  TOV  OIKOV  TOV  apxifptas).  Perhaps  it 
will  be  felt  that  the  record  gams  in  solemnity 
if  the  Mount  of  Olives  was  the  one  scene  of  all 
the  events  of  the  night.  Even  the  mention  of 
Kidron  by  the  secondary  and  popular  name 
of  the  "  ravine  of  the  cedars  "  may  contain  an 
allusion  to  a  scandal  felt  as  a  grievous  burden 
at  the  time  when  the  priests  gained  wealth 
from  the  sale  of  victims  by  the  "  two  cedars." 
"  The  booths  of  the  sons  of  Hanan,"  tradition 
adds,  "  were  destroyed  three  years  before  the 
destruction  of  the  temple"  (Derenbourg, 
P.  468). 

17,  18,  25—27.  The  differences  in  detail, 
which  occur  in  the  records  of  the  threefold 
denial  of  the  Lord  by  St  Peter,  offer  a  sin- 
gularly instructive  subject  for  study.  The 
fact  is  one  of  the  very  few  related  at  length 
by  the  four  Evangelists,  and  it  offers  a  crucial 
test  for  determining,  in  some  aspects,  the  cha- 
racter of  the  narratives  of  the  Gospels. 

It  must  be  premised : — 

i.  That  each  Evangelist  records  the  pre- 
diction of  a  threefold  denial : — 

Matt  xxvi.  34  ("before  the  cock  crow  thou 
shalt  deny  me  thrice"). 

Mark  xiv.  30  ("before  the  cock  crow  twice 
thou  shalt  deny  me  thrice"). 

Luke  xxii.  34  ("the  cock  shall  not  crow 
this  day  until  thou  hast  thrice  denied  that 
thou  knowest  me"). 

John  xiii.  38  ("the  cock  shall  not  crow  till 
thou  hast  denied  me  thrice"). 

In  St  Matthew  and  St  Mark  the  prediction 
occurs  atter  the  mention  of  the  departure  from 
the  upper  room ;  in  St  Luke  and  St  John, 
during  the  account  of  the  Supper.  The  par- 
ticles of  connexion  in  the  first  two  Gospels 
("then"  [St  Matthew],  "and"  [St  Mark]) 
do  not  require,  though  they  suggest,  chronolo- 
gical sequence.  There  is  no  difficulty  in  sup- 
posing either  that  the  record  of  the  words  has 
been  transposed  by  St  Matthew  and  St  Mark, 
or  that  the  prediction  was  repeated.  Such 
repetitions  belong  naturally  to  a  crisis  of  con- 
centrated excitement. 

i.  That  each  Evangelist  records  three  acts 
of  denial : — 


264  ST.  JOHN.   XVIII. 

Matt.  xxvi.  70,  72,  74.  "S,  jj  £            .w                         ^   :  «> 

Mark  xiv.  68,  70,  71.  &  tJ  *"'                                          £j  «i'-5 

Lukexxii.  57,  58,  60.  l^g- 

John  xviii.  17,  25,  27.  •  •£  S  "^ 

The  first  three  Evangelists  specially  notice  *«  IH  "*  15                                          I  "o  5~ 

the  fulfilment  of  the  prediction :  Matt.  xxvi.  |  .£  S  -3             *o 

75;  Mark  xiv.  72;  Luke  xxii.  61.     St  John  *S  3  3°  u              °                           n^jz'Za 

does  not,  though  he  obviously  recalls  the  words  :~  g  8  J3 

spoken:  xviii.  27,  compared  with  xiii.  38.  >  <u      U              o                           5  ^  ^  .2 

It  may  be  added  that  the  narratives  of  St  s  "i.! «      if    "•*                           &  S  « to 

Matthew  and  St  Mark  represent  in  the  main  -gin""1          -g      s         ^         ~    ^  ^  ^  .5 

one  original.     The  narratives  of  St  Luke  and  >~>rct  £~ '55     ^     ^  7|     -3          i  '.S  fc  | 

St  John  are  independent  of  one  another  and  "o  .2  2      3      +tM                  5    £  ^  £  £ 

of  the  other  two.  |— >     i>  g  -g     <5  '§*    E 

Under  these  circumstances  the  question 
arises  (i)  Whether  the  four  Evangelists  re- 
late the  same  three  acts  of  denial ;  and  then 

(2)  if  so,  whether  the  differences  in  detail  °  'I  -5  "o 

admit  of  being  reconciled.  •&  tj  _  j2           .         '>, 

It  will  be  most  convenient  to  examine  in  •*-  u  <=  _>,        .£ 

succession  the  four  narratives  of  the  first,  ^         g  H 

second,  and  third  denials,  noticing  the  signifi-  "p.J:  "g  ^  g         .-ti          ^ 

cant  points  in  each.  i,  "^  rt  -12  S                     -c-        •- 

(Table  A.)    Here  there  is  an  agreement  (a)  ^'"^x-v    ~     « 

as  to  the  place  of  the  incident,  the  court  of  the  :g  ¥?  3  g  S  •"« 

high  priest's  palace,  "outside"  and  "beneath"  .B^-^f  •     •§         2         -^ 

the  room  in  which  the  Lord  was  being  exam-  ^"^tuo^S'^                     M 

ined,  and  more  particularly  by  "  the  fire "  which  J  1     •§  -5  "^                             §" 

had  been  lighted  there.    St  John  mentions  the  u  .S  J{  ^*  §                 ^ 

"standing  by  the  fire"  after  the  fact  of  the       .       €  <-Tf^*5<    ^  s         > 
denial,  but  evidently  in  connexion  with  it.            "^       PH  £  -5  S  j^     H         PQ 

(£)  As  to  the  chief  actor,  "a  maid"  (Trat-     rj  5  2  — .5 
S/O-KJJ),  further  described  by  St  Mark  as  "a     ,_j 

maid  of  the  high  priest,"  and  defined  by  St     W         -n-.  >  ^3         «»-i  •-• 

John   as    "  the  maid  that  kept  the  door."     ^        3  °  « J<  13 

There  is  not  the  least   indication    that   the  S.'S  <u  8 

"maid"  of  St  Matthew  and  St  Mark  could  ij  I*'||         ^ 

not  be  the  portress.  oo  "S  <u  c "«                     IT        "2 

(f )  As  to  the  fact  of  a  direct  address  to  St  "?  IS  **  *!  Sf        ^          § 

Peter,  and  of  a  reply  by  him  to  the  speaker.  <o  t«  %      «                                 S3 

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as  to  what  was  said.  .>  £  g  w  ^  -^      ^         ^        '§  -y 

On  the  other  hand,  the  Synoptists  speak  of  *  %      £  <££                 £         ^  >, 

St  Peter  as  "  sitting,"  St  John  as  "  standing,"  5      5  'g  *1  *     ^          ° 

and  the  words  recorded  are  different.     But  S^2o,|g      ^^      4,          £§ 

there  is  no  difference  as  to  time.     The  inci-  Pny"§>^'.3      §  «     "5          §5 

dent  mentioned  by  St  Matthew  and  St  Mark  «  o>  'Js  fe  c     g  5 

may  have  occurred  at  any  time  after  entrance  jq  jB  J*  o,        3 
into  the  court  (Matt.  xxvi.  58;  Mark  xiv. 
54). 

(Table  B.)  Here  the  records  are  much  more  £  g"                *8         r=T 

complicated :  (a)  Two  places  are  mentioned,  """  £                  „ 

the  "  fore-court "  (St  Mark),  with  which  the  -So                             6 

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.      <u  . 

of  the  former  denial.  <j-e 


and  the  fire  in  the  court  which  was  the  scene  S.  J2 

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tion  of  St  Peter  :  "the  same  maid"  as  before  •>'  c*^ 

(St  Mark),  "another  maid"  (St  Matthew),  £                     £ 

"  another  man  "  (St  Luke),  are  specified,  and  tj  ^  "^                  o                     -g 

St  John  says,  generally,  "they  said,"  i.e.  the  ^  g 

bystanders.  ^  f  c                           £          & 

But  it  will  be  noticed  that  St  Luke  alone  |5  1         tS    J  i!     «-•  &S 

singles  out  one  man  who  addresses  St  Peter,  $  "§         .5     f_,  2     ^  .S^     ^ 

and  to  whom  personally  St  Peter  replies.  The  §          85         O 


ST.  JOHN.    XVIII. 


265 


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266 


ST.  JOHN.    XVIII. 


words  of  accusation  recorded  by  St  Mat- 
thew and  St  Mark  are  not  addressed  to  St 
Peter  at  all,  but  spoken  among  the  groups 
of  servants,  and  St  Mark  implies  a  repeated 
denial  (??'pi/elro).  The  words  recorded  by  St 
John  express  apparently  what  was  said  by 
several.  So  also  the  denials  recorded  by  St 
Matthew,  St  Mark,  and  St  John,  are  not 
given  as  addressed  to  any  particular  person, 
as  in  the  former  case.  They  simply  record 
the  fact  of  denial. 

(Table  C.)  Here  again  the  narratives  are 
complicated.  There  is  no  mention  of  place; 
but  some  time,  "about  an  hour"  (St  Luke), 
has  elapsed  since  the  last  denial.  In  St  Mat- 
thew and  St  Mark  the  charge  is  addressed  to 
St  Peter  by  many  ("they  that  stood  by"). 
In  St  Luke  the  question  and  answer  are  both 
personal ;  in  St  John  the  question  is  direct, 
but  no  specific  answer  is  recorded. 

The  charges  in  this  case  are  all  supported 
by  some  personal  identification  of  St  Peter. 

If  now  we  endeavour  to  realise  the  scene  it 
will,  I  think,  be  clear  that  there  were  three 
crises,  three  acts  of  denial.  The  first  was  an 
isolated  incident,  and  the  others  in  part  arose 
out  of  it.  The  portress  made  no  remark 
when  St  John  brought  in  his  friend.  It  was 
not  likely  that  she  should  do  so.  But  after- 
wards, noticing  him  by  the  fire-light,  she 
spoke  directly  to  him.  The  slight  differences 
in  detail  admit  of  easy  explanation.  St  Pe- 
ter's restlessness  is  evident  throughout  the 
scene. 

After  St  Peter  had  made  his  denial  and 
then  withdrawn,  the  subject  was  not  for- 
gotten. The  portress,  when  she  saw  him 
again,  after  some  interval,  on  being  called  to 
the  door,  spoke  of  him  to  others.  One  and 
another  accused  him.  Probably  at  the  time 
he  made  no  answer,  but  went  away,  and  ven- 
tured to  return  to  the  fire.  Here  again  a 
definite  accusation  was  made  and  a  denial  fol- 
lowed; but  the  imperfect  in  St  Mark  seems 
to  indicate  that  the  denial  was  in  some  way 
repeated.  The  third  incident  is  similar.  Con- 
versation had  been  going  on.  St  Peter  had 
joined  in  it.  His  dialect  shewed  his  origin. 
One  of  the  servants  recognised  him.  There- 
upon many  brought  the  charge  against  him, 
and  St  Peter  met  his  assailants  at  once  with 
words  fragmentarily  preserved  in  the  different 
narratives. 

Briefly  then,  let  the  scene  be  realised,  with 
all  the  excitement  of  the  night  trial  and  the 
universal  gathering  of  servants  and  officers, 
and  the  separate  details  given  by  the  different 
Evangelists  will  be  found  completely  in  har- 
mony with  the  belief  that  there  were  three 
"denials,"  that  is  three  acts  of  denial,  of 
which  the  several  writers  have  taken  such 
features  as  seemed  to  be  most  significant  for 
their  purpose.  Thus  in  the  narrative  of  St 
John  there  is  an  evident  climax  in  the  suc- 
cession of  questioners:  the  portress,  the  by- 


standers generally,  a  man  who  claims  direct 
knowledge. 

19 — 24.  The  true  reading  in  v.  24  (Annas 
therefore  sent  him. . . ,  d-rrecrTeiXf  v  ovv. . .)  involves 
the  consequence  that  the  examination  noticed 
in  inj.  19 — 23  is  not  any  part  of  the  official 
examination  before  Caiaphas  and  the  Sanhe- 
drin  (Matt.  xxvi.  57,  59 — 68  ;  Mark  xiv.  53, 
55 — 65),  but  previous  to  it.  The  same  sense 
is  given  by  the  simple  aorist  without  the  con- 
junction (Annas  sent  him  ...),  though  less 
sharply.  The  character  of  the  examination 
itself  leads  to  the  same  result.  The  examina- 
tion in  St  John  is  evidently  informal  and  pri- 
vate (comp.  Matt.  xxvi.  57,  note).  The  Lord 
Himself  is  questioned,  but  there  is  no  mention 
of  witnesses  (Matt.  xxvi.  60  ff.),  no  adjura- 
tion, no  sentence,  no  sign  of  any  legal  process. 
If  v.  21  implies  that  others  were  present  be- 
sides the  retinue  of  the  high-priest,  they  took 
no  part  in  the  proceedings  (contrast  Matt. 
xxvi.  66  ff.).  On  the  other  hand,  if  Annas 
was  really  the  soul  of  the  Sadducaean  faction, 
nothing  would  be  more  natural  than  that  he 
should  provide  for  a  preliminary  interrogation 
which  might  decide  the  course  to  be  taken  in 
the  Sanhedrin.  There  might  still  be  opposition 
there.  As  it  was,  the  accusers  were  in  fact 
driven  to  seek  evidence  from  the  Lord's  hear- 
ers, and  to  confess  that  it  was  inadequate  for 
their  purpose.  Thus  baffled,  they  called  forth, 
under  the  most  solemn  circumstances,  His 
great  confession  as  Messiah.  It  may  be  added 
that  some  time  necessarily  elapsed  between  the 
arrest  of  the  Lord  and  His  appearance  before 
the  formal  session  of  the  Sanhedrin.  This 
interval  gave  opportunity  for  the  private  exa- 
mination. The  details  of  the  various  exami- 
nations, which  St  John  has  preserved,  all  bear 
upon  the  universal  aspect  of  Christ's  work, 
its  openness,  self-justification,  truthfulness, 
dependence  upon  the  divine  will.  It  will  fur- 
ther be  noticed  that  as  St  John  alone  gives 
the  private  examination  before  Annas,  so  also 
he  alone  gives  the  private  examination  before 
Pilate.  He  was  probably  present  at  both. 

31.  The  words  "  It  is  not  lawful  for  us  to 
put  any  man  to  death"  have  been  interpreted  to 
mean  that  the  Jews  could  not  inflict  a  capital 
sentence  at  this  particular  time  (the  Passover), 
or  in  the  particular  manner  which  they  de- 
sired (crucifixion).  But  there  is  nothing  in 
the  context  to  justify  such  a  limitation  of  the 
sense.  The  whole  action  of  Pilate  (comp.  xix. 
10)  shews  that  the  question  of  life  and  death 
was  legally  in  his  hands  alone ;  and  the  words 
must  be  taken  as  a  simple  and  direct  state- 
ment that  the  Jews  could  not  put  to  death 
without  the  governor's  authority.  That  this 
was  so  appears  from  the  terms  which  describe 
the  procurator's  power  (Jos.  'Antt.'  xvm. 
i.  i;  compare  also  'Antt.'  xvi.  2.  4,  and 
xvi.  6).  There  is  also  a  remarkable  tradition 
preserved  in  different  forms  in  the  Talmud, 


ST.  JOHN.   XIX. 


267 


that  the  Sanhediin  left  their  proper  place  of 
assembly,  Gazith,  and  sat  in  Chanjuth  (forty 
years  before  the  destruction  of  the  temple). 
Now  it  was  forbidden  to  condemn  to  death 
except  in  Gazith  (see  'Avoda  Zara,'  ed.  Ed- 
zard,  pp.  6 1  ff.  and  notes). 

The  passages  quoted  from  the  New  Tes- 
tament (John  viii.  3,  59,  vii.  26 ;  Acts  v. 
33,  vii.  57  f.,  xxi.  27  ff.;  [Acts  xii.  4])  to 
prove  that  the  Jews  could  put  to  death,  only 
shew  that  the  Roman  governors  were  not 
unwilling  to  tolerate  exceptional  acts  of  vio- 
lence. Compare  also  Jos.  '  B.  J.'  vi.  2.  4,  and 
'  Antt.'  xx.  9.  i,  where  it  appears  that  the 
execution  of  James  the  Just  in  the  interval 
between  the  departure  of  one  governor  and 
the  arrival  of  his  successor  was  treated  as  a 
grave  usurpation  of  power. 

The  question  is  discussed  thoroughly  and 
conclusively  by  Langen,  in  a  paper  in  the 
'Theol.  Quartal-Schrift,'  1862,  in.  pp.  411  ff. 
Compare  also  the  same  writer's  '  Die  letzten 
Lebenst.'  §  256. 

NOTE  ON  THE  READINGS  IN  w.  1, 15,  24. 

1.  The  reading  of  this  verse  offers  points 
of  singular  interest.  The  great  majority  both 
of  ancient  and  later  authorities  give  ^.  TGJV 
Kitipav  (KCBCLX,  &c.,  most  cursives,  and 
Origen,  Cyril  Al.,  and  Chrysostom)  (i). 
Two  representatives  of  a  very  ancient  text 
(K*D)  give  rov  Kf&pov  (2).  Some  few 
copies,  which  generally  represent  a  later  text 
(AS,  &c.),  give  rov  KeSpai/  (3).  The  se- 
cond and  third  readings  may  be  grouped  toge- 
ther, for  both  represent  the  Hebrew  name 
Kidron,  though  in  different  forms  (K.t8p6v  or 
K«8pos — KtSpot,  cedar,  is  feminine — and  Ke- 
Sptov).  The  first,  on  the  other  hand,  substi- 
tutes for  the  Hebrew  name  a  significant  Greek 
name  (of  the  cedars)  which  is  found  also  in 
the  LXX.  (2  S.  xv.  23 ;  i  K.  xv.  13).  No 
one  of  the  versions  directly  supports  (i),  but 
the  Memphitic  reads  of  the  cedar  tree,  while 
the  cedri  of  some  old  Latin  copies  is  uncer- 
tain. The  Thebaic  and  the  JEthiopic  give 
Kedros  (masc.)  (2).  The  Vulgate,  Gothic,  and 
Armenian,  give  Kedron  (3). 


At  first  sight  it  seems  obvious  to  suggest 
that  an  original  reading,  rov  K«8p«i/,  gave 
rise  to  two  corrections  on  the  part  of  ignorant 
scribes,  who  altered  either  the  article  (TW 
KeSpai/)  or  the  noun  (roO  KeSpoC),  in  what 
they  supposed  to  be  a  false  concord. 

But  the  division  of  the  authorities  is  most 
unfavourable  to  this  view.  It  seems  incredible 
that  no  one  of  the  most  ancient  Greek  texts 
should  have  preserved  the  true  reading.  On 
the  other  hand,  the  name  Kidron  was  well 
known,  and  an  alteration  from  rcoi/  Ke'Spwj/  to 
rov  KeSpwj/  would  appear  as  plausible  to  a 
scribe  as  to  many  modern  scholars. 

It  must  be  added  that  the  use  of  the  name 
X-  TUV  Ke'Spaj'  in  the  LXX.  (i  K.  xv.  13, 
and  as  a  various  reading  in  2  S.  xv.  23  ;  i  K. 
iii.  37;  2  K.  xxiii.  6,  12),  supplies  fair  evi- 
dence that  it  was  current;  and  the  fact  that 
the  article  is  not  added  to  the  similar  forms, 
Kio-o-eoj'  (Kto-oSi')  and  'ApixSi/,  proves  conclu- 
sively that  the  name  was  not  an  accidental 
corruption.  In  Josephus  the  name  is  always 
declined  (jcfSpwi/,  -wi/os). 

Such  a  paronomasia  as  is  involved  in  the 
change  from  Kidron  to  "  of  the  cedars"  is  per- 
fectly natural ;  and  the  fact  that  cedars  were 
found  on  the  Mount  of  Olives  at  the  time 
(see  Note  on  v.  13)  gives  additional  likelihood 
to  the  change.  It  is  indeed  possible  that 
the  name  of  the  Wady  and  of  the  Torrent 
(ji V|jp  =  the  Black)  was  originally  derived  from 
the  "dark"  trees,  and  not  from  the  "dark" 
water. 

15.  The  best  authorities  (N*AB[D]) 
omit  the  article  (aXXoy,  not  6  aXAoj),  which 
is  not  expressed  in  A.  V. 

24.  An  overwhelming  preponderance  of 
evidence  (BC*LX  ir  33,  &c.)  requires  the 
insertion  of  therefore  (oZv).  This  reading, 
which  presents  considerable  difficulty  at  first 
sight,  was  variously  corrected:  first  by  sub- 
stituting now  (3<Q  for  therefore  (N  69,  &c.), 
and  then  by  omitting  the  conjunction  altoge- 
ther (A  and  much  later  MSS.) ;  and  a  few 
authorities  insert  the  whole  clause,  Annas  ... 
Caiaphas,  in  -v.  13,  with  therefore  or  now. 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

I  Christ  is  scourged,  crowned  ivith  thorns,  and 
beaten.  4  Pilate  is  desirous  to  release  him, 
but  being  overcome  with  the  outrage  of  the 


yews,  he  delivered  him  to  be  crucified. 
23  They  cast  lots  for  his  garments.  26  He 
commendeth  his  mother  to  John.  28  He 
dietk.  31  His  side  is  pierced.  38  He  is 
buried  by  Joseph  and  Nicodemus. 


4.      xix.  i — 3.      Within  the  Prxtorium.     The 
governor's  punishment.   The  soldiers'1  mockery. 
CHAP.  XIX.     1—3.     The  narrative  of  St 
John  leaves  no  doubt  that  the  "scourging" 
((uao~riya>(T(v)   was  inflicted  by  Pilate  as  a 
punishment  likely  to  satisfy  the  Jews.     They 
had  only  just  used  the  ominous  word  "cru- 
cify" (Luke  xxiii   ai),  though  they  pointed 


to  it  from  the  first  (xviii.  31).  The  governor 
therefore  thought  that  as  he  had  humoured 
them  by  the  release  of  Barabbas  they  might 
be  contented  with  the  ignominy  inflicted 
on  the  alleged  pretender  to  royalty  without 
insisting  on  His  death.  This  is  distinctly 
brought  out  in  Luke  xxiii.  ^22  ("I  will 
therefore  chastise  him  jVaiSevo™],  and  let 


268 


ST.  JOHN.    XIX. 


[v.  1—4. 


«  Matt.  27. 
26. 


THEN  a  Pilate  therefore  took  Je- 
sus, and  scourged  him. 
2  And  the  soldiers  platted  a  crown 
of  thorns,  and  put  it  on  his  head,  and 
they  put  on  him  a  purple  robe, 


3  And   said,    Hail,    King   of  the 
Jews !  and  they  smote  him  with  their 
hands. 

4  Pilate  therefore  went  forth  again, 
and  saith  unto  them,  Behold,  I  bring 


him  go").  It  is  not  however  to  be  supposed 
that  when  Christ  was  condemned  to  be 
crucified  the  scourging  was  repeated.  The 
passing  references  (0payeXX<u<ras)  in  St  Mat- 
thew (xxvii.  26)  and  St  Mark  (xv.  15)— St 
Luke  is  silent, — though  they  would  convey  the 
impression  that  the  scourging  immediately 
preceded  the  crucifixion,  according  to  the 
common,  but  not  universal,  custom,  do  not 
necessarily  bear  that  meaning.  There  is  there- 
fore no  real  discrepancy  between  the  accounts 
of  the  Synoptists  and  of  St  John.  The  ac- 
counts of  the  mockery  by  the  soldiers  are 
to  be  explained  otherwise.  From  the  narra- 
tive of  St  John  it  is  evident  that  the  Lord 
was  insulted  by  the  emblems  of  mock  royalty 
before  His  condemnation.  From  the  narra- 
tive of  St  Matthew  it  is  no  less  evident 
that  mockery  of  the  same  kind  took  place 
after  His  condemnation  (Matt,  xxvii.  31,  and 
when  . . .  they  took  off ...  and  led . . .).  St  Mark 
is  less  definite  as  to  the  time,  and  St  Luke 
is  silent  altogether  about  the  incident.  In 
addition  to  this  difference  as  to  the  time,  there 
are  also  some  minor  differences  in  the  details 
of  the  two  narratives.  St  Matthew  and  St 
Mark  both  mention  emphatically  "  the  gather- 
ing of  the  whole  band"  (Matt,  xxvii.  27; 
Mark  xv.  16);  both  mention  the  insulting 
homage ;  St  Matthew  mentions  and  St  Mark 
implies  the  reed-sceptre;  the  outrages  described 
in  St  Matthew  and  St  Mark  are  greater  and 
more  varied.  In  a  word,  the  scene  described 
by  St  Matthew  and  St  Mark  represents  a 
more  deliberate  and  systematic  mockery  than 
that  described  by  St  John.  It  is  not  perhaps 
difficult  to  imagine  the  whole  course  of  the 
mockery.  The  conduct  of  Herod  (Luke  xxiii. 
u)  probably  suggested  the  idea  of  it.  Pilate 
found  it  fall  in  with  his  own  design  to  release 
Jesus  as  being  too  insignificant  for  serious  treat- 
ment. The  design  failed.  The  crown  and 
the  robe  were  therefore  removed;  for  it  is  not 
conceivable  that  any  prisoner  could  be  brought 
so  disguised  before  a  judge  for  sentence.  But 
after  the  sentence  was  given,  the  men  who 
had  already  entered  into  the  spirit  of  the  tra- 
vesty made  use  of  their  opportunity  to  carry 
out  the  contemptuous  exhibition  more  com- 
pletely; and  "the  soldiers  of  the  governor" 
invited  "the  whole  band''  (Matt,  xxvii.  27) 
to  join  them  in  their  fierce  sport.  There  does 
not  appear  to  be  anything  artificial  in  this 
interpretation  of  the  recorded  facts  or  incon- 
sistent with  the  character  of  the  actors.  St 
John  (as  in  other  places)  gives  that  which 
explains  the  origin  of  the  proceeding. 


1.  Then  Pilate  therefore...']      Pilate's  last 
appeal  to  the  Jews  (xviii.  39)  had  failed,  and 
he  now  endeavours  to  save  the  life  of  Christ 
by  inflicting  such  a  punishment   as    might 
move  His  enemies  to  pity.     This  was  his 
punishment   (Pilate  took  ...  and  scourged  ... 
contrasted  with  v.  6,  Take  ye  ...and  crucify ...). 
Scourging  was  itself  part  of  a  capital  sentence, 
but  in  this  case  it  was  inflicted  arbitrarily  by 
Pilate  without  any  formal  judgment. 

For  an  account  of  the  punishment  see  Matt. 
xxvii.  26,  note.  St  Matthew  (xxvii.  26)  and 
St  Mark  (xv.  15)  refer  to  the  scourging  sim- 
ply as  having  taken  place  before  the  Lord  was 
given  over  for  execution.  St  Luke  (xxiii.  22) 
records  Pilate's  offer  to  inflict  the  punishment 
without  saying  more.  St  John  brings  the  two 
notices  into  union. 

Recent  investigations  at  Jerusalem  have  dis- 
closed what  may  have  been  the  scene  of  the 
punishment.  In  a  subterranean  chamber,  dis- 
covered by  Captain  Warren,  on  what  Mr 
Fergusson  holds  to  be  the  site  of  Antonia — 
Pilate's  Praetorium — "stands  a  truncated  co- 
lumn, no  part  of  the  construction,  for  the 
chamber  is  vaulted  above  the  pillar,  but  just 
such  a  pillar  as  criminals  would  be  tied  to 
to  be  scourged."  The  chamber  "cannot  be 
later  than  the  time  of  Herod  "  (Fergusson, '  The 
Temples  of  the  Jews,'  p.  176  ;  comp.  p.  242). 

2.  a  crown  of  thorns}    Comp.  Matt,  xxvii. 
29,  note.    The  thought  is  rather  of  the  victor's 
wreath  (as  Tiberius'  wreath  of  laurel,  which 
was  seen  upon  his  arms:  Suet.  'Tib.'  c.  17) 
than  of  the  royal  diadem. 

a  purple  robe~\  Comp.  Matt,  xxvii.  28, 
note;  Mark  xv.  17;  and  also  i  Mace.  viii.  14, 
x.  20,  62,  xi.  58,  xiv.  43  f.  Reference  has 
naturally  been  made  to  Rev.  xix.  13  (Isai. 
Ixiii.  i  ff.).  This  blood-stained  robe  was  the 
true  dress  of  a  kingly  conqueror. 

3.  And  said}     According  to  the  best  au- 
thorities, And  they  came  unto  Him  and 
said.     This  vivid  detail  does  not  occur  in  the 
narratives  of  the  parallel  incident.     The  im- 
perfect (tfpxovro,   Vulg.  veniebanf)  gives  the 
picture  of  the  separate  formal  acts  of  homage 
rendered  by  the  soldiers  in  succession. 

Hail,  King  of  the  Jews}  The  words 
are  evidently  a  mocking  echo  of  what  they 
had  heard.  Like  Pilate,  they  ridicule  the 
people  no  less  than  the  Lord. 

smote  him  ...]  Some  old  versions  add  "  on 
the  face."  This  is  probably  the  true  idea. 
The  savage  blow  took  the  place  of  the  kiss  of 
homage.  Comp.  xviii.  22. 


v-  5—7-] 


ST.  JOHN.    XIX. 


him  forth  to  you,  that  ye  may  know 
I  find  no  fault  in  him. 

5  Then  came  Jesus  forth,  wearing 
the  crown  of  thorns,  and  the  purple 
robe.     And  Pilate  saith  unto  them, 
Behold  the  man  ! 

6  When   the  chief  priests  there- 


269 


fore  and  officers  saw  him,  they  cried 
out,  saying,  Crucify  him,  crucify  him. 
Pilate  saith  unto  them,  Take  ye 
him,  and  crucify  him :  for  I  find  no 
fault  in  him. 

7  The  Jews  answered  him,  We 
have  a  law,  and  by  our  law  he  ought 


5.  w.  4—7.  Without  the  Prxtorium.  PI- 
late:  "Behold,  the  man."  The  Jews:  "He 
made  himself  the  Son  of  God.11 

4.  Pi/ate  therefore  ...]  And  Pilate  .... 
According  to  the  most  probable  reading  the 
action  is  not  so  much  a  consequence  (there- 
fore) as  a  part  of  what  has  gone  before,  v.  i 
(Pilate  therefore  ...  and  the  soldiers  ...  and 
Pilate  ...). 

again]  xviii.  38.  Pilate  had  returned  with- 
in the  Praetorium  to  order  the  scourging. 

unto  them]  The  chief  actors  (xviii.  38)  re- 
main constantly  present  to  the  mind  of  the 
Evangelist,  though  the  episode  w.  i — 3  has 
interrupted  the  narrative. 

I  bring  hint  ...  that  ye  may  know  ...  no  fault 
(charge,  i.e.  crime)...]  If  the  charge  had 
seemed  reasonable  the  governor  would  natu- 
rally have  let  the  law  take  its  course.  That,  he 
had  not  done  so,  but  brought  the  accused  out 
again,  was  a  clear  proof  that  he  held  the  charge 
against  Him  to  be  groundless.  Yet  with 
strange  inconsistency  he  had  treated  Him  as 
partly  guilty  in  order  to  conciliate  unrighteous 
accusers.  But  to  scourge  a  prisoner  whom  he 
pronounced  innocent  seemed  nothing  in  his 
eyes  if  he  could  by  such  means  gain  his  end. 
His  words  therefore  are  an  appeal  at  once  to 
the  sense  of  humanity  and  to  the  sense  of 
justice  in  Christ's  accusers.  See  also  Acts 
xxii.  14. 

forth}  Up  to  this  time  Christ  had  been 
within  the  Praetorium,  xviii.  28. 

5.  Then  came  Jesus  ...  ]  Jesus  therefore 
came  ...  In  obedience  to  the  governor's  will 
Christ  follows  His  judge  into  the  presence  of 
the  people.  He  knows  all,  and  so  knowing 
endures  all  in  absolute  submission. 

wearing  ...]  Each  emphatic  detail  is  re- 
peated (the  crown  of  thorns,  the  purple  robe). 
This  array  of  mockery  is  presented  as  the 
natural  dress  of  Christ  (<f>opav.  Comp.  Matt. 
xi.  8 ;  James  ii.  3 ;  Rom.  xiii.  4).  So  He  was 
through  life  the  suffering  King,  the  true 
Soldier. 

And  he  (Pilate)  saith  unto  them]  Though  the 
name  of  the  Lord  has  intervened,  Pilate  is  the 
chief  actor  now  in  the  apostle's  mind.  Comp. 
v.  4  (them).  Roman  and  Jew  stand  face  to  face 
before  Christ;  and  Pilate  now,  as  Caiaphas 
before  (xi.  49  f.).  is  an  unconscious  prophet. 

Behalf  the  man!]  Contrast  v.  14  "Behold, 
your  King ! "  These  words  of  half-contemptu- 


ous pity  were  designed  to  change  the  fierceness 
of  the  spectators  into  compassion.  Fear  alike 
and  envy,  Pilate  argues,  must  disappear  at  the 
sight  of  one  enduring  with  absolute  patience 
such  humiliation.  "  Behold  "  is  an  interjection 
and  not  a  verb :  "  See,  here  is  before  you  the 
man."  What  lies  behind  that  phrase  is  un- 
spoken and  unthought.  It  is  however  na- 
tural for  us  to  compare  the  Lord's  prophecy 
as  to  Himself  with  Pilate's  appeal  (Matt.  xxvi. 
63  ff.,  "tell  us  whether  thou  be. ..the  Son  of 
God"...  "Thou  hast  said:  nevertheless  I  say 
unto  you:  From  henceforth  (arc  apn)  ye  shall 
see  the  Son  of  man"  ...). 

6.  the  chief  priests  ...  and  officers  (the 
officers)  ...]  The  chief  priests  and  their  sub- 
ordinates at  once,,  when  they  saw  him,  antici- 
pated any  possible  outburst  of  pity.  They 
"  saw  "  not  an  object  of  compassion,  but  only 
Him  whom  they  had  already  doomed.  There- 
fore they  give  the  signal  and  the  command  to 
others.  With  ''loud  cries"  ((Kpavyao-av) 
they  demand  death,  and  the  death  of  the 
vilest  malefactor.  For  the  first  time  the  name 
of  the  cross  is  openly  used.  The  sharp,  short 
sentence,  Crucify,  crucify,  exactly  repro- 
duces the  feelings  of  the  moment,  and  expresses 
the  answer  to  Pilate's  half  measures.  The 
thought  is  wholly  of  the  punishment.  (Con- 
trast Mark  xv.  13  f.,  "  Crucify  him.")  Death, 
the  death  of  a  slave,  nothing  short  of  this,  is 
the  purpose  of  the  accusers.  All  the  Evan- 
gelists agree  in  representing  the  special  de- 
mand for  crucifixion  as  being  made  towards 
the  end  of  the  trial,  after  the  offer  to  release  a 
prisoner  according  to  the  custom  of  the  feast 
(Matt,  xxvii.  aa,  Mark  xv.  13,  Luke  xxiii. 
ai). 

Take  ye  him  ...  no  fault ...]  Take  him  your- 
selves. ..no  charge  (crime)...  Pilate  met 
the  peremptory  demand  of  the  priests  as  before 
(ch.  xviii.  31,  Take  Him  yourselves  and...  judge 
...)  by  ironically  referring  the  whole  case  to 
their  own  action.  He  will  not,  so  he  seems  to 
say,  simply  ratify  their  decisions.  They  ask 
for  crucifixion:  well,  let  them  crucify— a 
thing  impossible— if  his  voice  is  not  to  be 
heard. 

7.  The  Jews  take  up  Pilate's  challenge  and 
Pilate's  judgment  in  an  unexpected  manner. 
He  had  said  Take  htm  yourselves  (Xaj3.  ow. 
vuelf).  They  answer,  If  you  appeal  to  us, 
we  have  a  power  whxch  we  have  not  yet 


270 


ST.  JOHN.   XIX. 


[v.  8— ii. 


to  die,  because  he  made  himself  the 
Son  of  God. 

8  11  When  Pilate  therefore  heard 
that  saying,  he  was  the  more  afraid  ; 

9  And  went  again  into  the  judg- 
ment   hall,    and    saith    unto    Jesus, 
Whence  art  thou  ?    But  Jesus  gave 
him  no  answer. 


10  Then   saith   Pilate  unto  him, 
Speakest  thou  not  unto  me  ?  knowest 
thou  not  that  I  have  power  to  cru- 
cify thee,  and  have  power  to  release 
thee  ? 

1 1  Jesus  answered,  Thou  couldest 
have  no  power  at  all  against  me,  ex- 
cept it  were  given  thee  from  above : 


invoked.  We  have  a  law  (finds  v.  «.)  to 
which  you  are  bound  to  give  effect,  whatever 
you  may  think  of  it,  and  according  to  the 
law  (rov  vofiov)  he  ought  to  die.  The  em- 
phatic "  we"  answers  at  once  to  the  emphatic 
"ye"  and  to  the  emphatic  "  I  "  of  the  governor. 

by  our  law]  Rather  (omitting  T//XCOI/),  ac- 
cording to  the  law.  Levit.  xxiv.  16. 
Comp.  Matt.  xxvi.  63,  65  and  notes. 

made  hinue  If]  cc.  v.  18,  x.  33,  viii.  53  n. 
The  form  of  expression  emphasizes  the  hei- 
nousness  of  the  charge.  The  claim  was  as- 
serted in  action  and  not  only  in  word.  Comp. 
v.  la,  "  maketh  himself  a  king." 

the  Son  of  God]  The  absence  of  the  article 
(vlov  6tov)  fixes  attention  upon  the  general 
character  of  the  nature  claimed  (Son  of  God) 
as  distinguished  from  the  special  personality 
(comp.  i.  i,  note).  A  Roman  would  have  no 
distinct  idea  of  One  to  whom  alone  the  title 
"  Son  of  God  "  truly  belongs. 

6.  *w.  8  —  ii.  Within  the  Pnetortum.  The 
origin  of  Christ  untold:  the  origin  of  authority 
revealed. 

S.  Pilate  had  already  recognised  some- 
thing mysterious  in  the  Person  and  charge 
before  him  (see  xviii.  29,  note).  The  fact  that 
Christ  was  said  to  have  claimed  a  divine  origin 
naturally  deepened  the  strange  fear  which  His 
presence  inspired:  Pilate  not  only  was  afraid, 
but  he  <was  more  afraid.  Could  he  have  igno- 
miniously  scourged  one  who  was  in  some  sense 
sent  by  the  national  divinity  ?  A  Roman  at 
this  time,  when  Eastern  religions  were  making 
themselves  felt  throughout  the  empire,  would 
be  able  to  attach  a  real  if  vague  meaning  to 
the  title  "  Son  of  God  ;  "  and  superstition  goes 
with  unbelief.  Compare  Matt,  xxvii.  54,  where 
we  have  an  obvious  echo  of  the  same  words. 

that  saying']  Rather,  this  saying  or  (word 
(\6yos~)  :  i.e.  the  general  charge  now  brought 
against  Christ,  and  not  the  exact  title  itself 


9.  And  went  ...  judgment  hall  ...]  And 
he  went  ...  palace  (praetorlum).  The 
clause  marks  a  new  scene. 

Whence  art  thou  ?]  The  question  is  put  in  a 
general  form.  Pilate  looks  to  the  answer  for 
the  relief  or  the  confirmation  of  his  misgivings. 
This  indecision  of  the  questioner,  who  indi- 
rectly asks  from  the  Lord  a  revelation  of 


Himself  (comp.  viii.  25,  x.  24),  explains  the 
silence  with  which  he  was  met.  That  silence 
was  fitted  to  lead  Pilate  to  reflect  on  what  he 
had  already  heard  (ch.  xviii.  36);  and  a  direct 
answer  would  have  been  either  misleading  or 
unintelligible.  Moreover,  the  claim  of  justice, 
which  was  now  in  question,  was  not  in  any 
way  affected  by  the  circumstances  of  the 
Lord's  descent.  Compare  the  parallel  inci- 
dent Matt,  xxvii.  13  f.  See  also  Isai.  liii.  7. 

10.  Then  saith  Pilate  (Pilate  therefore 
saith)  .  .  .  Speakest  thou  not  unto  me?]  The  pro- 
noun stands  with  emphasis  at  the  head  of  the 
sentence  (e'/xol  ou  A.  ;)  :  silence  before  others 
might  have  been  intelligible,  but  Pilate  was 
supreme.  His  sentence  was  the  final  voice 
not  of  a  party  but  of  the  law  and  the  go- 
vernment :  /  have  power  —  rightful  authority 


to  crucify  ...to  release]  Better,  to  release 
...  to  crucify  ...  The  alternatives  are  pre- 
sented with  the  most  impressive  distinctness. 
The  order  in  the  best  authorities  places  the 
motive  of  hope  before  that  of  fear,  which 
seems  in  itself  to  be  more  natural. 

11.  Jesus  answered  him,  Thou  couldest 
(wouldest)  have  ...]  The  claim  of  Pilate 
to  the  absolute  possession  of  right  to  act  as 
he  pleases  leads  the  Lord  to  speak  again. 
There  was  truth  and  error  in  the  claim. 
The  two  required  to  be  distinguished  in 
order  that  the  real  relation  of  the  civil 
and  the  theocratic  powers  to  the  death  of 
Christ  might  be  laid  open.  In  the  order  of 
the  world  Pilate  had  the  authority  which  he 
claimed  to  have.  It  had  been  given  to  him  to 
exercise  authority.  As  the  representative  of 
the  Emperor  his  judgment  was  legally  deci- 
sive (Rom.  xiii.  i).  But  still  his  right  to 
exercise  authority  was  derived,  not  inherent. 
Human  government  is  only  valid  as  the  ex- 
pression of  the  divine  will.  He  therefore  who 
exercises  it  is  responsible,  whatever  he  may 
suppose,  to  a  higher  power.  So  far  however 
as  any  immediate  result  was  concerned  Pilate 
acted  within  the  scope  of  the  "authority 
which  it  had  been  given  to  him  to  exercise." 
"For  this  reason"  the  High-Priest,  repre- 
senting the  theocracy,  was  more  guilty.  Pilate 
was  guilty  in  using  wrongfully  his  civil  power. 
The  High-Priest  was  doubly  guilty,  both  in 
using  wrongfully  a  higher  (spiritual)  power 


V.    12,   I3.] 


ST.  JOHN.   XIX. 


therefore  he  that  delivered  me  unto 
thee  hath  the  greater  sin. 

12  And  from  thenceforth  Pilate 
sought  to  release  him  :  but  the  Jews 
cried  out,  saying,  If  thou  let  this  man 


271 


go,  thou  art  not  Caesar's  friend :  who- 
soever maketh  himself  a  king  speak- 
eth  against  Caesar. 

13  11  When  Pilate  therefore  heard 
that  saying,  he  brought  Jesus  forth, 


and  in  transgressing  his  legitimate  rules  of 
action.  He  had  failed  to  fulfil  his  duty  and 
he  had  violated  its  rules.  It  was  the  privilege 
of  his  office  to  recognise  the  Messiah,  and  to 
preserve  the  true  spiritual  independence  of  the 
people.  By  appealing  to  a  heathen  power  to 
execute  an  unjust  (xi.  49  f.)  sentence  on  Christ, 
he  had  sinned  against  God  by  unfaithfulness, 
as  well  as  by  unrighteousness. 

given  tbee~\  It  does  not  appear  that  there  is 
(as  is  commonly  supposed)  any  reference  to 
the  fact  that  Pilate  was  an  unconscious  instru- 
ment of  the  divine  will.  In  this  respect  the 
Chief  Priests  were  in  the  same  position  ;  and 
there  was  nothing  in  the  fulfilment  of  the 
counsel  of  God  to  modify  the  guilt  of  one  or 
the  other  (comp.  Acts  ii.  23). 

That  which  "  was  given,"  it  must  be  no- 
ticed, is  not  the  authority  itself,  but  the  posses- 
sion and  exercise  01  it  (I/K  8fdop.tvoi>  not  ;Jj/ 


from  above]  i.  e.  from  God.  Comp.  Rom. 
iii.  i  f.  The  words  correct  Pilate's  assertion 
of  independence.  The  notion  that  the  clause 
refers  to  the  reference  of  the  case  from  "  a 
higher  tribunal  "  (the  Sanhedrin)  to  the  Roman 
Court  is  wholly  unnatural,  though  it  has  the 
confident  support  of  Coleridge.  In  speaking 
of  the  source  of  Pilate's  authority  it  has  been 
rightly  felt  that  the  Lord  indicates  the  source 
of  His  own  being  (whence  ...  ?).  He  spoke 
of  that  which  He  knew  and  as  One  who 
knew  (ch.  iii.  it). 

therefore]  for  this  reason,  because  power 
is  a  divine  trust. 

be  that  delivered  me  unto  thec~\  Caiaphas, 
the  personal  representative  of  "the  Jews" 
(xviii.  30  —  35;  comp.  Matt,  xxvii.  2  note). 
The  responsibility  for  the  act  is  concentrated 
in  him.  There  can  be  no  reference  to  Judas 
in  the  surrender  to  Pilate  (to  thee). 

bath...  sin]  xv.  22,  note. 

7.      Wt    ia_i6.      Without  the  Prxtorium. 

The  double  sentence  on  the  Accused  and  the 

accusers.     The  Christ  rejected:  the  Emperor 

chosen. 

12.  And  from  thenceforth.  ..If  thou  let  this 
man  <ro...~\  Upon  this  (omit  and)...  If  thou 
release  this  man...  Upon  this,  i.e.  "  in  con- 
sequence of  this  answer"  (comp.  vi.  66,  note), 
and  not  simply  "after  this."  Jhe  calm  ma- 
jesty of  the  Lord's  words  confirmed  Plate's 
fears.  He  now  actively  "  sought  "  himself  to 
release  Jesus:  before  he  had  endeavoured  to 
lead  the  Jews  to  suggest  his  release. 

the  Jew]    The  national  title  stands  out  in 


contrast  with  the  plea  which  they  urge.  Pilate 
had  refused  to  carry  out  a  sentence  based  upon 
Jewish  opinion.  The  official  chiefs  of  the 
theocracy  convert  themselves  therefore  into 
jealous  guardians  of  the  rights  of  the  empire, 
and  accuse  Pilate  of  negligence.  The  simple 
acceptance  of  the  title  of  "king"  is,  they 
argue,  a  declaration  of  antagonism  to  the  one 
emperor.  The  change  in  the  tactics  of  the 
priests  is  remarkable.  Under  ordinary  cir- 
cumstances a  Roman  governor  would  not  have 
scrupled  to  give  effect  to  a  sentence  based  on  a 
national  religious  law.  Perhaps  the  accusers 
felt  that  their  proceedings  had  been  irregular, 
and  in  the  face  of  opposition  judged  it  better 
to  press  a  political  rather  than  a  religious 
offence.  Compare  Matt,  xxvii.  i  note. 

cried  out]  According  to  the  most  probable 
reading  (cKpavyao-av)  the  thought  found  ex- 
pression in  one  loud  simultaneous  cry,  as 
distinguished  from  the  repeated  cries  of  a  mul- 
titude (ficpavyaCov  xii.  13).  See  vv.  6,  15, 
xviii.  40.  On  each  occasion  St  John  notices 
the  loud,  decisive  utterance,  though  this  may 
have  found  echoes.  Compare  Mark  xv.  14 
(«pa£ai/)  with  Matt,  xxvii.  23  (fKpafrv). 

Cesar's  friend]  The  phrase  was  a  title  of 
honour  frequently  given  to  provincial  go- 
vernors (see  Wetstein  ad  he.,  Jos. '  Antt.'  xiv. 
10.  2;  Luke  ii.  i,  note) ;  but  here  it  is  pro- 
bably used  in  a  general  and  not  in  a  technical 
sense :  "  a  loyal  supporter  of  the  emperor." 

whosoever  (literally,  every  one  that) 
maketh  ...  speaketh  against  ...]  i.e.  controverts 
the  emperor's  authority,  and  so  virtually  sets 
himself  against  him  in  rebellion.  Comp.  Rom. 
x  ai  (Isai.  Ixv.  2). 

It  will  be  observed  how  completely  the 
successive  charges  of  the  Jews  noticed  by  St 
Tohn  correspond  with  the  natural  progress  of 
the  examination.  They  first  bring  a  general 
accusation  of  "  evil  doing."  Pilate  refuses  to 
accept  their  judgment.  They  then  press  the 
title  "King  of  the  Jews"  (implied  in  xvin. 
as  seditious.  Pilate  dismisses  the  charge 


mcreases 


12)  So  lastly,  letting  drop  the  formal  accusa- 
tions civil  and  ecclesiastical,  they  appeal  to 
Pilate's  own  fears.  In  this  way  they  obtained 
their  end  by  personal  motives  (Acts  xui.  28, 
JTJo-avro.  Comp.  Luke  xxiii.  24). 

13-  When  Pilate  therefore  ...  that  saying 
(these  words)  ...]  The  new  plea  left  Pilate 
to  choose  between  yielding  to  an  indefinite 
sense  of  reverence  and  right,  and  escaping  the 


272 


ST.  JOHN.    XIX. 


[v.  14,  15. 


and  sat  down  in  the  judgment  seat  in 
a  place  that  is  called  the  Pavement, 
but  in  the  Hebrew,  Gabbatha. 

14  And  it  was  the  preparation  of 
the    passover,    and   about    the    sixth 


hour :   and  he  saith  unto  the  Jews, 
Behold  your  King! 

15  But  they  cried  out,  Away  with 
hint)  away  with  him^  crucify  him. 
Pilate  saith  unto  them,  Shall  I  crucify 


danger  of  a  plausible  accusation  at  Rome,  be- 
fore such  a  man  as  Tiberius  (Tac.  'Ann.'  nr. 
38).  If  a  late  date  be  assigned  to  the  Cruci- 
fixion, Pilate's  fear  at  that  time  would  have 
been  greater,  for  the  suspicions  of  Tiberius 
became  more  cruel  after  the  fall  of  Sejanus, 
Pilate's  patron  (A.  D.  31,  Suet.'Tib.'6i).  It  was 
natural  therefore  that  his  fear  of  the  emperor 
overcame  his  fear  of  Christ.  His  misrule  gave 
him  good  cause  for  alarm,  and  he  could  easily 
persuade  himself  that  there  would  be  real 
peril  in  neglecting  the  information  which  was 
laid  before  him.  A  popular  outbreak  might 
follow,  even  against  the  will  of  the  Leader 
whom  he  believed  to  be  innocent  of  violent 
designs.  His  decision  therefore  was  taken 
without  any  further  discussion. 

these  words]  the  imputation  on  his  loy- 
alty, the  suggestion  of  rebellion. 

brought  ...forth  (without)]  After  the 
Ecce  homo  the  Lord  had  been  taken  within 
the  Praetorium  (v.  9).  The  formal  sentence 
was  given  in  the  open  court.  The  judgment- 
seat  (tribunal)  was  placed  upon  a  conspicuous 
spot,  which  was  called  in  Hebrew  (Aramaic) 
Gabbatka,  and  in  Greek  Lithostroton,  "a 
pavement."  The  courts  of  the  temple  were 
paved  (a  Chro.  vii.  3,  Jos.  'B.  J.'  vi.  i.  8), 
and  it  is  not  unlikely  that  there  was  a  paved 
platform  at  the  head  of  the  steps  leading  from 
the  temple  to  Antonia  (Acts  xxi.  40),  where 
Pilate's  tribunal  could  be  conveniently  placed 
(see  however  note  on  Matt,  xxvii.  2).  There 
can  be  no  reference  under  the  Hebrew  name, 
to  such  a  portable  mosaic  floor  as  Julius  Czsar 
carried  about  with  him  for  his  judgment-seat 
(Suet.  « Cses.'  46). 

sat  down  in  the  judgment  seat]  It  has  been 
suggested  that  the  verb  (fKadio-ev)  is  transitive 
(i  Cor.  vi.  4;  Eph.  i.  ao),  and  that  the  sense 
is,  "Pilate  placed  Him  (Christ)  on  a  seat," 
completing  in  this  way  the  scene  of  the  "  Ecce 
Homo,"  by  shewing  the  King  on  His  throne. 
At  first  sight  the  interpretation  is  attrac- 
tive, but  the  action  does  not  seem  to  fall  in 
with  the  position  of  a  Roman  governor,  and 
the  usage  of  the  phrase  elsewhere  (Acts  xii. 
a  i,  xxv.  6,  17)  appears  to  be  decisive  against 
it.  St  John,  it  may  be  added,  never  uses  the 
verb  transitively. 

The  absence  of  the  article  before  "judg- 
ment seat,"  in  the  original  (eVi  /3»//iaroy,  ac- 
cording to  the  true  reading),  probably  indi- 
cates that  this  was  an  improvised  and  not 
a  regular  tribunal.  Contrast  Acts  xii.  ai,  xxv. 
6,  17.  In  Matt,  xxvii.  19  the  verb  is  different. 
Comp.  Jos.  '  B.  J.'  ii.  14.  8  f 


in  the  Hebrew]  in  Hebrew,  i.e.  the  ver- 
nacular dialect,  w.  17,  ao,  v.  a,  xx.  16;  Rev. 
ix.  n,  xvi.  1 6.  The  adverb  is  found  only  in 
these  places.  Comp.  Acts  xxi.  40,  xxii.  a, 
xxvi.  14. 

Gabbatha']  There  can  be  little  doubt  that 
this  represents  Gab  Baitha  (XJVa  23),  "the 
ridge  (back)  of  the  House,"  i.e.  the  temple. 
Comp.  Talm.  Jerus.  '  San.'  f.  18  d,  quoted  by 
Wilnsche. 

14.  the  preparation  of  the  passover]    The 
day    before — the    "Eve"   of — the  Passover. 
See  note  on  Matt,  xxvii. 

and  about  (it  was  about)  the  sixth  hour] 
i.e.  about  6  a.m.  See  Additional  Note. 

The  marking  of  the  day  and  hour  fixes 
attention  on  the  crisis  of  the  history. 

Behold^ your  King!]  The  words  are  spo- 
ken with  bitterness.  The  people  had  re- 
fused to  regard  the  appeal  to  their  humanity 
(•u.  5);  and  Pilate  now  implies  that  the 
wounded  and  mocked  Prisoner  is  alone  fit  to 
represent  them  (saith  to  the  Jews).  At  the 
same  time,  too,  he  may  intend  to  remind 
them  of  the  welcome  which  Christ  had  re- 
ceived at  His  entry  into  Jerusalem.  This 
was  the  end  of  that  enthusiasm.  The  priests 
had  overawed  the  people. 

"  Behold  "  is  here,  as  in  i;.  5,  an  interjec- 
tion: "See,  here  is  the  king,  of  whom  you 
spoke,  and  who  befits  you ! " 

15.  But  they. ..]     They  therefore.     The 
pronoun    (eKeu/ot)  isolates  the  adversaries  of 
the   Lord,  and  sets  them  in  this  last  scene 
apart  from  and  over  against  Him.    With  one 
loud  universal  cry  ((Kpavyavav)  they  disclaim 
all  connexion  with  the   King  whom   Pilate 
assigned  to  them:  "  Away,  away  with  him." 

Pilate,  however,  still  presses  his  reproaches : 
Shall  (Must)  I  crucify  your  King?  The  em- 
phasis lies  on  the  last  words.  From  the 
beginning  to  the  end  the  thought  of  kingship 
runs  through  the  whole  examination  before 
Pilate. 

The  chief  priests']  There  is  singular  force 
in  the  exact  definition  of  the  speakers  here. 
They  are  not  simply  described  as  "  the  Jews" 
(xviii.  31,  xix.  7),  nor  yet  as  "the  chief  priests 
and  the  officers"  (xix.  6).  The  official  or- 
gans of  the  theocracy  themselves  proclaim  that 
they  have  abandoned  the  faith  by  which  the 
nation  had  lived.  The  sentence  "  We  have  no 
king  but  Csesar "  (the  foreign  emperor)  is  the 
legitimate  end  of  their  policy,  the  formal  abdi- 
cation of  the  Messianic  hope.  The  kingdom 
of  God,  in  the  confession  of  its  rulers,  has 


v.  i6— 


ST.  JOHN.   XIX. 


your   King?    The  chief  priests  an-  forth  into  a  place  called  the  place  of  a 

swered  We  have  no  king  but  Caesar,  skull,  which  is  called  in  the  Hebrew 

Then  delivered  he  him  there-  Golgotha  : 

fore  unto  them  to  be  crucified.     And         18  Where  they  crucified  him,  and 

they  took  Jesus,  and  led  him  away.  two  other  with  him,  on  either  side 

17  And  he  bearing  his  cross  went  one,  and  Jesus  in  the  midst. 


273 


become  the  kingdom  of  the  world.  In  the 
place  of  the  Christ  they  have  found  the  emperor. 
They  first  rejected  Jesus  as  the  Christ,  and 
then,  driven  by  the  irony  of  circumstances, 
they  rejected  the  Christ  altogether. 

16.  7Zw«  therefore  be  delivered ...~]  There 
was  now  no  longer  room  for  delay.  The  end 
was  reached.  The  last  word  had  been  spoken. 
So  the  zealots  for  the  Roman  empire  were  em- 
powered to  work  their  will.  But  Pilate  pro- 
nounced no  sentence  himself.  He  simply  let 
the  chief  priests  have  their  way  (comp.  Matt. 
xxvii.  26;  Mark  xv.  15;  Luke  xxiii.  ajV  He 
had  conceded  a  little  against  justice  in  false 
policy  (v.  i),  and  he  was  driven  to  concede  all 
against  his  will.  From  St  Matthew  it  appears 
that  he  typically  abjured  the  responsibility  for 
the  act,  while  the  Jews  took  Christ's  blood 
upon  themselves  (Matt  xxvii.  24,  25).  So 
they  became  the  real  executioners,  and  carried 
out  the  foreign  law  (be  delivered  Him  up  to 
them).  Yet  even  so  their  dependence  was 
also  indicated:  the  last  clause  runs  not  that 
they  should  crucify  (v.  6),  but  that  be  should 
be  crucified. 

In  this  last  issue  it  will  be  noticed  that  the 
Jews  and  Pilate  were  self-condemned  of  a 
double  treason  :  the  Jews  of  treason  to  their 
true  king,  on  the  plea  of  religion,  and  Pilate  of 
treason  to  his  office  on  the  plea  of  loyalty. 

III.    THE  END  (xix.  17—42). 

The  record  of  the  last  scene  of  the  Pas- 
sion contains  very  much  that  is  peculiar  to 
St  John :  the  challenging  of  the  title  (20 — 22), 
the  last  bequest  (25 — 27),  two  words  (28 — 
30),  the  piercing  of  the  side  (31 — 37), 
the  ministry  of  Nicodemus  (39  f.).  For  a 
time  at  least  St  John  was  an  eye-witness 
(w.  a6,  35). 

The  narrative  falls  into  the  following  sec- 
tions : — 

I.   The  Crucifixion  (17 — 22). 

a.   The  two  groups  of  bystanders  (23 — 27). 

3.  The  fulfilment  (28—30). 

4.  The  t<wo  requests  (31 — 42)- 
Generally  it  will  be  observed  that  St  John 

dwells  on  the  fulfilment  of  the  Old  Covenant, 
on  prophecies  and  types  (vv.  24,  28,  36,  37), 
and  on  the  Majesty  of  the  Lord  in  suffering. 
In  all  the  will  of  God  and  the  will  of  Christ 
*  is  seen  to  be  accomplished. 

In  especial  St  John  seems  to  insist  on  de- 
tails (v.  29)  which  tended  to  identify  the 


Lord  with  the  Paschal  Lamb,  both  as  offered 
and  as  consumed. 

I.  vv.  17 — 22.  The  Crucifixion.  The  two 
and  the  King.  The  title  challenged  and  con- 
firmed. 

16  to.  They  therefore  took  (received) 
Jesus,  and he...~\  Pilate  "delivered  up"  and 
the  "  chief  priests "  "received  Jesus."  The 
word  (nape\a$ov)  may  serve  to  recall  the 
phrase  at  the  beginning  of  the  Gospel:  His 
own  received  (irapfXafiov)  Him  not  (i.  n). 
The  Jews  received  Christ  from  the  hands 
of  the  Roman  governor  for  death :  they  did 
not  receive  Him  from  the  teaching  of  their 
own  prophets  for  life.  They  "  received  "  'Him 
and  "crucified"  Him  (v.  18),  though  the 
Roman  soldiers  were  their  instruments  (v.  23  ; 
Matt,  xxvii.  27).  The  act  was  theirs,  even 
while  they  carried  it  out  "by  the  hand  of 
lawless  men  (i.e.  Gentiles)"  (Acts  ii.  43; 
comp.  iii.  15). 

17.  bearing  his  cross~\  Or,  according  to  the 
better  reading,  bearing  the  cross  for  him- 
self.    From  the  Synoptists  (Matt,  xxvii.  32; 
Mark  xv.  21;  Luke  xxiii.  26)  it  appears  that 
on  the  way  Simon  of  Gyrene  (see  Mark  /.  c. 
note)  was  taken  either  to  carry  or  to  assist  in 
carrying  the  cross.   This  the  Lord  at  first  bore 
for  Himself;  and  the  remarkable  language  of 
St  Mark  (xv.  22,  fopovtnv,  see  note)  lends 
countenance  to  the  belief  that  He  sank  beneath 
the  burden.     Comp.  Matt,  xxvii.  31  f.  notes. 

Many  writers  from  the  time  of  Melito 
(Routh,  '  Rell.  Sacrr.'  I.  12*2)  have  seen  in  the 
history  of  Isaac  (Gen.  xxii.  6)  a  type  of  this 
incident.  Comp.  xviii.  12,  note. 

went  forth]  Comp.  Hebr.  xiii.  12  f.  This 
" going  forth"  (xviii.  i)  from  the  city  answers 
to  the  "coming  in"  (ch.  xii.  12):  the  "Via 
dolorosa  "  to  the  line  of  triumph. 

Golgotha']    See  Matt  xxvii.  33,  note. 

18.  they  crucified']    i.e.  the  Jews,  not  in- 
deed directly  but  acting  through  the  Roman 
soldiers  (v.  23),  to  whom  the  charge  of  the 
execution  was  committed.     For  the  nature 
of  the  punishment,  see  Matt,  xxvii.  35,  note. 

two  other]  described  as  "robbers"  (Xwrrnf, 
comp.  ch.  xviii.  40)  by  St  Matthew  (xxvii. 
38,  see  note)  and  St  Mark  (xv.  27),  and 
as  "malefactors"  (/caKoDpyot,  comp.  xviii. 
10)  by  St  Luke  (xxiii.  32).  It  may  have 
been  of  design  that  these  criminals  were  put 
to  death  with  the  Lord,  in  order  to  place  His 


2/4 


ST.  JOHN.    XIX. 


— 22. 


19  fl    And    Pilate   wrote   a   title, 
and  put  it  on  the  cross.     And  the 
writing  was,  JESUS    OF   NAZA- 
RETH  THE    KING  OF   THE 
JEWS. 

20  This  title  then  read  many  of 
the  Jews :  for  the  place  where  Jesus 
was  crucified  was  nigh  to  the  city  : 


and  it  was  written  in  Hebrew,  and 
Greek,  and  Latin. 

21  Then  said  the  chief  priests  of 
the  Jews  to  Pilate,  Write  not,  The 
King  of  the  Jews ;  but  that  he  said, 
I  am  King  of  the  Jews. 

22  Pilate  answered,   What  I  have 
written  I  have  written. 


alleged  offence  of  treason   on  a  level  with 
theirs.     Comp.  ch.  xviii.  40,  note. 

in  the  midst]  as  holding  the  position  of 
pre-eminence  in  that  scene  of  uttermost  shame. 
Even  in  suffering  Christ  appears  as  a  King. 
St  John  by  the  addition  of  this  clause  em- 
phasizes the  thought  which  the  other  Evan- 
gelists leave  to  be  deduced  (Matt,  xxvii.  38 ; 
Mark  xv.  27 ;  Luke  xxiii.  33). 

19.  And  Pilate... title  &lso,  and..."]  It  was 
not  unusual  to  attach  to  the  cross  the  name 
and  offence  of  the  sufferer  (see  Matt,  xxvii. 
37,  note).  This  St  John  calls  by  the  tech- 
nical Roman  term  "titulus"  (i-n-Xoj). 

And  the  writing  was]  And  there  was 
written.  It  appears  likely  that  St  John  has 
preserved  exactly  one  of  the  forms  of  the 
"title"  (the  Greek).  The  other  Evangelists 
speak  of  "the  inscription  of  his  accusation" 
(fi  eirtypa(f)fi  rfjs  atria?  avVoC,  'Mark  XV.  26), 
"  his  accusation  "  (77  mn'a  av'rou,  Matt,  xxvii. 
37),  and  "an  inscription"  (eViypa^jj,  Luke 
xxiii.  38). 

The  facts  that  Pilate  himself  drew  up  the 
inscription  and  caused  it  to  be  placed  (wrote 
...  and  placed  if)  on  the  cross  are  mentioned 
only  by  St  John.  The  act  appears  to  have  been 
an  afterthought  (eypa^ev  Se  *al  r.) ;  or  the 
form  of  expression  may  perhaps  imply  that  the 
placing  of  the  Lord  "  in  the  midst"  was  due 
to  Pilate's  direction.  The  form  of  the  sen- 
tence, which  throws  the  emphasis  on  "title" 
and  not  on  "  Pilate,"  is  in  favour  of  this  view. 
In  either  case  the  Roman  governor  found 
expression  to  the  last  for  the  bitterness  which 
had  been  called  out  in  him  by  the  opposition 
of  the  Jews  (vv.  14,  15).  The  incidents 
which  have  been  related  before  explain  per- 
fectly why  the  title  was  written,  and  how  the 
heathen  governor  completed  the  unwilling 
testimony  of  the  Jewish  priest  (xi.  49  f.). 

20.  in  Hebrew,  and  Greek,  and  Latin] 
Rather,  according  to  the  best  authorities,  in 
Hebrew,  and  in  Latin,  and  in  Greek.  This 
detail  also  is  peculiar  to  St  John,  for  the 
corresponding  clause  in  Luke  xxiii.  38  is  an 
interpolation.  Such  multilingual  inscriptions 
were  not  uncommon  in  the  Roman  provinces. 
The  correspondence  between  the  different 
texts  (it  may  be  added)  was  in  all  probability 
not  so  much  verbal  as  substantial. 

The  order  of  the  languages,  according  to 


the  true  reading,  answers  to  the  position 
which  they  would  naturally  occupy :  the 
national  dialect,  the  official  dialect,  the  common 
dialect.  These  three  languages  gathered  up 
the  results  of  the  religious,  the  social,  the 
intellectual,  preparation  for  Christ,  and  in 
each  witness  was  given  to  His  office. 

21.  Then   said    the    chief  priests... .]     The 
chief  priests  . . .  said  therefore...     The  place 
was  public,  and  the  inscription  was  so  written 
as  to  be  intelligible  (perhaps)  to  all  the  visitors 
at  the  Feast.  "  The  chief  priests  of  the  Jews  " 
were  consequently  anxious  to  make  it  clear 
that  they  and  all  whom  they  represented  were 
not  compromised  by  the    condemnation  of 
"  the  King."     Pilate's  shaft  went  home.    Per- 
haps we  may  see  in  the  difference  of  form 
between  the  title  assigned  by  Pilate,    "The 
King  of  the  Jews "  (o  ftaa-iXevs  r.  'I.),  and 
that  suggested  by  the  priests  as  claimed  by 
Jesus,  "  King  of  the  Jews"  (/3a<nXei>s  r.  'I.), 
an  instinctive  unwillingness  on  their  part  to 
connect  in  any  way  the  Messianic  dignity — 
"  the  Kingship  " — with  Him  whom  they  had 
condemned.     They  wished  to  make  Him  a 
mere  ordinary  usurper  (comp.  v.  12).     Or  it 
may  have  been  that  they  would  not  acknow- 
ledge even  by  implication  that  such  a  title  was 
possible,  keeping,  as  pure  secularists,  to  their 
former  assertion,    "  We  have   no  king   but 
Caesar." 

the  chief  priests  of  the  Jews']  This  unique 
title  appears  to  be  used  here  to  emphasize  the 
contrast  between  the  faithless  priests  and  the 
true  King ;  and  also  to  indicate  that  this 
priesthood  had  given  way  to  another.  Comp. 
ii.  6,  13,  notes. 

22.  When  there  was  no  longer  personal 
danger  Pilate  held  to  his  purpose.    The  trait 
corresponds  perfectly  with  his  character,  and 
the  form  of  the  answer  is  characteristically 
Roman,  though  it  is  found  also  in  Rabbinic 
writings. 

The  account  which  Philo  gives  of  the  cha- 
racter of  Pilate  ('  Leg.  ad  Caium,'  §  38), 
"self-willed  at  once  and  implacable"  (/^era 
TOV  avdddovs  a/ieiAiKTos),  illustrates  St  John's 
description.  When  the  people  besought  him 
to  remove  the  shields,  which  he  had  set  up 
in  Herod's  palace  in  honour  of  the  emperor, 
he  was  unwilling  alike  to  undo  what  he  had 
done  and  to  gratify  any  popular  wish.  At  the 


v.  23— 25-J 


Matt.  27. 


i  Or 

Wrought. 


ST.  JOHN.   XIX. 


2/5 


when 

they  had  crucified  Jesus,  took  his 
garments,  and  made  four  parts,  to 
every  soldier  a  part;  and  also  bis 
coat  :  now  the  coat  was  without  seam, 
II  woven  from  the  top  throughout. 

rrt  -11  r- 

24     1  hey    said    therefore   among 
themselves,  Let  us  not  rend  it,  but 


cast  lots  for  it,  whose  it  shall  be : 
that  the  scripture  might  be  fulfilled, 
which  saith,  ^They  parted  my  rai-  d  P«aL 
ment  among  them,  and  for  my  ves-  l8' 
ture  they  did  cast  lots.    These  things 
therefore  the  soldiers  did. 

25  f  Now  there  stood  by  the  cross 
of  Jesus  his  mother,  and  his  mother's 


same  time  he  was  greatly  alarmed  lest  the 
Jews  should  expose  to  Tiberius  his  various 
acts  of  "  corruption,  outrage,  robbery,  insult, 
contumely;  his  indiscriminate  and  continuous 
murders;  his  unceasing  and  most  vexatious 
cruelty." 

2.  w.  12 — 27.  The  bystanders.  Departure 
seen  from  two  points  of  view :  (a)  The  sol- 
diers :  unfeeling  selfishness.  The  last  despoil- 
tng  (*3 1  24).  (b)  The  friends:  waiting  love. 
The  last  bequest  (25 — 27). 

23.  Then  the  soldiers...']  The  soldiers  there- 
fore...  as  carrying  out   in    the  customary 
manner  the  sentence  which  they  had  to  exe- 
cute (v.  1 8).     St  John  describes  in  minute 
detail  what  the  other  Evangelists  state  sum- 
marily (Matt,  xxvii.  35;  Mark  xv.  24;  Luke 
xxiii.  34),    and   explains  what  they  say   of 
"  casting  lots."     See  Matt,  xxvii.  35,  note. 

his  garments... also  the  coat]  The  large, 
loose,  outer  dress  with  girdle,  &c.  (ra  J/xarta), 
and  the  close-fitting  inner  tunic  or  vest  ( viro5i/). 
The  former  could  be  conveniently  divided, 
but  not  the  latter. 

four  parts]  Comp.  Acts  xii.  4  (quaternion 
of  soldiers). 

without  seam]  Such  was  the  tunic  of  the 
high-priest,  Jos.  'Antt.'  in.  6.  4. 

Chrysostom,  who  may  write  from  personal 
knowledge,  thinks  that  the  detail  is  added  to 
shew  "the  poorness  of  the  Lord's  garments, 
and  that  in  dress,  as  in  all  other  things,  He 
followed  a  simple  fashion." 

24.  They  said  therefore  among  themselves 
(one  to  another,  xvi.  17)]     It  is  easy  to 
imagine  how  St  John  (v.  26)  watched  ear- 
nestly each  act,  and  listened  as  the  soldiers 
talked  over  their  work. 

that  the  scripture  ...]  Omit  which  saith. 
The  central  thought  in  the  original  context 
(Ps.  xxii.  1 8)  is  that  the  enemies  of  the  Lord's 
Anointed  treated  Him  as  already  dead,  and  so 
disposed  of  His  raiment.  Part  was  torn  asun- 
der, part  was  to  be  worn  by  another.  St 
John  marks  how  this  double  appropriation  of 
Christ's  dress  was  brought  about;  and  he 
appears  to  have  had  in  mind  the  contrast 
which  exists  in  the  original  between  the  over- 
clothing  (DHJ3)  and  the  body-dress  (t^ia1?), 
though  this  is  obscured  in  the  LXX.  transla- 

New  Test.— VOL.  II. 


tion  which  he  quotes.  Comp.  Hofmann, 
'  Weiss,  u.  Erf.'  n.  144  ff. 

This  reference  to  the  psalm,  it  may  be  no- 
ticed, has  been  inserted  from  this  place  in 
Matt,  xxvii.  35.  See  note  there. 

my  raiment]  my  garments.  The  same 
word  is  used  as  in  v.  23  (I/ulna). 

25  ff.  There  were  others  at  the  Cross 
besides  the  soldiers.  The  two  groups  are 
placed  in  significant  contrast  ("  the  soldiers  on 
the  one  hand  [oi  p.fv  ovv  or.]"  ...  "on  the 
other  there  were  standing  [e2crr»7«t(rai>  8e']" 
...).  At  the  very  moment  when  His  execu- 
tioners fulfil  the  last  part  of  their  office,  Christ 
in  calm  sovereignty  works  for  others.  The 
soldiers  at  their  will  dispose  of  His  raiment, 
but  He  Himself,  even  from  the  Cross,  deter- 
mines the  relationships  of  life. 

25.  Now  there  stood...']  More  exactly,  But 
there  were  standing  ((i<rTi]K(i<Tav,  not  simply 
stood.  See  xviii.  5,  note).  This  group  seems 
to  have  formed  the  more  courageous  part  of 
"  the  many  beholding  from  afar,"  mentioned 
by  St  Matthew  (xxvii.  55  f.,  see  notes),  who 
therefore  notices  the  three  by  name,  though 
he  does  not  record  that  they  approached  the 
Cross. 

The  text  leaves  room  for  doubt  as  to  the 
number  of  the  women  mentioned.  According 
to  one  interpretation,  the  name  "Mary  the 
wife  of  Clopas"  is  added  as  explanatory  of 
the  preceding  phrase,  "His  mother's  sister," 
so  that  three  women  only  are  specified:  ac- 
cording to  another  interpretation,  two  pairs  of 
women  are  distinguished,  the  first  two  not 
named  but  signified  only,  "  His  mother  and 
His  mother's  sister;"  and  the  second  two 
plainly  named,  "  Mary  the  wife  of  Clopas  and 
Mary  Magdalene."  The  former  interpretation 
would  involve  the  most  unlikely  supposition 
that  two  sisters  bore  the  same  name.  The 
parallelism  of  the  second  interpretation  is  like 
St  John's  style,  and  is  supported  by  other 
considerations.  St  Mark  (xv.  40)  mentions 
among  those  present  "  Mary  Magdalene,  and 
Mary  the  mother  of  James  the  less  and  of 
loses,  and  Salome"  (comp.  Matt,  xxvii.  56). 
There  is  no  doubt  as  to  the  identity  of  "Mary 
the  wife  of  Clopas"  and  "Mary  the  mother 
of  James  the  less."  It  seems  natural  therefore 
to  suppose  that  when  two  groups  of  three  stand 
out  clearly  in  the  same  connexion,  in  which 


276 


ST.  JOHN.    XIX. 


[v.  26—28. 


I' Or, 
Clttfas. 


sister,  Mary  the  wife  of  '  Cleophas, 
and  Mary  Magdalene. 


27  Then  saith  he  to  the  disciple, 
Behold  thy  mother  !    And  from  that 


26  When  Jesus  therefore  saw  his     hour  that  disciple  took  her  unto  his 
mother,    and    the    disciple    standing     own  home. 

28    11   After  this,  Jesus  knowing 
that  all  things  were  now  accomplish- 


by,  whom  he  loved,  he   saith  unto 
his  mother,  Woman,  behold  thy  son  ! 


two  persons  are  the  same,  that  the  third  is  also 
the  same;  and  so  that  "the  sister  of  the 
Lord's  mother"  is  "Salome,"  "the  mother  of 
the  sons  of  Zebedee."  This  near  connexion 
of  St  John  with  the  mother  of  the  Lord  helps 
to  explain  the  incident  which  follows,  as  well 
as  the  general  relation  in  which  St  John  stood 
to  the  Lord.  The  omission  of  the  name  of 
Salome,  on  this  supposition,  falls  in  with  St 
John's  usage  as  to  his  brother  and  to  himself. 
It  may  be  added  that  the  Peshito  (Syriac) 
version  distinctly  adopts  this  view  by  inserting 
and  before  "  Mary  the  wife  of  Clopas." 

Mary  the  wife  of  Cleophas  (Clop as)]  This 
seems  to  be  the  true  meaning  of  the  elliptical 
phrase  (M.  17  roC  KXwTra).  "  Clopas"  must 
then  be  regarded  as  identical  with  "  Alphaeus" 
(Matt.  x.  3).  It  is  commonly  supposed  that 

both  forms  represent  the  Aramaic  *B?n.  The 
form  "Cleophas"  (A.  V.)  comes  from  late 
Latin  MSS.  and  has  no  Greek  authority. 

There  is  no  direct  ground  for  identifying 
Clopas  (KXwTras)  with  Cleopas  (KXtoTrar), 
mentioned  in  Luke  xxiv.  18,  and  none  there- 
fore for  supposing  that  this  Mary  was  either 
his  "mother"  or  his  "wife"  or  his  "daugh- 
ter." 

It  will  be  noticed  that  Mary  Magdalene  is 
introduced  abruptly,  as  well  known,  without 
any  explanation. 

26.  When  Jesus  therefore  ...]  All  who 
were  present  at  the  scene  acted  according  to 
their  true  natures:  priests  (•:;.  21),  soldiers 
(w.  23,  24),  Jews  (jv.  31);  and  so  Christ 
fulfilled  the  last  office  of  filial  piety.  The 
soldiers  treated  Him  as  already  dead  (v.  24, 
note),  and  He  still  exercised  His  royal  power 
over  the  souls  of  men. 

whom  he  loi-ed~\  See  ch.  xiii.  23,  note.  The 
clause  is  at  once  an  explanation  of  what  fol- 
lows, and  a  word  of  thanksgiving ;  of  humility, 
not  of  pride. 

Woman}  Comp.  ii.  4,  note.  Special  earthly 
relationships  are  now  at  an  end.  For  Christ 
the  title  of  parentage  ("Mother")  is  exchanged 
for  the  common  title  of  respect  (yvvai).  If, 
as  appears  most  likely,  the  "brethren"  of 
Christ  were  sons  of  Joseph  by  a  former  mar- 
riage, and  St  John  was  the  son  of  the  sister  of 
the  Lord's  mother,  the  difficulty  which  has 
.  been  felt  as  to  the  charge  which  he  received  in 
preference  to  the  brethren,  who  appear  among 
the  first  believers  (Acts  i.  14),  wholly  disap- 
pears. St  John  was  nearest  to  the  Virgin  by 
ties  of  blood.  Comp.  T>.  25,  note. 


27.  Behold,  thy  mother!'}  Here  no  title  of 
address  is  used.  To  St  John  the  Lord  stood 
in  the  same  relation  as  before.  The  absence 
of  a  vocative  in  this  clause  (Hebr.  ii.  n)  fixes 
attention  on  the  meaning  of  that  which  was 
used  before. 

The  four  exclamations  in  this  chapter,  the 
two  of  Pilate,  Behold,  the  man!  (v.  5),  Be- 
hold, your  King!  (v.  14),  and  these  two  of  the 
Lord,  Behold,  thy  son!  Behold,  thy  mother! 
form  a  remarkable  picture  of  what  Christ  is 
and  what  He  reveals  men  to  be.  The  word 
"  Behold"  is  in  each  case  an  interjection. 

And  from  that  hour}  The  words  are 
to  be  understood  literally,  but  it  does  not  fol- 
low that  St  John's  "home"  was  at  Jerusalem 
(but  see  note  on  Mark  i.  20).  He  at  once 
accepted  and  fulfilled  the  duties  of  his  new 
sonship.  The  crisis  of  Christ's  Passion 
("His  hour,"  comp.  xiii.  i)  closed  finally 
His  individual  relation,  as  man,  to  His  earthly 
mother.  The  simple  connexion  of  the  word 
and  the  deed  (and,  not  therefore)  is  full  of 
meaning.  The  act  was  not  so  much  a  conse- 
quence drawn  from  that  which  the  Lord  had 
said  as  something  felt  to  be  included  in  it. 
Perhaps  St  John  conveyed  the  mother  of  the 
Lord  at  once  to  his  own  lodging,  and  him- 
self returned. 

unto  his  own  home"}  Comp.  xvi.  32,  note. 
St  John  probably  had  some  substance,  Mark 
i.  20,  note. 

Nothing  is  known  with  reasonable  certainty 
of  the  later  life  of  the  mother  of  the  Lord. 
Epiphanius  was  evidently  unacquainted  with 
any  accepted  tradition  upon  the  subject 
('Hasr.'  LXXVIII.  ii).  He  leaves  it  in  doubt 
whether  she  accompanied  St  John  to  Asia 
Minor  or  not.  But  in  the  course  of  time 
surmises  were  converted  into  facts;  and  Nica- 
phorus  Callisti  (f  c.  1350,  'Hist.  Eccles.'  ii. 
3)  relates  that  she  lived  with  St  John  at  Jeru- 
salem for  eleven  years  after  the  death  of  the 
Lord,  and  died  there  in  her  59th  year.  The 
site  of  the  "Tomb  of  the  Virgin,"  just  to 
the  north  of  the  garden  of  Gethsemane,  is  not 
mentioned  by  any  traveller  of  the  first  six 
centuries,  and  the  later  tradition  that  the 
church  there  was  built  by  Helena  is  certainly 
false.  See  Quaresmius,  ii.  240  fF. ;  Williams, 
'  Holy  City,'  II.  434  fF.  From  a  passage  in  a 
Synodical  Letter  of  the  Council  of  Ephesus 
(A.D.  431,  '  Cone.'  in.  573,  Labbe)  it  appears 
that,  according  to  another  tradition,  the 
mother  of  the  Lord  accompanied  St  John 
to  Ephesus  and  was  buried  there. 


v.  29,  so.] 


ST.  JOHN.    XIX. 


2/7 


3.     ivy.  28—30.     TA<f  work  accomplished:  the 

'willing  death. 

28.  After  this}  The  phrase  is  not  indefi- 
nite, as  "  after  these  things,"  see  ch.  v.  i.  The 
ministry  of  Christ  to  others  was  ended.  Then 
notice  is  taken  of  His  own  suffering.  But  all 
thought  is  concentrated  upon  the  Lord  Him- 
self, upon  His  words  and  His  actions;  and  it 
may  be  for.  this  reason  that  St  John  omits  all 
tm-ntion  of  the  three  hours'  darkness  (Matt, 
xxvii.  45 ;  Mark  xv.  33). 

knowing]  Comp.  ch.  xiii.  i. 
were  now  accomplished'}  are  now  finish- 
ed. The  A.  V.  loses  the  striking  parallel 
between  this  clause  "are  now  finished"  (^ 
7>r«Aeorcu)  and  what  follows,  "It  is  finished" 
(rfTfXfcrrai). 

that  the  scripture  might  be  fulfilled'}    This 
clause  can  be  connected  either  with  the  words 
which  precede  ("were  now  accomplished  that 
the...")   or  with  the  words  which  follow 
("  ...accomplished,  that  the  scripture  might  be 
fulfilled,  saith...").      The  stress  which  the 
Evangelist  lays  upon  the  fulfilment  of  pro- 
phetic words  in  each  detail  of  Christ's  suffer- 
ings appears  to  shew  that  the  latter  interpre- 
tation is  correct.      The   "thirst,"  the  keen 
expression  of  bodily  exhaustion,  was  specified 
as  part  of  the  agony  of  the  Servant  of  God 
(Ps.  Ixix.  21),  and  this  Messiah  endured  to 
the  uttermost.      The  incident  loses  its  full 
significance  unless  it  be  regarded  as  one  ele- 
ment in  the  foreshadowed  course  of  the  Pas- 
sion.    Nor  is  there  any  difficulty  in  the  phrase 
"are  now   finished"  as  preceding  it.     The 
"thirst"  was  already  felt,  and  the  feeling  in- 
cluded the  confession  of  it.    The  fulfilment  of 
the  Scripture  (it  need  scarcely  be  added)  was 
not  the  object  which  the  Lord  had  in  view  in 
uttering  the  word,  but  there  was  a  necessary 
correspondence  between    His   acts   and    the 
divine  foreshadowing  of  them. 

be fulfilled\  be  accomplished,  perfect- 
ed. The  word  used  (reXetw^,  Vulg.  consum- 
maretur,  for  which  some  copies  substitute  the 
usual  word  ir\r)pa>6fi)  is  very  remarkable.  It 
appears  to  mark  not  the  isolated  fulfilling  of  a 
particular  trait  in  the  scriptural  picture,  but 
the  perfect  completion  of  the  whole  prophetic 
image.  This  utterance  of  physical  suffering 
was  the  last  thing  required  that  Messiah  might 
be  "made  perfect "(Hebr.ii.  10,  v.  7  ff.),  and  so 
the  ideal  of  prophecy  "made  perfect"  in  Him. 
Or,  to  express  the  same  thought  otherwise, 
that  "work"  which  Christ  came  to  "make 
perfect"  (ch.  iv.  34,  xvii.  4)  was  written  in 
Scripture,  and  by  the  realisation  of  the  work 
thp  Srrintnrp  was  "nerfected."  Thus  under 


different  aspects  of  this  word  and  of  that 
which  it  implies,  prophecy,  and  the  earthly 
work  of  Christ,  and  Christ  Himself,  were 
"made  perfect." 

29.  The  act  on  this  occasion  (contrast 
Luke  xxiii.  36)  appears  to  have  been  a  natural 
act  of  compassion,  and  not  at  all  of  mockery. 
The  emphasis  is  laid  upon  the  physical  suffer- 
ing of  the  Lord,  and  not  upon  the  manner  in 
which  it  was  met. 

Now  (omit)  there  was . . .  -ve-ssel . . .  vinegar! 
It  seems  to  be  certain  from  Luke  xxiii.  36 
that  the  "vinegar"  was  thin  sour  wine  the 
ordinary  drink  of  the  soldiers.  This  may 
have  been  brought  by  them  for  their  own  use 
during  the  long  watch.  The  mention  of  the 
"  vessel  set "  is  peculiar  to  St  John. 

and  they  filled  ...and  put  it...}  having 
therefore  placed  a  sponge  full  of  the 
vinegar  upon  hyssop  they  put  it  ... 
St  John's  narrative  leaves  the  persons  unde- 
termined. "They"  may  refer  to  the  soldiers 
whose  action  has  been  described  above,  or 
"the  Jews,"  who  are  in  his  mind  the  real 
agents  throughout  (v.  16).  The  account  in 
St  Matthew  (xxvii.  48,  see  note)  and  St  Mark 
(xv.  36),  with  equal  vagueness,  refers  the  ac- 
tion to  "one  of  them  that  stood  by,"  but  since 
St  Luke  (xxiii.  36)  speaks  of  "the  soldiers" 
as  having  offered  "vinegar"  to  the  Lord  at 
an  earlier  stage  of  His  Passion,  there  can  be 
little  doubt  that  one  of  these,  touched  with 
awe  by  what  had  intervened,  now  brought  in 
compassion  the  draught  which  had  been  offered 
in  mockery  before. 

tyssop}  In  St  Matthew  and  St  Mark  "a 
reed "  is  mentioned,  which  is  probably  to  be 
distinguished  from  the  hyssop ;  though  the 
"hyssop"  has  been  frequently  identified  with 
the  caper-plant,  which  has  stems  three  or  four 
feet  long.  Cotnp.  Matt,  xxvii.  48,  note,  and 
the  'Dictionary  of  the  Bible,'  s.  -v. 


the  Scripture  was  "perfected."    Thus  under 


30.  received}  The  Lord,  it  will  be  no- 
ticed, asked  for  and  received  this  slight  re- 
freshment, which  restored  natural  forces, 
while  He  refused  the  stupefying  potion  which 
was  before  offered  to  Him.  See  Matt,  xxvii. 
34,  note.  He  gave  up  life  while  in  full  pos- 
session of  the  powers  of  life. 

It  is  finished}  Comp.  v.  28.  The  earthly 
life  had  been  carried  to  its  issue.  Every 
essential  point  in  the  prophetic  portraiture  of 
Messiah  had  been  realized  (Acts  xiii.  29). 
The  last  suffering  for  sin  had  been  endured. 
The  "  end  "  of  all  had  been  gained.  Nothing 
was  left  undone  or  unborne;  The  absence  of 
a  definite  subject  forces  the  reader  to  call  up 

T  2 


278 


ST.  JOHN.   XIX. 


[v. 


32. 


finished :  and  he  bowed  his  head,  and 
gave  up  the  ghost. 

31  The  Jews  therefore,  because  it 
was  the  preparation,  that  the  bodies 
should  not  remain  upon  the  cross  on 


the  sabbath  day,    (for   that   sabbath 
day  was  an  high  day,)  besought  Pi- 
late that  their  legs  might  be  broken, 
and  that  they  might  be  taken  away. 
32   Then  came   the  soldiers,   and 


each  work  which  was  now  brought  to  an  end. 
Comp.  Luke  xviii.  31,  xxii.  37,  and  the  phrase 
of  St  Paul,  a  Tim.  iv.  7.  See  Matt,  xxvii. 
50,  note. 

gave  up  the  ghost  (His  spirit)]  The 
death  itself  is  described  as  a  voluntary  act 
(Tertull.  '  Apol.'  ch.  21,  p.  58,  "Suffixus  spiri- 
tum  cum  verbo  sponte  dimisit  prasvento  carni- 
ficis  officio  ").  Among  later  writers  who  dwell 
on  this  idea,  Augustine  (in  loc.~)  may  be  speci- 
ally quoted  :  '  '  Quis  ita  dormit  quando  voluerit, 
sicut  Jesus  mortuus  est  quando  voluit  ?  Quis 
ita  vestem  ponit  quando  voluerit,  sicut  se  carne 
exuit  quando  vult  ?  Quis  ita  cum  voluerit 
abit,  quomodo  ille  cum  voluit  obiit  ?  Quanta 
speranda  vel  timenda  potestas  est  judicantis, 
si  apparuit  tanta  morientis  ?  "  In  this  sense 
the  words  stand  in  close  relation  with  the 
phrase  of  St  Paul,  He  gave  up  Himself  (TTO- 
pe8a>Kfv  eavrov,  Eph.  v.  2,  25  ;  Gal.  ii.  20). 
Comp.  i  Pet.  ii.  23,  and,  under  another  as- 
pect, Acts  vii.  59.  St  Luke  (xxiii.  46)  gives 
the  words  which  the  Lord  used  (7rap<m'0ejuai, 
Ps.  xxxi.  5).  Such  a  willing  surrender  of  life 
was  an  exact  fulfilment  of  what  the  Lord  had 
said  of  Himself,  ch.  x.  1  7  f.  Under  these  cir- 
cumstances it  may  not  be  fitting  to  speculate 
on  the  physical  cause  of  the  Lord's  death,  but 
it  has  been  argued  that  the  symptoms  agree 
with  a  rupture  of  the  heart,  such  as  might  be 
produced  by  intense  mental  agony  (Stroud, 
'The  physical  cause  of  the  Death  of  Christ,' 
1847,  r87i;  see  note  on  -v.  34).  In  con- 
nexion with  St  John's  language  here  it  may 
be  noticed  that  in  the  Apocalypse  he  seems 
to  avoid  the  word  "died"  in  speaking  of  the 
Lord:  i.  18,  ii.  8  (yei/eV#<u  j/eKpor);  yet  see 
c.  xii.  33,  xi.  51.  The  phrases  in  the  parallel 
accounts  are  different,  Matt,  xxvii.  50  (affrrJKfv 
TO  Trvfv/ia);  and  Mark  xv.  37;  Luke  xxiii.  46 


The  "seven  words  from  the  Cross,"  which 
are  preserved  some  by  one  Evangelist  and 
some  by  another,  form  a  whole  which  requires 
to  be  studied  by  itself.  One  is  given  by  St 
Matthew  and  St  Mark  only.  Three  are  peculiar 
to  St  Luke,  and  three  to  St  John.  The  fol- 
lowing list  presents  the  order  in  which  they 
appear  to  have  been  uttered. 

(a)  Before  the  darkness. 

T.  Father,  forgive  them  •  for  they  know  not 
what  they  do  (iroiovviv),  Luke  xxiii.  34. 

2.  Verily  I  say,  To  day  shalt  thou  be  with  me 
in  paradise  (Luke  xxiii.  43). 

3.  Woman,  behold,  thy  son!  ...  Behold  ,  thy 
mother!  (John  xix.  26  f.). 


(/3)  During  the  darkness :  towards  the  close. 

4.  My  God,  my  God,  why  didst  thou  forsake 
me?  (Matt,  xxvii.  46;  Mark  xv.  34). 

(y)  At  the  close  of  the  darkness. 

5.  I  thirst  (John  xix.  28). 

6.  It  is  finished  (John  xix.  30). 

7.  Father,   into  thy  hands    I  commend  my 
spirit  (Luke  xxiii.  46). 

The  last  word  of  the  Lord  which  St  John 
records  is  a  voice  of  triumph.  Comp.  xvi.  33. 

4.  w.  3 1 — 42.  The  two  requests :  shame  turned 
to  honour. 

(a)  The  request  of  the  Jews.  The  sign  of 
life  in  the  crucified  Lord  (w.  31 — 37). 

31 — 37.  The  main  thought  of  this  section 
is  that  of  the  Life  of  the  Lord  in  Death.  The 
sign  of  life  is  called  out  by  wanton  insult:  the 
unconscious  agency  of  enemies  effects  the 
fulfilment  of  the  divine  purpose. 

The  incidents  are  peculiar  to  St  John. 
Yet  see  the  early  addition  to  St  Matt,  xxvii. 
49,  "  But  another  took  a  spear  and  pierced 
His  side,  and  there  came  out  water  and 
blood." 

31.  The  Jews  therefore  ...]  The  con- 
nexion is  not  with  that  which  immediately 
precedes,  for  the  Jews  did  not  yet  know  of 
Christ's  death.  But  the  narrative  goes  back 
to  follow  out  the  conduct  of  the  chief  actors 
in  the  tragedy  (w.  7,  20);  they  had  wrought 
their  will,  and  now  they  were  eager  to  satisfy 
the  letter  of  the  Law :  Deut.  xxi.  22  f.  Jos. 
'  B.  J.'  iv.  5.  2.  Comp.  xviii.  28. 

Under  any  circumstances  the  dead  bodies 
ought  to  have  been  removed  before  night ; 
but  this  obligation  became  more  urgent  on  the 
day  of  the  Crucifixion,  since  that  day  pre- 
ceded a  great  Festival,  "  the  first  day  of  un- 
leavened bread"  (Exod.  xii.  16;  Lev.  xxiii. 
7),  which,  according  to  the  common  view, 
coincided  on  this  occasion  with  the  weekly 
Sabbath  (see  Matt,  xxvi.,  note),  so  that  the 
day  was  "a  great  day"  in  itself,  and  by  the 
concurrence  of  two  "  Sabbaths." 

besought]  Rather,  asked  (rjpunrjo-av),  as  for 
that  which  they  might  reasonably  expect  to  be 
granted. 

legs ...  broken]  This  terrible  punishment 
(o-Kf  AOKOTTUI,  crurifragium)  was  inflicted  (like 
crucifixion)  upon  slaves  (Sen.  'De  ira,'  in.  32) 
and  others  who  had  incurred  the  anger  of  ir- 
responsible masters  (Suet. '  Aug.'  67 ; '  Tib.',44 ; 
Sen.  '  De  ira,'  in.  18 ;  comp.  Euseb.  'H.  E.'  v. 


33—35-] 


ST.  JOHN.   XIX. 


279 


brake  the  legs  of  the  first,  and  of  the 
other  which  was  crucified  with  him. 

33  But  when  they  came  to  Jesus, 
and  saw  that  he  was  dead  already, 
they  brake  not  his  legs  : 


34  But  one  of  the   soldiers  with 
a  spear  pierced  his  side,  and  forthwith 
came  there  out  blood  and  water. 

35  And  he  that  saw  it  bare  re- 
cord, and  his  record  is  true  :  and  he 


21).  It  was  no  part  of  the  punishment  of 
crucifixion  itself,  but  was  inflicted  in  this 
case,  and  perhaps  generally  in  Jewish  cruci- 
fixions (Lact.  IV.  26),  in  order  to  hasten 
death.  Compare  Lipsius,  'De  cruce,'  11.  14. 
The  punishment  was  abolished,  together  with 
crucifixion,  by  the  first  Christian  emperor 
Constantine  (Lipsius,  ill.  14). 

3  2 .  Then  ...the  soldiers}  The  soldiers  there- 
fore,— to  whom  the  carrying  out  of  the 
execution  had  been  committed — came  from 
their  place  of  guard  to  fulfil  these  new  in- 
structions. 

the  frst  ...the  other  . . .]  starting  perhaps 
from  the  two  sides  at  which  they  had  been 
stationed. 

34.  The  wantonness  of  the  soldiers'  vio- 
lence was  in  part  checked  (they  brake  not  his 
legs),  but  one  of  them,  in  order,  no  doubt, 
to  learn  the  certainty  of  the  Lord's  death, 
pierced  His  side.  The  word  which  describes  the 
wound  (fia'*ei»)  is  used  both  of  a  light  touch 
(Ecclus.  xxii.  19)  and  of  a  deep  gash  (Jos. 
'  B.  J.'  in.  7.  35).  Here  there  is  no  doubt  that 
the  latter  is  described,  both  from  the  weapon 
used  (Aoyx.v,  Vulg.  lancea,  the  long  lance  of 
a  horseman)  and  from  the  object  of  the  blow. 
The  word  is  quite  distinct  from  that  used  in 
•v.  37  (ig(K(VTrjo-av,  pierced  through,  or  deeply: 
i  Chro.  x.  4).  The  reading  of  the  Latin 
Vulgate,  opened  (aperuit),  comes  from  a  false 
reading  of  the  Greek  (qi>ot£«c  for  ew£tv). 

blood  and  water]  It  has  been  argued  (with 
the*  greatest  plausibility  and  authority  by  Dr 
Stroud,  '  The  physical  cause  of  the  Death  of 
Christ,'  ed.  2,  1871)  that  this  is  a  natural 
phenomenon.  The  immediate  cause  of  death 
was  (it  is  said)  a  rupture  of  the  heart,  which 
was  followed  by  a  large  effusion  of  blood  into 
the  pericardium.  This  blood,  it  is  supposed, 
rapidly  separated  into  its  more  solid  and  liquid 
parts  (crassamentum  and  serum),  which  flowed 
forth  in  a  mingled  stream,  when  the  pericardi- 
um was  pierced  by  the  spear  from  below. 
But  it  appears  that  both  this  and  the  other 
naturalistic  explanations  of  the  sign  are  not 
only  inadequate  but  also  inconsistent  with  the 
real  facts.  There  is  not  sufficient  evidence  to 
shew  that  such  a  flow  of  blood  and  water  as 
is  described  would  occur  under  the  circum- 
stances supposed,  and  the  separation  of  the 
blood  into  its  constituent  parts  is  a  process  of 
corruption,  and  we  cannot  but  believe  that 
even  from  the  moment  of  death  the  Body  of 
the  Lord  underwent  the  beginnings  of  that 
change  which  issued  in  the  Resurrection.  The 


issuing  of  the  blood  and  water  from  His  side 
must  therefore  be  regarded  as  a  sign  of  life  in 
death.  It  shewed  both  His  true  humanity  and 
(in  some  mysterious  sense)  the  permanence  of 
His  human  life.  Though  dead,  dead  in  regard 
to  our  mortal  life,  the  Lord  yet  lived;  and  as 
He  hung  upon  the  cross  He  was  shewn  openly 
to  be  the  source  of  a  double  cleansing  and 
vivifying  power,  which  followed  from  His 
death  and  life. 

The  Sign  by  which  this  revelation  was 
made  becomes  intelligible  from  the  use  of 
the  terms  "  blood"  and  "  water"  elsewhere  in 
the  writings  of  St  John.  i.  "Blood"  is  the 
symbol  of  the  natural  life  (comp.  i.  13) ;  and 
so  especially  of  life  as  sacrificed ;  and  Christ 
by  dying  provided  for  the  communication  of 
the  virtue  of  His  human  life:  vi.  53 — 56,  xii. 
24  ff.  Comp.  Rev.  i.  5,  v.  9,  vii.  14.  2.  «  Wa- 
ter" is  the  symbol  of  the  spiritual  life  (see 
iv.  14,  iii.  5,  and  vii.  38;  [Zech.  xiv.  8]);  and 
Christ  by  dying  provided  for  the  outpouring 
of  the  Spirit:  xvi.  7.  Comp.  Rev.  xxi.  6, 
xxii.  i,  17,  [vii.  17].  The  cleansing  from  sin 
and  the  quickening  by  the  Spirit  are  both 
consequent  on  Christ's  death. 

Thus  we  are  brought  by  this  sign  of 
"  blood  and  water"  to  the  ideas  which  under- 
lie the  two  Sacraments  and  which  are  brought 
home  to  faith  in  and  through  them ;  and  the 
teaching  of  the  third  and  sixth  chapters  is 
placed  at  once  in  connexion  with  the  Passion. 
It  is  through  the  death  of  Christ,  and  His 
new  Life  by  Death,  that  the  life  of  the  Spirit 
and  the  support  of  the  whole  complex  fulness 
of  hilman  life  is  assured  to  men.  The  sym- 
bols of  the  Old  Covenant  (Hebr.  ix.  19)  found 
their  fulfilment  in  the  New. 

Comp.  i  John  v.  6  ff.  Lightfoot  quotes  a 
remarkable  tradition  from  'Shemoth  R.'  122  a, 
based  on  the  interpretation  of  Ps.  Ixxviii.  20 
(D'D  131P1),  that  "Moses  struck  the  rock 
twice,  and  first  it  gushed  out  blood  and  then 
water." 

For  a  summary  of  the  patristic  interpreta- 
tions of  the  passage  see  Additional  Note. 

35.     See  Introduction,  pp.  xxv.  ff. 

He  that  bath  seen  (6  e'wpaKw's)  hath 
borne  witness  dj.fp,apTvpr)K(i>,  not  €^iaprv- 
prjo-fv),  and  his  witness  is  true:  and  he  know- 
eth  that  he  saith  things  that  are  true  that 
ye  also  may  believe. 

his  witness    is   true    (d\  ?;  #11/17)  ]    i.e.   it 
answers  to  the  full  conception  of  adequate 
testimony.     Comp.  viii.  16,  14  and  notes. 
je~\    ye  also,  even  as  the  apostle  himself, 


280 


ST.  JOHN.    XIX. 


36—39- 


knoweth  that  he  saith  true,  that  ye 

might  believe. 

36    For  these  things  were   done, 
/"Exod.  iz./that  the  scripture  sjiould  be  fulfilled, 
Numb.  9.    A  bone  of  him  shall  not  be  broken. 
Psai.  34.         37    And    again    another   scripture 

saith,  *"Thev  shall  look  on  him  whom 

f  Zecli.  12.  '    .  J 

10.  they  pierced. 


38  f  AAnd  after  this  Joseph  oPMa"-27- 
Arimathaea,  being  a  disciple  of  Jesus, 

but  secretly  for  fear  of  the  Jews,  be- 
sought Pilate  that  he  might  take 
away  the  body  of  Jesus  :  and  Pilate 
gave  him  leave.  He  came  therefore, 
and  took  the  body  of  Jesus. 

39  And    there   came   also   Nico- 


who  had  had  the  privilege  of  witnessing  these 
signs  of  the  truth  of  the  Gospel. 

believe]  On  this  absolute  use  of  the  word 
see  i.  7. 

36.  For  these  things  (were  done  (rather, 
came  to  pass)  ...]  The  stress  is  laid  upon 
the  correspondence  of  the  two  facts  with  the 
details  of  type  and  prophecy.  It  was  wonder- 
ful, as  the  events  fell  out,  that  the  legs  of 
Christ  were  not  broken :  it  was  further  won- 
derful, when  He  had  escaped  this  indignity, 
that  His  side  was  pierced.  The  first  fact 
pointed  the  student  of  Scripture  to  the  ful- 
filment in  Jesus  of  the  symbolism  of  the  Law : 
the  second  to  the  fulfilment  in  Him  of  the 
promises  as  to  the  representative  of  Jehovah. 
For  the  two  passages  quoted  are  not  to  be 
regarded  only  as  isolated  quotations,  but 
also  as  indicating  the  two  great  lines  of 
preparatory  teaching  to  which  they  severally 
belong. 

the  scripture]  i.e.  the  passage  of  scripture. 
See  ii.  22,  note. 

A  bone...']  Exod.  xii.  46;  (Num.  ix  12). 
Comp.  i  Cor.  v.  7.  The  ordinance  extended 
to  the  burnt-offerings  (Lev.  i.  6,  into  bis  pieces}. 
That  which  was  offered  to  God  might  not  be 
arbitrarily  mutilated.  It  was  fitting  that  it 
should  be  brought  to  Him  in  its  full  strength. 
And  conversely  God  preserves  "the righteous" 
(Acts  iii.  14,  &c.),  so  that  "  not  one  of  his 
bones  is  broken  "  (Ps.  xxxiv.  20),  even  in  his 
uttermost  distress.  The  spiritual  correspond- 
ence of  the  fact  with  the  phrase  in  the  Psalm 
should  not  be  overlooked. 

37.  They  shall  look  ...]  Zech.  xii.  TO. 
See  note.  Comp.  Introduction,  p.  xiv.  "  The 
Jews  "  are  the  subject  of  the  whole  sentence. 
The  Crucifixion  was  their  act  (v.  16);  and  in 
unbelief  and  in  belief  they  represent  the  world. 
It  is  important  to  notice  that  the  prophetic 
vision  is  referred  to  Christ  under  a  twofold 
aspect.  As  presented  by  the  prophet  himself, 
it  is  the  vision  of  a  Saviour  late  recognised  by 
a  penitent  people  (comp.  ch.  xii.  32).  As 
applied  in  the  Apocalypse,  it  is  primarily  the 
vision  of  one  slain  returning  to  Judgment 
(Rev.  i.  7).  Perhaps  these  two  aspects  of 
Christ's  death  are  reconciled  in  that  final 
Truth  which  lies  at  present  beyond  our  sight. 

pierced]  •£>•  34,  note. 


(b)  The  request  of  Joseph  of  Arimath<ea. 
The  quickening  of  love  in  disciples  (vv.  38 — 42). 

38 — 42.  Just  as  the  last  section  deals 
with  the  unconscious  ministry  of  enemies, 
this  deals  with  the  devoted  ministry  of  friends. 
The  Death  of  the  Lord  evoked  in  disciples 
that  courage  which  had  been  latent  during 
His  lifetime  (secretly,  v.  38,  by  night  at  the 
first,  v.  39).  From  this  point  of  sight  it  is 
natural  that  the  ministry  of  the  women  should 
be  passed  over  (Matt,  xxvii.  61 ;  Mark  xv. 
47  ;  Luke  xxiii.  55  f.)  :  their  continued  service 
revealed  no  sudden  growth  of  love  or  self- 
sacrifice. 

All  the  Evangelists  record  the  request  ot 
Joseph.  St  John  alone  notices  the  offering 
and  the  presence  of  Nicodemus  (vv  39  f.). 

38.  after  this]  More  exactly,  after  these 
things  (p.fra  ravTa):  the  phrase  marks  an 
indefinite,  general,  sequence  and  not  a  direct 
sequence  (/zero  TOVTO,  v.  28).  Comp.  vi.  i, 
note.  The  form  of  expression  is  of  import- 
ance here  because  it  shews  that  the  Evangelist 
does  not  (as  has  been  supposed)  place  the 
request  of  Joseph  after  the  incident  related  in 
vv.  32  ff.,  but  simply  after  the  issue  of  the 
crucifixion :  comp.  Mark  xv.  44  f. 

Joseph  of  Arimathata]  Matt,  xxvii.  57  ff. 
(a  rich  man) ;  Mark  xv.  43  f.  (an  honourable 
councillor,  i.e.  a  member  of  the  Sanhedrin) ; 
Luke  xxiii.  50  f.  (a  good  man  and  just  ...). 
See  notes  on  these  passages. 

for  fear  of  the  Jews]  xii.  42,  vii.  13.  St  Mark 
adds  most  significantly,  with  a  clear  reference 
to  this  fact:  Joseph  ...  (went  in  boldly  unto 
Pilate ...  literally,  having  dared  (i-oA/ir/o-as), 
having  ventured  on  an  act  foreign  to  his 
natural  temper  (Mark  xv.  43,  note). 

besought]  n>.  31,  note. 

take  away]  The  permission  given  to  Jo- 
seph is  in  complete  harmony  with  the  instruc- 
tions given  to  the  soldiers  (v.  31  f.,  that  they 
might  be  taken  away).  Joseph  would  be 
able  to  prefer  his  request  after  the  death  of 
the  Lord  (Mark  xv.  44),  and  before  the  bodies 
were  removed  in  the  ordinary  course.  Thus 
he  "took  down"  the  Lord's  Body  (Mark  xv. 
46 ;  Luke  xxiii.  53),  either  assisting  in  or 
directing  the  act. 

gave  him  leave]  This  was  in  accordance 
with  Roman  law  except  in  extreme  cases.  See 
the  passage  quoted  by  Wetstein  on  Matt. 


v.  40—42.] 


ST.  JOHN.   XIX. 


281 


demus,  which  at  the  first  came  to 
Jesus  by  night,  and  brought  a  mixture 
of  myrrh  and  aloes,  about  an  hun- 
dred pound  weight. 

40  Then  took  they  the  body  of 
Jesus,  and  wound  it  in  linen  clothes 
with  the  spices,  as  the  manner  of 
the  Jews  is  to  bury. 


41  Now  in  the  place  where  he 
was  crucified  there  was  a  garden ;  and 
in  the  garden  a  new  sepulchre,  where- 
in was  never  man  yet  laid. 

42.  There  laid  they  Jesus  there- 
fore because  of  the  Jews'  prepara- 
tion day ;  for  the  sepulchre  was  nigh 
at  hand. 


xxvii.  58.  An  avaricious  governor  was  able 
to  sell  the  privilege  of  burial  (Cic.  '  Verr.'  v. 
45),  yet  Pilate  did  not  do  this  (Mark  xv.  45, 
(8a>pj](TaTo):  see  note  in  he.  and  contrast 
Matt,  xxviii.  14.  Compare  also  the  burial  of 
the  bodies  of  John  the  Baptist  (Matt.  xiv.  12) 
and  St  Stephen  (Acts  viii.  2)  by  their  friends. 
the  body  of  Jesus']  According  to  the  best 
authorities,  his  body. 

39.  And  there  came  also  ...]  The  order 
of  the  words,  corresponding  to  that  in  the 
former  clause,  seems  to  suggest  the  thought 
that  the  act  of  Joseph  gave  Nicodemus  courage 
to  join  him. 

which. ..came  to  Jesus  (to  him)]  iii.  i  ff.,  vii. 
50.  The  addition  of  the  words  "  by  night "  here 
(not  in  vii.  50  according  to  the  true  reading) 
is  designed  apparently  to  contrast  this  open 
act  of  reverence  to  Christ,  done  before  the  day 
had  closed,  with  the  secrecy  of  his  first  visit. 
The  use  of  the  phrase  "  at  the  first "  probably 
implies  at  the  same  time  that  Nicodemus  had 
come  to  Christ  on  other  occasions;  though  it 
may  indicate  only  the  beginning  of  the  Lord's 
ministry  (comp.  ch.  x.  40). 

and  brought  (bringing)  a  mixture  (or, 
according  to  a  probable  reading,  a  roll)  of 
myrrh  and  aloes']  Comp.  Ps.  xlv.  8,  "  All  thy 
garments  are  myrrh  and  aloes ..."  The  com- 
pound was  made  of  the  gum  oi  the  myrrh 
tree  (comp.  Matt.  ii.  n;  'Diet,  of  Bible,' 
j.  v.)  and  a  powder  of  the  fragrant  aloe  wood. 

The  amount  of  the  preparation  ("about  a 
hundred  pound  weight,"  that  is,  a  hundred 
Roman  pounds  of  nearly  twelve  ounces)  has 
caused  some  needless  difficulty.  The  intention 
of  Nicodemus  was,  without  doubt,  to  cover 
the  Body  completely  with  the  mass  of  aroma- 
tics  (comp.  a  Chro.  xvi.  14):  for  this  purpose 
the  quantity  was  not  excessive  as  a  costly  gift 
of  devotion. 

40.  Then  took  they  ...]  they  took  there- 
fore ...  as  uniting  in  the  pious  service. 

<wound  (bound)  it  in  linen  clothes  (cloths)] 
The  exact  word  used  (odovtd)  is  found  also  in 
Luke  xxiv.  12,  a  verse  which  appears  to  have 
been  a  very  early  addition  to  St  Luke's 
Gospel.  The  diminutive  form  which  is  used 
in  Greek  medical  writings  for  bandages,  seems 
to  distinguish  these  "swathes"  in  which  the 
Body  was  bound  from  "the  linen  cloth" 
mentioned  by  the  other  Evangelists, 


in  which  it  was  "wrapped"  (eW™Ai£fj/  as 
contrasted  with  tbnvav). 

the  manner  of  the  Jews']  as  contrasted  with 
that  (e.g.}  of  the  Egyptians,  who  removed 
parts  of  the  body  before  embalming  (Herod. 
II.  86  fF.).  The  phrase  may,  however,  only 
mark  the  Jewish  custom  of  embalming  as 
contrasted  with  burning :  comp.  Tac.  '  Hist.' 
v.  3- 

to  bury\  Or  more  exactly,  to  prepare  for 
burial.  Comp.  ch.  xii.  7;  Matt.  xxvi.  12; 
Mark  xiv.  8.  The  same  word  (evrafyiafav) 
is  used  in  the  LXX.  for  the  "  embalming  "  of 
Jacob  (Gen.  1.  2  f.).  The  process  indicated  is 
the  simple  wrapping  of  the  dead  body  in 
swathes  of  linen  cloth  covered  with  thick 
layers  of  the  aromatic  preparation. 

41.  a  garden]    Comp.  xviii.  i.    The  scene 
of  the  betrayal  and  the  scene  of  the  triumphant 
rest  answer  one  to  the  other.    The  detail  is 
peculiar  to  St  John. 

Josephus  relates  of  Uzziah  ('  Ant.'  ix.  10. 
4,  KrjTrots),  and  of  Manasseh  ('Ant.'  x.  3.2, 
TJ-apafifiWs),  that  they  were  buried  in  their 
"  gardens ." 

a  new  sepulchre"]  St  Matthew  adds  that  it 
belonged  to  Joseph  (xxvii.  60,  see  note),  and 
all  the  Synoptists  notice  that  it  was  cut  in  the 
rock.  The  fact  that  "no  one  had  ever  yet 
been  laid  in  it "  (comp.  Luke  xxiii.  53)  is  em- 
phasized (as  it  appears)  to  shew  that  the  Lord 
was  not  brought  into  contact  with  corruption. 

42.  There  ...because. ..]   The  embalmment 
could  not  (according  to  their  views)  be  de- 
ferred, and  for  this  ample  provision  was  made. 
But  it  is  implied  that  the  sepulchre  in  which 
the  Lord  was  laid  was  not  chosen  as  His  final 
resting-place. 

laid  they]  From  another  point  of  view 
it  is  said  most  naturally  (Acts  xiii.  29)  of 
"the  Jews  and  their  rulers"  generally,  that 
"they  placed"  Christ  in  the  tomb.  It  was 
the  act  of  both,  on  the  one  side  from  the  as- 
pect of  devotion  and  on  the  other  from  the 
aspect  of  hatred. 

Jesus']     Comp.  xi.  n,  note. 


the  term  "  preparation  "  is  unfavourable  to  the 
view  that  it  is  used  simply  for  the  day  of  the 
week  (Friday). 


282 


ST.  JOHN.    XIX. 


ADDITIONAL  NOTES  on  CHAP.  xix. 


NOTE  ON  ST  JOHN'S  RECKONING  OF  HOURS. 
St  John  mentions  a  definite  hour  of  the  day 
on  four  occasions: 


i.  39,  about  the  tenth  hour. 
iv.  6,  about  the  sixth  hour. 
iv.  52,  at  the  seventh  hour. 
xix.  14,  about  the  sixth  hour. 


He  also  records  this  saying  of  the  Lord,  "Are 
there  not  twelve  hours  in  the  day?  "  (xi.  9). 

The  question  therefore  arises  whether  the 
incidents  of  which  the  time  is  given  furnish 
any  clue  to  the  mode  of  reckoning:  whether, 
that  is,  the  hours  were  reckoned  from  6  p.m. 
to  6  a.m.  and  from  6  a.m.  to  6p.m.  accord- 
ing to  the  common  ancient  mode  followed  by 
the  Jews,  or  from  midnight  to  noon,  and  from 
noon  to  midnight,  according  to  the  modem 
"Western  mode. 

The  different  passages  will  first  be  examined 
separately,  in  order  that  it  may  be  seen  how 
far  the  context  helps  to  determine  the  answer. 

(1)1.39.  After  the  mention  of  the  hour,  it  is 
said  that  the  disciples  abode  with  Jesus  "that 
day"  (TTJV  rjpfpav  €\fivr)v).  It  appears  likely 
also  that  Jesus  left  the  Baptist  early  in  the  day 
(i.  35  ff.).  It  is  then  scarcely  conceivable  that 
it  was  4p.m.  (4  a.m.  is  out  of  the  question) 
before  He  reached  the  place  "  where  He  abode ; ' ' 
and  even  less  conceivable  that  the  short  space 
of  the  day  then  remaining  should  be  called 
"that  day,"  which,  in  fact,  appears  to 
have  been  full  of  incident.  On  the  other 
hand,  loa.m.  suits  both  conditions.  It  is  an 
hour  by  which  a  wayfarer  would  seek  to  have 
ended  his  journey ;  and  it  would  leave  prac- 
tically "a  day"  for  intercourse. 

(2)  iv.  6.     In  this  case  the  hour  marks  a 
pause  on  a  journey:  the  visit  of  the  disciples  to 
a  town  to  purchase  provisions ;  a  coming  of  a 
woman  to  the  well  to  draw  water.  1 1  can  scarce- 
ly be  questioned  that  these  three  things  fall  in 
better  with   6p.m.  than   with  noon.     It  is 
most  unlikely  that  a  woman  would  come  from 
a  distance  at  midday  to  the  well,  and  on  the 
other  hand,  evening  was  the  usual  time:  Gen. 
xxiv.  ii.     It  is  more  natural  that  the  pur- 
chases would  be  made  when  the  day's  travel 
was  over.      Sychar   too    was  at  about  the 
usual  distance  of  a  day's  journey  from  within 
the    borders    of    Judaea,   and   arrangements 
would  probably  be  made  to  spend  the  night 
outside  the  city,  which  was  afterwards  en- 
tered by  special  invitation  (iv.  30,  40).    If  the 
incident  fell  in  summer  (v.  i,  Additional  Note) 
there  would  be  ample  time  for  the  conversa- 
tion and  the  return  to  the  city. 

(3)  iv.  52.    The  uncertainty  of  the  site  of 
Cana  causes  a  little  difficulty  in  determining 
the  time  required  for  the  journey  from  Caper- 
naum to  Cana.    This  may  however  be  fairly 
reckoned  at  about  four  or  five  hours.     (Comp. 
Jos.  'Vit.'  c.  1-7:  a  night  journey  from  Cana 


to  Tiberias.)  It  is  then  possible  that  the 
father  may  have  planned  that  his  journey  to 
and  from  Cana  should  be  included  in  one 
natural  day,  and  that  he  did  not  meet  his 
servants  till  after  6p.m.,  when  they  would  per- 
haps speak  of  ip.m.  as  "yesterday,  about  the 
seventh  hour"  (comp.  Lukexxiii.  54) ;  though 
such  a  usage  of  "yesterday"  appears  to  be  dis- 
tinctly at  variance  with  St  John's  own  usage 
of  "day:"xx.  19  (comp.  Luke  xxiv.  29,  33) 
Still  it  is  more  likely  that  the  words  of  Jesus 
were  spoken  to  the  nobleman  at  Cana  in  the 
evening  at  seven  o'clock,  when  it  was  already 
too  late  for  him  to  return  home  that  night,  and 
that  he  returned  to  Capernaum  on  the  next 
morning,  when  his  servants  met  him  on  the 
way.  In  this  case,  of  course,  the  sense,  and 
not  the  phrase  of  the  servants  is  given. 

(4)  xix.  14.  In  this  place  it  is  admitted 
that  the  date  of  noon  cannot  be  brought  into 
harmony  with  the  dates  of  St  Mark  (xv.  25). 
But  if  we  suppose  that  the  time  approximately 
described  was  about  6.30  a.m.  it  is  not  diffi- 
cult to  fit  in  all  the  events  of  the  trial:  see 
p.  288. 

So  far  then  the  examination  of  the  passages 
themselves  is  decidedly  favourable  to  the  sup- 
position that  the  modern  Western  reckoning  of 
the  hours  is  followed  by  St  John.  The  men- 
tion of  "twelve  hours  in  the  day"  has  no  bear- 
ing on  the  decision  one  way  or  other;  for  we 
commonly  use  the  same  phrase  though  we 
reckon  from  midnight  to  noon. 

It  must  however  be  admitted  that  this  mode 
of  reckoning  hours  was  unusual  in  ancient 
times.  The  Romans  (Mart.  iv.  8)  and  Greeks, 
no  less  than  the  Jews,  reckoned  their  hours 
from  sunrise.  But  the  Romans  reckoned  their 
civil  days  from  midnight  (Aul.  Cell.  in. 
2;  comp.  Matt,  xxvii.  19,  "this  day,")  and 
not  from  sunrise,  or  from  sunset  (as  the 
Jews).  And  there  are  also  traces  of  reckon- 
ing the  hours  from  midnight  in  Asia  Minor. 
Polycarp  is  said  ('Mart.  Pol.'  c.  21)  to  have 
been  martyred  at  Smyrna  "at  the  eighth  hour." 
This,  from  the  circumstances,  must  have  been 
%a.m.  Pionius  again  is  said  to  have  been 
martyred  (at  Smyrna  also)  at  "the  tenth  hour," 
which  can  hardly  have  been  4p.m.,  since  such 
exhibitions  usually  took  place  before  noon. 
These  two  passages  furnish  a  sufficient  pre- 
sumption that  St  John,  in  using  what  is  the 
modern  reckoning,  followed  a  practice  of  the 
province  in  which  he  was  living  and  for  which 
he  was  writing. 

The  subject  has  been  discussed  at  length  by 
DrTownson,  'Discourses,' pp.  215 — 250;  and 
again,  quite  lately,  with  great  exactness,  by 
Mr  McClellan,  'New  Testament,'  J. pp.  737 ff. 

NOTE  ON  "THE  ACTS  OF  PILATE." 

The  part  which  Pilate  occupies  in  the  his- 
tory of  the  Passion  attracted  the  attention  of 


ST.  JOHN.   XIX. 


283 


Christian  writers  at  an  early  time.  He  came 
to  be  regarded  by  many  as  the  representative 
of  the  better  instincts  of  heathendom  over- 
powered by  the  relentless  malice  of  the  Jews. 
A  large  and  popular  literature  grew  up,  con- 
sisting of  "  Acts,"  "  Letters"  and  legends  of  the 
death  of  Pilate.  O  f  these  writings,  the  "  Acts," 
which  form  the  first  part  of  what  is  known  as 
' '  the  Gospel  of  Nicodemus,"  are  the  most  impor- 
tant and  the  most  ancient.  The  "  Acts"  were 
in  circulation  in  the  middle  of  the  second  cen- 
tury ;  and  the  texts  still  preserved  have,  as  it 
appears  beyond  all  doubt,  been  formed,  by 
successive  revisions  and  interpolations,  from 
that  original.  In  its  present  shape  the  narra- 
tive may  probably  be  referred  to  a  Greek 
text  of  the  4th  century.  Much  of  it  is  un- 
questionably earlier.  But  even  when  regarded 
only  as  a  late  and  apocryphal  commentary  on 
the  records  of  the  Gospels,  it  has  great  interest. 
The  narrative  is  found  in  Greek  and  Latin 
copies;  and  a  Coptic  fragment  also  remains  as 
old  as  the  jth  century.  All  the  MSS.  give 
substantially  the  same  outline,  though  the 
variations  in  detail  and  language  are  very  con- 
siderable. 

The  narrative  opens  with  the  formal  com- 
plaint of  a  body  of  Jews,  headed  by  "Annas 
and  Caiaphas,"  and  including  "Gamaliel"  and 
"Alexander"  (Acts  iv.  6),  addressed  to  Pilate. 
They  accuse  Jesus  of  saying  that  He  is  ''Son 
of  God  and  King,"  of  wishing  to  abrogate  the 
law,  and  of  violating  the  sabbath  by  cures, 
wrought  by  evil  arts  (yorjs  ta-ri),  and  pray 
that  He  may  be  brought  before  fiim.  Pilate 
orders  an  officer  to  summon  Him.  The 
officer,  who  had  been  present  at  the  triumphal 
entry,  spreads  a  robe  before  Him  to  walk  on ; 
and  when  Jesus  enters  the  court,  the  standards 
bend  before  Him  in  the  hands  of  their  bearers. 
The  same  act  of  adoration  is  afterwards  re- 
peated when  the  Jews  depute  twelve  of  the 
strongest  of  their  number  to  hold  the  stand- 
ards. Pilate,  in  amazement,  is  about  to  rise, 
when  the  message  of  his  wife  (a  proselyte, 
Procula)  is  brought  to  him.  "See,"  said  the 
Jews,  "He  is,  as  we  told  you,  an  enchanter." 
On  this,  Pilate  asks  Jesus,  "What  do  these 
witness  against  Thee?  Sayest  Thou  nothing  ? " 
Jesus  answered,  "If  they  had  not  had  autho- 
rity (e'£ov<ri'a),  they  would  have  spoken  nothing: 
each  one  has  authority  over  his  own  mouth  to 
speak  good  and  bad:  they  themselves  shall 
see  to  it."  "What  shall  we  see?"  is  the  re- 
joinder. "  We  have  seen  that  Thou  wast  born 
of  fornication:  that  Thy  Birth  brought  the 
slaughter  of  the  infants  at  Bethlehem:  that 
Thy  father  and  Thy  mother  fled  in  fear  to 
Egypt."  On  this,  certain  of  the  Jews  attest 
that  the  mother  of  the  Lord  was  duly  wedded 
to  Joseph.  Then  follows  St  John  xviii.  29— 
37,  transcribed  almost  verbally;  but  Pilate's 
last  question  is  not  left  unanswered:  "Truth," 
Jesus  saith  to  him,  "is  from  heaven."  Pilate 
saith :  "  Is  there  not  truth  on  earth  ? "  Jesus 


saith  to  Pilate:  "Seest  thou?  How  are  they 
that  speak  the  truth  judged  by  those  that  have 
the  authority  upon  earth?"  The  Jews  then 
press  the  charge  of  blasphemy.  "What  shall 
I  do  to  Thee?"  Pilate  asks  of  Jesus.  "  As  it 
was  given  thee, "  is  the  answer.  "How  given  ? " 
Jesus  saith  to  him:  "Moses  and  the  prophets 
prophesied  of  my  Death  and  Resurrection." 
On  this,  when  Pilate  charges  the  Jews  to  inflict 
the  punishment  which  is  due,  they  answer, 
"We  wish  Him  to  be  crucified."  This  de- 
mand leads  to  the  most  remarkable  addition 
to  the  Gospel  narrative.  A  number  of  the 
disciples,  Nicodemus,  the  paralytic  of  Bethesda, 
a  blind  man,  a  leper,  the  woman  who  had  the 
issue  of  blood  (Veronica),  and  others,  plead 
for  the  Saviour  who  had  healed  them. 

Pilate  therefore  again  seeks  to  set  Christ 
free,  but  is  finally  met  by  the  cry,  "We  ac- 
knowledge Cassar  for  our  king,  not  Jesus. 
The  Magi  brought  gifts  to  Him  as  a  king, 
but  Herod  sought  to  kill  Him."  "  Is  this  He," 
he  then  asks,  "whom  Herod  sought?"  And 
when  he  hears  that  He  is,  he  washes  his  hands, 
places  the  guilt  upon  the  accusers,  and  gives 
his  sentence:  "Thy  nation  hath  proved  Thee  to 
be  king,  I  therefore  pronounce  that  Thou  be 
scourged  and  then  crucified  in  the  garden 
where  Thou  wast  taken ;  and  that  two  male- 
factors, Dysmas  and  Gestas,  be  crucified  with 
Thee." 

It  is  needless  to  pursue  the  narrative  further, 
or  to  dwell  upon  the  strange  contrast  which 
it  offers  to  the  Gospels.  The  thought  of 
Pilate  as  the  executor  of  the  divine  will  which 
runs  through  it  finds  its  most  remarkable  ex- 
pression in  an  account  of  his  execution  by  the 
order  of  "the  Emperor."  After  he  had  ended 
a  prayer  to  the  Lord  for  pardon,  a  voice  came 
from  heaven,  saying,  "All  the  generations  and 
the  families  of  the  Gentiles  shall  bless  thee, 
because  under  thee  (eVl  troii)  were  fulfilled 
all  these  things  that  were  spoken  by  the  pro- 
phets about  me ;  and  thou  too  hast  to  appear 
as  my  witness  at  my  second  coming,  when  I 
shall  judge  the  twelve  tribes  of  Israel  and  those 
that  confessed  not  to  my  name"  ('Parad.  Pil.' 
§10). 

The  texts  of  the  different  copies  of  the 
"  Acts"  and  other  writings  are  given  most  com- 
pletely by  Tischendorf  in  his  'Evangelia  Apo- 
crypha,' 203  ff.  Thilo  has  given  an  elaborate 
commentary  on  the  Evangelium  Nicodemi  in 
his  'Codex  Apocryphus  N.  T.'  r.  490 ff., 
and  his  'Prolegomena,'  §  8  pp.  cxviii.  ft.,  give  a 
very  full  literary  history  of  the  book.  Tischen- 
dorf has  published  a  slight  essay  on  the 
relation  of  the  Acts  to  the  Gospels  ('Pilati 
circa  Christum  judicio'.-.iSjj),  and  the  date 
and  composition  of  the  book  have  been  dis- 
cussed by  Lipsius  (1871)  after  other  German 
scholars.  "The  Gospel  of  Nicodemus"  was 
translated  into  Anglo-Saxon;  and  it  was  re- 
peatedly printed  in  English  in  the  sixteenth 
century. 


284 


ST.  JOHN.   XIX. 


ON  THE  PATRISTIC  INTERPRETATION  OF 

XIX.   34. 

The  patristic  interpretation  of  ch.  xix.  34 
offers  an  instructive  example  of  the  method 
and  characteristics  of  ancient  commentators. 
It  will  therefore  be  worth  while  to  quote  at 
seme  length  without  further  discussion  the 
views  of  the  Greek  and  Latin  fathers  upon 
the  passage.  The  reader  will  judge  how  far 
there  is  any  general  consent  between  the  differ- 
ent writers  or  any  clear  independence  of  judg- 
ment in  dealing  with  the  Original  text. 

I.    GREEK  FATHERS: 

The  earliest  writer1  who  distinctly  refers 
to  the  passage  is  CLAUDIUS  APOLLINARIS 
(c.  170  A.D.). 

Apollinaris  speaks  of  the  Lord  as  Him  "who 
had  His  holy  side  pierced  ((KKevTydfis,  John 
xix.  37),  who  poured  forth  from  His  side  the 
two  elements  that  again  purify  (ra  8vo  Tra\tv 
Kadapo-ta),  water  and  blood  (the  order  is 
changed),  word  and  spirit..."  (Routh,  'Rell.'  I. 
161).  The  introduction  of  the  word  "again" 
appears  to  connect  the  water  and  the  blood 
with  the  use  of  water  and  blood  under  the  old 
Covenant.  As  to  the  deeper  meaning  of  the 
sign,  Apollinaris,  according  to  the  most  pro- 
bable view,  interprets  it  of  the  word  of  the 
gospel  (Xoyoj),  and  of  the  sanctification  of  the 
spirit  (Trvfvfia),  that  is  of  the  historic  and  of 
the  inward  testimony.  There  may  be  also  a 
further  but  obscure  reference  to  the  human 
and  divine  natures  of  the  Lord. 

ORIGEN  in  two  places  dwells  uport  the  phe- 
nomenon as  a  divine  sign.  "  In  the  case  of  all 
other  dead  bodies,"  he  writes,  "the  blood  is  co- 
agulated, and  pure  water  does  not  flow  from 
them.  But  in  the  Case  of  Jesus  the  marvel  in 
His  dead  body  was  that  even  in  the  dead 
body  there  was  blood  and  water  poured  forth 
from  His  sides'*  ('c.  Gels.'  il.c.  36  ;  cf.  c.  69.). 

"How  great,"  he  writes  again,  "was  His 
mercy  that  for  our  salvation  He  not  only  was 
made  Flesh,  but  descended  even  to  the  dead, 
and  in  death  itself  has  the  marks  of  the  living. 
For  water  and  blood  cdme  forth  from  His 
side"  ('Comm.  in  Thess.'  IV.  15,  quoted  by 
Jerome  '  Ep.  ad  Minerv.  et  Alex.'  §  to,  if  in- 
deed the  quotation  from  Origen  extends  so  far. 
In  a  fragment  of  his  commentary  on  the  Ga- 
latians  [v.  268  ed.  Lommatzsch]  he  treats  the 
sign  as  a  proof  of  the  reality  of  the  Lord's 
body). 

1  A  passage  quoted  by  Clement  from  a  Valen- 
tinian  writer  (' Exec,  ex  Thcod. '  §  61)  must  be 
excepted,  in  which  the  issuing  of  the  blood  and 
water  is  interpreted  of  the  expulsion  of  the  pas- 
sions from  the  Body  of  the  Lord.  Irenseus  al- 
ludes to  the  "mixed  cup"  (V.  2.  3;  [iv.  33.  2]), 
but  without  any  reference  to  St  John.  In  ano- 
ther early  writing,  the  '  Letter  of  the  Churches 
of  Vienne  and  Lyons'  (Euseb.  *H. E.'  V.  i),  the 
effusion  of  water  appears  to  be  connected  with 
ch.  vii.  38. 


EUSEBIUS  OF  C^ESAR^A  ('Dem.  Ev.'  x. 
8,  p.  504)  treats  the  passage  as  a  fulfilment  of 
Ps.  xxii.  14,  "I  am  poured  out  like  water," 
without  dwelling  further  upon  it. 

CYRIL  OF  JERUSALEM  applies  the  twofold 
issue  to  the  two  baptisms  of  blood  and  water 
('Cat.'  nl.  10):  "The  Saviour  redeeming  the 
world  through  the  cross,  being  pierced  in 
His  side,  brought  forth  ((f-yyayev)  blood  and 
water,  in  order  that  some  in  seasons  of  peace 
may  be  baptized  in  water,  others  in  seasons  of 
persecution  may  be  baptized  in  their  own 
blood  («/  oiKfiots  atuacriv,  the  blood  of  their 
death)." 

CHRYSOSTOM  ('Horn.'  LXXXV.  In  /o<r.)  in- 
terprets the  fact  of  the  two  sacraments :  "  Not 
without  a  purpose  (an-Xw?)  or  by  chance  did 
those  springs  come  forth,  but  because  the 
Church  consisteth  of  these  twd  together  (e'£ 
d/i<poTepa>v  TOVTCOV  (rvvecmjKt).  And  those 
that  are  initiated  know  it,  being  regenerate  by 
water  (dvaytwca/jifvoi)  and  nourished  (rpe0o- 
fifvoi)  by  the  Blood  and  Flesh.  Hence  the 
Sacraments  (ra  HVO-TTIPIO)  take  their  begin- 
ning ;  in  order  that  when  thou  drawest  near 
to  the  awful  Cup  thou  mayest  so  approach,  as 
drinking  from  the  very  Side." 

CYRIL  OF  ALEXANDRIA  (ad  loc.")  thinks 
that  "  God  appointed  the  fact  as  an  image  and 
firstfruits,  so  to  speak,  of  the  Mystic  Blessing 
(EvXoyta ;  see  Suicer,  s.-v.)  and  Holy  Baptism. 
For  Holy  Baptism  is  really  of  Christ  and  from 
Christ;  and  the  power  of  the  Mystic  Blessing 
springs  (oW0u)  for  us  out  of  the  Holy 
Flesh." 

The  recently  discovered  work  of  MACA- 
RIUS  MAGNES  has  an  interesting  note  on  the 
passage,  though  the  text  is  unhappily  corrupt : 
"One  of  the  soldiers  pierced  the  side...  in 
order  that  when  blood  flowed  and  water  in  a 
gushing  stream,  by  the  blood  they  may  be 
delivered  who  occupied  the  place  of  captivity, 
and  by  the  water  they  may  be  washed  who 
bear  the  stripes  of  sins.  Certainly  this  hath 
been  done  not  without  a  purpose,  but  of  Pro- 
vidence, as  though  the  divine  forethought  laid 
down  that  it  should  come  to  pass ;  for  since 
[from  the  side  came  the  origin  of  sin]  it  was 
necessary  that  from  the  side  should  flow  the 
source  of  salvation :  from  the  side  came  the 
sting  (ij  TrXjjyq),  from  the  side  the  spring 
(??  TV1?) :  fr°m  the  side  the  malady,  from  the 
side  the  cure..."  (i.  18). 

The  same  thoughts  occur  in  a  homily  '  On 
the  Passion '  (§  25),  falsely  attributed  to  Atha- 
nasius  (iv.  186  ff.,  ed.  Migne),  as  also  in 
Apollinarius,  Euthymius,  Theophylact,  and 
Tertullian,  quoted  below  ;  and  more  particu- 
larly in  a  quotation  from  Antiochus  of  Ptole- 
mais  in  Cramer's  '  Catena,'  ad  he. 

A  very  remarkable  note  of  APOLLINARIUS 
[of  Laodicea]  is  given  in  the  '  Catena'  of  Cor- 
derius  upon  the  passage:  "The  Lord  offered 


ST.  JOHN.    XIX. 


a  side  for  a  side:  the  woman  [Eve]  was  a 
side,  and  the  evil  which  came  from  here  is 
undone  (Xvcrai)  by  the  Lord's  Passion.  For 
from  that  side  proceeded  the  counsel  which 
brought  ruin  on  man  ;  but  from  the  holy  side 
water  is  poured  forth  and  blood,  through 
which  the  world  is  cleansed,  as  we  get  our- 
selves washed  of  our  sins,  since  the  elements 
which  were  separated  in  the  Law  come  toge- 
ther in  Him.  For  there  were  [under  the  Law] 
sprinklings  of  blood  for  purification  (Trpoy 
Kadapo-tc),  and  baptisms  by  water  for  sanctifi- 
cation  (irpos  dyi/io-pop)-  Since  therefore  all 
things  were  devised  beforehand  in  regard  to 
Christ,  the  Body  of  the  Lord  furnished  both 
these  to  the  world,  sacred  blood  and  holy 
water,  even  when  it  was  already  dead  in 
human  fashion  ;  for  He  hath  in  Himself  great 
power  of  life." 

JOHN  OF  DAMASCUS  ('De  fide,'  iv.  9) 
gives  the  same  interpretation  :  Christ  "  caused 
to  flow  for  us  from  His  holy  and  undefiled 
side  a  fountain  of  remission :  water  for  re- 
generation and  washing  (eVi'/cXvo-ts)  of  sin 
and  corruption;  blood  as  a  drink  to  fur- 
nish life  everlasting  (norov  fafjs  d'idiov  npo- 
£fvov)." 

EUTHYMIUS    ZlGABENUS    (ad    /Of.)    gives 

both  the  interpretations,  that  of  the  two  bap- 
tisms and  of  the  two  sacraments.  The  latter 
is  given  in  the  words  of  Chrysostom  and  may 
be  an  interpolation.  The  former  has  some 
details  of  interest.  "  The  event  (he  writes) 
is  supernatural,  and  clearly  shews  that  He  who 
was  pierced  was  more  than  man.  For  blood 
will  not  proceed  from  a  dead  man,  though 
one  pierce  the  body  ten  thousand  times. 
Further,  the  Saviour  is  pierced  in  the  Side  by 
a  spear  because  the  side  of  Adam  was  pierced 
by  sin,  that  is  Eve,  healing  the  wound  of 
(Adam's)  side  by  the  wound  of  (His  own) 
side.  And  He  causes  blood  and  water  to 
issue,  fashioning  (Kaii>ovpya>v)  two  baptisms, 
that  by  blood  (of  martyrdom),  and  that  by 
water  (of  regeneration),  and  by  the  stream  of 
these  He  washes  away  the  stream  of  sin." 

THEOPHYLACT  (ad  loc.)  giv*es  the  inter- 
pretation of  Chrysostom,  adding  among  other 
things  the  reference  to  Eve,  and  then  connects 
the  twofold  issue  with  "the  mixed  chalice:" 
"  Let  the  Armenians,"  he  says,  "  be  ashamed 
who  do  not  mix  water  with  the  wine  in  the 
Mysteries.  For  they  do  not  believe,  as  it 
seems,  that  water  also  was  poured  forth  from 
the  side,  which  is  the  more  marvellous,  but 
only  blood ;  and  hence  they  do  away  with 
the  greater  part  of  the  marvel ;  I  mean  that 
the  blood  is  a  mark  that  the  Crucified  was 
man,  but  the  water  that  He  was  more  than 
man,  that  He  was  God."  Compare  Bmterim, 
'  DenkwUrdigkeiten,'  iy.  2,  P-  55,  where  an 
opposite  interpretation  is  quoted;  and  Anselm, 
'  Ep.'  CVII. 


II.  LATIN  FATHERS: 
TERTULLIAN  regarded  the  twofold  issue  as 
typical  of  the  two  baptisms  of  water  and  of 
blood.  "  Martyrdom,"  he  writes,  "  is  another 
baptism... whence  also  water  and  blood,  the 
elements  of  both  washings  (utrlusque  lavacri 
paratura),  flowed  from  the  wound  in  the  Lord's 
side"  ('  De  Pudic.'  c.  xxn.  p.  435). 

At  the  same  time,  while  he  fully  developes 
this  application,  he  appears  also  to  indicate  a 
reference  to  the  Eucharist  in  the  mention  of 
"  the  blood."  "We  have  also  a  second  wash- 
ing (lavacrum),  itself  a  distinct  one  (unum  et 
if  sum),  namely,  that  of  blood;  of  which  the 
Lord  says,  '  I  have  a  baptism  to  be  baptized 
with'  (Luke  xii.  50),  when  He  had  been 
already  baptized.  For  He  had  come  '  through 
water  and  blood,'  as  John  wrote  (i  John  v. 
6),  to  be  baptized  by  water,  to  be  glorified  by 
blood.  Hence  to  make  us  '  called '  by  water, 
'  chosen '  by  blood,  He  sent  forth  these  two 
baptisms  from  the  wound  of  His  pierced  side; 
that  so  those  who  believed  on  His  blood 
might  be  washed  with  water,  and  those  who 
had  washed  with  water  might  also  drink  His 
blood.  His  [baptism  of  blood]  is  the  baptism 
which  both  stands  in  place  of  (reprxsentaf) 
the  baptism  of  water  (lavacrurn)  when  it  has 
not  been  received,  and  restores  [its  blessing] 
when  it  has  been  lost."  ('  De  Bapt.'  c.  xvi. 
p.  203  ;  comp.  c.  ix.) 

In  another  place  he  compares  the  death  of 
Christ  with  the  sleep  of  Adam  (Gen.  ii.  21  ff.), 
for  He  so  died  "  that  from  the  wound  inflicted 
on  His  side  the  Church,  the  true  Mother  of 
the  living,  might  be  shaped."  ('  De  An.'  c. 
XLIII.  p.  304.) 

There  is  not,  as  far  as  I  am  aware,  any 
reference  to  the  incident  in  the  genuine  works 
of  CYPRIAN.  But  in  the  works  appended  to 
his  writings  the  water  and  blood  are  explained 
of  the  two  baptisms  ('  De  Singul.  Apostt.'  p. 
392  Rig.),  and  more  generally  of  the  cleansing 
power  of  Christ's  Passion  both  initially  and 
through  the  whole  life.  ('  De  Pass.  Chr.' 

P-  339-) 

NOVATIAN  (c.  10)  sees  in  the  sign  a  proof 
of  the  reality  of  Christ's  Body. 

AMBROSE  starts  from  the  main  idea  of 
Origen  and  then  interprets  the  sign  generally. 
"  After  death  the  blood  in  our  bodies  coagu- 
lates- but  from  that  body  still  incorrupt 
though  dead  the  life  of  all  flowed.  For 
water  and  blood  came  forth:  the  former  to 
wash,  the  latter  to  redeem"  ('in  Luc.  x. 

§IAnd  again:  "Why  water?  why  blood? 
Water  to  cleanse :  blood  to  redeem.  Why 
from  the  side?  Because  whence  came  the 
guilt,  thence  came  the  grace.  The  guilt  was 
through  the  woman :  the  grace  was  through 
the  Lord  Jesus  Christ"  ('  De  sacram.'  v.  i). 
JEROME  follows  Tertullian  in  referring  the 


286 


ST.  JOHN.    XIX. 


sign  to  the  "  two  Baptisms."  (Ep.  LXIX.  (ad 
Oceanum)  §  6):  "The  side  of  Christ  is 
wounded  by  the  spear,  and  the  sacraments  of 
baptism  and  martyrdom  are  poured  forth 
together  (fariter)." 

RUFINUS  ('  Comm.  in  Symb.'  §  23)  also 
interprets  the  sign  of  the  two  baptisms  with 
the  addition  of  some  new  thoughts.  "  This," 
he  writes,  "  has  a  mystical  meaning,  for  Christ 
had  said  that  out  of  his  belly  shall  proceed 
living  waters  (vii.  38).  But  He  caused  blood 
to  issue  also  (produxit),  which  the  Jews 
prayed  to  come  upon  themselves  and  upon 
their  children.  Hence  He  caused  water  to 
issue  to  wash  the  believing,  and  blood  to  con- 
demn the  faithless.  It  may  also  be  understood 
to  represent  the  two-fold  grace  of  baptism  :  the 
one  which  is  given  by  the  baptism  of  water, 
the  other  which  is  sought  through  martyrdom 
by  the  shedding  of  blood :  for  both  have  the 
name  of  baptism.  Further,  if  the  question 
is  asked  why  it  was  from  the  side  rather 
than  from  any  other  member  that  the  Lord  is 
said  to  have  caused  water  and  blood  to  issue, 
I  think  that  the  woman  [Eve]  is  indicated  in 
the  side  through  the  rib  (Gen.  ii.  21,  22). 
And  so  because  the  fountain  of  sin  and  death 
issued  from  the  first  woman,  who  was  a  rib  of 
the  first  Adam,  the  fountain  of  redemption 
and  life  is  made  to  issue  from  the  rib  of  the 
second  Adam." 

AUGUSTINE  interprets  the  issue  of  "the 
two  Sacraments:"  "The  sleep  of  the  man" 
(Adam),  he  writes,  "  was  the  death  of  Christ; 
for  when  He  hung  lifeless  on  the  Cross,  His 
side  was  pierced  by  the  spear,  and  thence 
flowed  forth  blood  and  water,  which  we  know 
to  be  the  sacraments,  by  which  the  Church 
[the  antitype  of  Eve]  is  built  up  ('de  Civ.' 

XXII.  C.    17). 

And  again  (ad  loc.~):  "The  soldier  did 
not  smite  or  wound,  but  opened  (aperuit, 
according  to  the  false  reading  rfvoigev)  Christ's 
side,  that  in  some  sense  the  door  of  life  should 
be  laid  open  there,  whence  the  Sacraments  of 
the  Church  flowed,  without  which  there  is 
no  entrance  to  the  life  which  is  true  life.  That 
blood  was  poured  out  for  the  remission  of 
sins :  that  water  tempers  the  cup  of  salvation 
(salutare  poculum)  ;  this  gives  both  the  laver 
and  the  cup  (potus)." 

PRUDENTIUS,  with  a  poet's  license,  repre- 
sents the  spear-wound  as  piercing  through  the 
breast  of  Christ  from  right  to  left,  as  C.  a 
Lapide  understands  him.  From  one  opening 
(the  larger)  flowed  the  blood,  from  the  other, 
the  water. 

"O  novum  caede  stupenda  vulneris  mira- 
culum ! 


Hinc  cruoris  fluxit  unda,  lympha  parte  ex 

altera : 
Lympha  nempe  dat  lavacrum,  turn  corona 

ex  sanguine  est." 
('  Cath.'  ix.  85  ff.     Compare  Areval's  note.) 

"  Ipse  loci  (sc.  cseli)  est   dominus,  laterum 

cui  vulnere  utroque, 
Hinc  cruor  effusus  fluxit  et  inde  latex. 
Ibitis  hinc,  ut  quisque  potest,  per  vulnera 

Christi, 

Evectus  gladiis  alter,  et  alter  aquis." 
(' Peristeph.'  viu.  15  ff.) 

"Trajectus  per  utrumque  latus  laticem  atque 

cruorem 

Christus    agit :    sanguis   victoria,    lympha 
lavacrum  est." 

('Dittoch.'  XLII.) 

LEO  applies  the  passage  to  illustrate  the 
doctrine  of  Christ's  Manhood  and  Deity 
(Ep.  xxvni.  'ad  Flav.'  §  5).  "  When  the 
side  of  the  Crucified  was  opened  (aperto)  by 
the  soldier's  spear,  let  [the  impugner  of  the 
true  doctrine  of  Christ's  Person]  understand 
whence  flowed  the  blood  and  the  water,  that 
the  Church  of  God  might  be  refreshed  (riga- 
retur)  both  by  the  laver  and  by  the  cup  .... 
'  There  are  three  that  bear  witness,  the  spirit 
and  the  water  and  the  blood,  and  these  three 
are  one:'  the  spirit,  that  is,  of  sanctification, 
and  the  blood  of  redemption,  and  the  water 
of  baptism,  which  '  three  '  are  '  one  '  and 
remain  undivided,  and  nothing  in  them  is 
separated  from  its  connexion;  for  the  Catholic 
Church  lives  and  advances  in  this  faith,  that 
neither  is  the  manhood  in  Christ  Jesus  be- 
lieved without  His  true  divinity,  nor  His 
divinity  without  His  true  humanity." 

One  later  comment  may  be  added.  RU- 
PERT OF  DEUTZ  ('  Comm.  in  Joh.'  xm. 
pp.  365  f.)  explains  the  sign  of  the  whole 
virtue  of  the  Lord's  Passion  transferred  to 
men:  "We  are  redeemed  by  blood:  we  are 
washed  by  water  ...  The  Lord  was  baptized 
in  His  own  Passion,  and  when  already  dead 
by  that  issue  enabled  us  to  share  in  His  saving 
death  ...  Therefore  not  blood  only,  nor  water 
only,  flowed  from  the  Saviour's  side ;  because 
the  divine  order  of  our  salvation  requires  both. 
For  we  were  not  redeemed  for  this  that  He 
should  possess  us  such  as  we  were  before... 
In  order  then  that  there  might  be  that  by 
which  we  could  be  washed  from  our  sins, 
water,  which  could  only  wash  bodily  impuri- 
ties, was  united  to  blood,  which  is  the  price  of 
our  redemption,  and  from  that  union  obtained 
virtue  and  power  to  be  worthy  of  cooperating 
with  the  Holy  Spirit  to  wash  away  the  in- 
visible impurities  of  sins." 


ST.  JOHN.    XX. 


CHAPTER  XX. 

r  Mary  Cometh  to  the  sepulchre:  3  so  do  Peter 
and   John,    ignorant    of  the    resurrection. 


287 


ir  Jesus  appeareth  to  Mary  Magdalene, 
19  and  to  his  disciples.  24  The  incredulity 
and  confession  of  Thomas.  30  The  scripture 
is  sufficient  to  salvation. 


IV.    THE  NEW  LIFE.     (c.  xx.) 

i.     St  John's  record  of  the  Resurrection 
corresponds  with  his  record  of  the  Passion. 

t  is  not  simply  a  history,  still  less  an  ex- 
haustive history,  but  a  revelation  of  spiritual 
truth  through  outward  facts.  Writing  in 
the  centre  of  a  Christian  Church  to  those 
who  were  familiar  with  the  historic  ground- 
work of  the  Gospel,  the  Evangelist  recounts 
from  his  own  experience  just  those  incidents 
which  called  out  in  the  disciples  the  fulness 
of  belief  triumphant  over  personal  sorrow, 
and  common  fear,  and  individual  doubt! 
Each  historical  character  is  also  typical:  each 
detail  has  a  permanent  lesson.  And  as  related 
to  the  whole  plan  of  the  Gospel  St  John's 
narrative  of  the  Resurrection  is  the  counter- 
part and  complement  to  his  narrative  of  the 
Passion.  His  history  of  the  Passion  is  the 
history  of  the  descent  of  selfishness  to  apo- 
stacy:  his  history  of  the  Resurrection  is  the 
history  of  the  elevation  of  love  into  absolute 
faith.  It  lays  open  a  new  Life  in  Christ, 
and  a  new  life  in  men. 

2.  The  incidents  recorded  by  more  than 
one  of  the  other  Evangelists  which  are  omitted 
by  St  John  are: 

The  anger*  message  to  the  two  Marys  and 
Salome  (Matt.,  Mark). 

The  appearance  to  two  disciples,  not  apostles 
(Luke,  Mark). 

The  last  charge  and  promise  (Matt.;  Mark). 

3-  Other  incidents  omitted  by  St  John  are 
recorded  by  single  Evangelists: 

ST  MATTHEW. 
The  earthquake:  the  descent  of  the  angel  who 

removes  the  stone:  the  panic  of  the  guards. 
The  report  of  the  guards,  and  the  de-vice  of  the 

high  priests  (xxviii.  j  ff.). 
Words    at    the    appearance    on    the   Galilean 

mount.     (Comp.  Mark  xvi.  15  ff.) 

ST  MARK. 
Reproaches   of  the   disciples  for  unbelief  (xvi. 

14). 

ST  LUKE. 
An  appearance  to  St  Peter  (xxiv.  34  ;  comp. 

i  Cor.  xv.  5). 
The    conversation    on    the    way    to    Emmaus 

(xxiv.  13  ff.;  comp.  Mark  xvi.  12  f.). 
Words    at   the   meeting   with   the   eleven   and 

others  (xxiv.  36  ff). 
The   appearance    before    the   Ascension   (xxiv. 

44  ff.). 

Compare  also  Acts  i.  i — 12,  ii.  24 — 33, 
iii.  15,  v.  30  ff.,  x.  40  ff.,  i  Cor.  xv.  5 — 8. 

The    enumeration  of   the   appearances  of 


the  Lord  «  raised  on  the  third  day  according 
to  the  Scriptures,"  which  is  given  by  St  Paul 
in  this  last  passage,  is  of  the  deepest  interest, 
i  he  introduction  of  the  phrase  "he  was  seen" 
(w^fy)  in  vv.  5,  6,  7,  8,  breaks  them  up 
into  four  groups,  separated  (as  it  may  be 
reasonably  concluded)  in  time  and  place. 

(i)  To  Peter:  to  the  "  twelve  "  (Jerusalem). 
fS*JL  To  above  Jive  hundred  brethren  at  once 
(Galilee). 

(3)  To  James:  to  "  all  the  apostles"  (Jeru- 
salem). 

(4)  To  St  Paul  himself. 

It  will  be  observed  that  St  Paul  says  nothing 
of  the  appearance  to  Mary  Magdalene.  He 
is  silent  indeed  as  to  all  the  events  directly 
connected  with  the  sepulchre. 

The  use  of  the  phrase  he  was  seen  (w$0n) 
in  no  way  limits  the  appearance  to  a  vision 
as  distinguished  from  a  real  personal  mani- 
festation of  the  Risen  Christ.  (Acts  vii.  26. 
Comp.  Acts  xiii.  31.) 

4-  The  main  incidents  peculiar  to  St  John 
are: 

The  gift  of  the  power  of  absolution. 

The  appearance  on  the  second  Lord's  day. 

To  these  must  be  added  the  incidents  of 
ch.  xxi. 

That  however  which  is  most  characteristic 
of  St  John  here,  as  elsewhere,  is  the  clear 
revelation  of  individual  traits  by  the  course 
of  the  events ;  St  Peter,  St  John,  Mary  Mag- 
dalene, St  Thomas,  stand  out  with  a  distinct 
personality  in  these  two  last  chapters. 

5.  While  there  are  very  great  differences 
in  the  details  of  the  several  Evangelic  narra- 
tives, there  are  also  remarkable  points  of 
agreement  between  them,  both  as  to  the 
general  features  of  the  history,  and  as  to  its 
circumstances. 

All  the  Evangelists  concur  in  the  following 
main  particulars : 

No  description  is  given  of  the  act  of  Resurrec- 
tion. 

The  manifestations  were  made  only  to  believers. 
(Contrast  the  account  in  the  apocryphal 
"  Gospel  of  Nicodemus.") 
The  manifestations  were  made  not  only  to  separate 

persons,  but  to  companies. 
They  were  determined  by  the  Lord's  pleasure : 

He  shewed  Himself. 

They  were  received  with  hesitation  at  first. 
No  mere  report  was  accepted. 
The  Revelation  issued  in  a  conviction  of  the  pre- 
sence of  the  Living  Lord  with  the  disciples. 
There  is  agreement  also  as  to  several  cha- 
racteristic circumstances: 
The  visit  of  women  to  the  sepulchre  in  the  early 
morning  was  the  starting-point  of  hope. 


ST.  JOHN.    XX. 


[v.   I,  2. 


«Matt.s8.  r  I  ^HE  "first  day  of  the  week  com-     and  seeth  the  stone  taken  away  from 
Mark  16.1.    JL    eth  Mary  Magdalene  early,  when     the  sepulchre. 

it  was  yet  dark,  unto  the  sepulchre,         2  Then  she  runneth,  and  cometh 


The  removal  of  the  stone  first  raised  question- 
ings. 

The  revelations  of  angels  preceded  the  mani- 
festation of  the  Lord  Himself. 
The  Lord  revealed  Himself  to  Mary  Magdalene 
frst. 

6.  It  is  most  difficult  to  construct  with 
any  certainty  a  consecutive  view  of  the  few 
unconnected  incidents  which  have  been  pre- 
served. The  following  table  gives  a  provisional 
arrangement  of  the  facts  connected  with  the 
first  Easter-Day. 

Approximate 

time. 
Just  before 

6p.m.  Mary  Magdalene  and  Mary  the 
Saturday.  \_mother]  of  James  go  to  view  the 

sepulchre  (Matt,  xxviii.  i). 
After 

6p.m.  The  purchase  of  spices  by  Mary 
Saturday.  Magdalene,  Mary  the  [mother]  of 

James  and  Salome  (Mark  xvi.  i). 
Very  early   The   Resurrection,  followed  by   the 
on  Sunday,  earthquake,  the  descent  of  the  angel, 
the    opening    of   the   tomb    (Matt, 
xxviii.  2 — 4). 

j  a.m.  Mary  Magdalene,  Mary  the  [mother] 
of  James  and  Salome,  probably  with 
others,  start  for  the  sepulchre  in  the 
twilight.  Mary  Magdalene  goes  be- 
fore the  others,  and  returns  at  once 
to  Peter  and  John  (John  xx.  i  ff.). 
5.30  a.m.  Her  companions  reach  the  sepulchre 
when  the  sun  had  risen  (Mark  xvi. 

2>"    . 

A  vision  of  an  angel.    Message  to 

the  disciples  (Matt,  xxviii.  5  ff. ; 
Mark  xvi.  5  ff.). 

6  a.m.    Another    party,    among    whom    is 

Joanna,  come  a  little  later,  but  still 
in  the  early  morning  (Luke  xxiv. 
i  ff.).  Comp.  Mark  xvi.  i  note. 
A  vision  of  "two  young  men."1"1 
Words  of  comfort  and  instruction 
(Luke  xxiv.  4  ff.). 

6. 30  a.m.  The  visit  of  Peter  and  John  (John 
xx.  3 — lo).  A  vision  of  two 
angels  to  Mary  Magdalene  (John 
xx.  ii — -13).  About  the  same  time 
the  company  of  women  carry  their 
tidings  to  the  apostles  (Luke  xxiv. 
10  f.). 

7  a.m.   The  Lord  reveals  Himself  to  Mary 

Magdalene  (John  xx.  14 — 18; 
Mark  xvi.  9). 

Not  long  after  He  reveals  Himself. 
as  it  appears,  to  the  company  of 
women  who  are  returning  to  the 
sepulchre.  Charge  to  the  brethren 
to  go  to  Galilee  (Matt,  xxviii.  9  f.). 


Approximate 

time. 

4 — 6p.m.  The  appearance  to  the  two  disciples 
on  the  (way  to  Emmaus  (Luke  xxiv. 
13  ff.;  Mark  xvi.  12). 
After 4p.m.  An  appearance  to  St  Peter  (Luke 

xxiv.  34;  comp.  i  Cor.  xv.  5). 
Sp.m.     The  appearance  to   the   eleven  and 
others    (Luke   xxiv.  36  ff. ;    Mark 
xvi.  14  ;  John  xx.  19  ff). 
The   main  difficulties  are  due  to  the  ex- 
treme compression  of  St  Matthew's  narrative, 
in  which  there  is  no  clear  distinction  of  points 
of  time.      The  incidents  and  the  spectators 
are  brought  together   in   a    general  picture. 
(Gomp.  Matt,  xxviii.  9,  note.) 

7.  It  will  strike  the  careful  student  that 
there  is  a  remarkable  order  in  the  types  of 
faith  in  the  Lord's  Resurrection   which   St 
John  notices  successively.      The   "beloved 
disciple"  "believes"  in  consequence  of  a  triple 
sign,  without  any  manifestation  of  the  Lord 
Himself  (xx.  8).     Mary  Magdalene  believes, 
not  through  sight  or  even  through  sound,  but 
through  the  personal  voice  of  love  (xx.  14 — 
1 6).     The  "disciples"  believe  when  they  see 
the   Lord's  wounds  (xx.  20).      St  Thomas 
believes  when  his  own  test  is  offered  to  him 
(xx.  27  f.).      It  seems  impossible  to  regard 
these  slowly  widening  victories  of  love  with- 
out feeling  the  permanent  significance  of  their 
common  lesson.     There  is  however  a  faith 
higher  than  all  these  which  in  various  degrees 
depended'on  outward  experience  (xx.  29). 

8.  The  main  record  of  St  John  falls  into 
four  divisions : 

(1)  The  actual  facts.     The  triple  sign  veri- 
fed  (xx.  i — 9). 

(2)  The  revelation   to  personal  love.     The 
Lord  transjigures  devotion  (vv.  10— 18). 

(3)  The  revelation  to  fearful  disciples.     The 
Lord  gives  peace  and  authority  to  His  society 
(vv.  19—23). 

(4)  The  revelation  to  the  anxious  questioner. 
The  Lord  gives  conviction  by  sight  and  blessing 
to  faith  (vv.  24 — 29). 

The  central  thought  of  the  whole  is  the 
passage  from  sight  to  faith. 

After  the  narrative  of  the  Resurrection  is 
completed  there  follows  a  brief  notice  of  the 
scope  of  the  Gospel  (vv.  30  f.). 

i.     The  actual  facts.     The  triple  sign  verif.ed 

(vv.  i — 9). 

This  section  falls  into  two  parts.  The  evi- 
dence of  Mary  Magdalene  (vv.  i  f.),  the 
evidence  of  St  Peter  and  St  John  (vv.  3 — 9). 
Mary  attests  the  first  sign,  the  opened  sepul- 
chre; St  Peter  and  St  John  attest  the  two 
other  signs,  the  empty  sepulchre,  and  the 


v-  3— 5-J 


ST.  JOHN.    XX. 


»  chap. 

23.   &  21 


289 


,  and   to  the  Bother 
.  2,  whom  Jesus  loved,  and  saith 
unto  them,  They  have  taken  away 
the  Lord  out  of  the  sepulchre,  and  we 
know  not  where  they  have  laid  him. 
3   Peter  therefore  went  forth,  and 


that  other  disciple,  and  came  to  the 
sepulchre. 

4  So  they  ran  both  together :  and 
the  other  disciple  did  outrun  Peter, 
and  came  first  to  the  sepulchre. 

5  And  he  stooping  down,  and  look- 


carefully  ordered  grave-clothes.    Comp.  Matt 
xxvm.  i  ff.;  Mark  xvi.  i  ff.:  Luke  xxiv.  10 
. — Ia- 

CHAP.  XX.     1.     Thefrst  day  of  the  week] 

But  on  the ....     Comp.  Matt,  xxviii.  i,  note. 

Mary  Magdalene]   Comp.  xix.  25.    St  Luke 

alone  of  the  Evangelists  mentions  her  before 

the  history  of  the  Passion,  Luke  viii.  2. 

when  it  was  yet  dark]  Mary  Magdalene 
appears  to  have  reached  the  sepulchre  before 
the  other  women  of  her  company.  Comp. 
Matt,  xxviii.  i ;  Mark  xvi.  2,  and  notes.  St 
Luke  combines  the  varied  ministry  and  testi- 
mony of  all  the  women  in  one  notice,  xxiii. 
55  f.,  xxiv.  10. 

the  stone  ...from  the  sepulchre']  All  the 
Evangelists  mention  the  removal  of  "the 
stone,"  and  St  Mark  notices  this  especially  as 
the  sight  which  first  attracted  the  attention  of 
the  visitants  to  the  sepulchre,  Mark  xvi.  4. 
The  Synoptists  speak  of  "rolling  away"  (n'rro- 
icvXif ii>)  the  stone  (comp.  Tristram,  '  Land  of 
Israel,'  pp.  396  f.,  ed.  3).  The  phrase  used 
by  St  John  is  very  peculiar,  "  taken,  lifted  out 
of"  (ijpntvov  «),  as  filling  up  the  opening  of 
the  sepulchre. 

2.  Then  she  runneth  ...]  She  runneth 
therefore  ....  Apparently  Mary  Magda- 
lene made  no  further  search.  She  hastily  (if 
rightly)  concluded  that  the  sepulchre  must  be 
empty  from  what  she  saw  at  a  distance.  The 
stone  would  not  have  been  removed  unless 
with  the  object  of  taking  away  the  body.  It 
is  clear  that  she  had  no  vision  of  angels  before 
she  returned,  and  received  no  message,  as  those 
with  whom  she  is  associated  by  St  Mark  (xvi. 
i)  and  St  Matthew  (xxviii.  i). 

cometh  to  Simon  Pater]  In  spite  of  his  fall, 
which  was  by  this  time  probably  known, 
St  Peter  was  still  regarded  as  one  of  the 
natural  leaders  among  the  disciples,  comp. 
Luke  xxii.  32. 

the  other  disciple,  whom  Jesus  loved]  The 
word  here  used  for  loved  (e'0t'Xei,  Vulg.  ama- 
bat)  is  different  from  that  used  in  xiii.  23,  xxi. 
7,  20  (rjycma,  Vulg.  diligebaf),  and  marks  a 
personal  affection  (comp.  xi.  5).  At  the  same 
time  the  difference  of  this  phrase  ("the  other 
disciple  whom  ...")  from  the  corresponding 
phrase  ("that  disciple  whom  ...,"  xxi.  7) 
leads  to  the  conclusion  that  both  disciples 
alike  are  described  here  as  objects  of  the  same 
feeling.  Simon  Peter  was  one  marked  by  the 
personal  affection  of  the  Lord  even  as  St  John 
was  "the  other." 


The  repetition  of  the  pronoun  ("to  Simon 
Peter...,"  "to  the  other...")  suggests  some 
distinction  in  their  place  of  lodging.      The 
mother  of  the  Lord,  it  cannot  be  forgotten 
was  with  St  John. 

They  have  taken]  The  rapid  boldness  of 
the  conclusion  is  characteristic  of  a  woman's 
eager  nature.  The  subject  is  indefinite:  it 
may  be  "the  Jews"  (comp.  xix.  4),  or  it  may 
be  "those  who  provided  the  temporary  rest- 
ing-place" (xix.  42,  comp.  v.  15). 

the  Lord]  For  her  the  dead  body  is  still 
<'the  Lord."  Comp.  xix.  42.  For  the  abso- 
lute use  of  the  term  see  iv.  i,  note. 

we  know  not]  By  the  plural  Mary  identi- 
fies herself  with  those  who  had  started  on  the 
visit  with  her,  though  in  fact  she  had  not 
waited  till  they  came  to  the  tomb.  Compare 
•v.  13,  "  I  know  not,"  in  connexion  with  "my 
Lord,"  spoken  in  her  solitude  to  (apparent) 
strangers. 

3.  The  form  of  the  sentence,  is  singularly 
expressive.     Peter   at    once    takes    the    lead 
("went  forth,"  aorist)  ;  the  other  disciple  at- 
taches himself,  as  it  were,  to  his  decisive  guid- 
ance, then  both  are  represented  on  their  way, 
and  they  went   on   their   way  toward 
(not  and  came  to)  the  sepulchre.    Comp.  Matt, 
xxviii.  i,  note.     Compare  xii.  22  for  the  sin- 
gular, and  iv.  30  for  the  combination  of  aor. 
and  imp.    See  also  vi.  17.     For  the  incident 
compare  Luke  xxiv.  1 2,  note,  24. 

4.  So  they  ran  both  together]   Literally,  But 
they  began  to  run  (erpf^oj/),  the  two  together. 
Mary  is  naturally  forgotten  in  the  description. 
St  John  recalls  that  which  was  most  vividly 
impressed  upon  him  at  the  time. 

did  outrun]  Literally,  ran  on  in  front 
(irpofdpaptv)  more  quickly  than  Peter,  as  the 
younger  man ;  starting  on  suddenly  (so  the 
tense  seems  to  imply),  perhaps  when  he  came 
in  sight  of  the  sepulchre. 

5.  stooping  down,  and  looking  in]      The 
original   word   (irapaKvirTat),   which   is  thus 
paraphrased,  occurs  in  v.  u  and  in  the  paral- 
lel passage,  Luke  xxiv.  12,  and  again  in  i  Pet. 
i.  12  ;  James  i.  25.     The  idea  which  it  con- 
veys is  that  of  looking  intently  with   eager 
desire  and  effort  (literally  bending  beside)  at 
that   which  is  partially  concealed.       Comp. 
Ecclus.  xiv.  23,  xxi.  23 ;  Song  of  Sol.  ii.  9. 

saw]  seeth.  The  simple  sight  here  (/3A«- 
ri-ft)  is  distinguished  from  the  intent  regard 
(#fo>pel)  of  St  Peter  when  he  entered  the  se- 
pulchre; and  in  this  connexion  it  is  significant 


ST.  JOHN.    XX. 


[v.  6—9. 


ing  /«,  saw  the  linen  clothes  lying ; 
yet  went  he  not  in. 

6  Then  cometh  Simon  Peter  fol- 
lowing him,  and  went  into  the  sepul- 
chre,   and    seeth    the    linen    clothes 
lie, 

7  And  the  napkin,  that  was  about 
his  head,   not  lying  with  the  linen 


clothes,   but  wrapped  together  in    a 
place  by  itself. 

8  Then  went  in  also  that  other 
disciple,  which  came  first  to  the  se- 
pulchre, and  he  saw,  and  believed. 

9  For  as  yet  they  knew  not  the 
scripture,    that   he    must    rise    again 
from  the  dead. 


that  St  John  does  not  see  "  the  napkin,"  the 
small  cloth,  lying  apart. 

yet  went  he  not  in]  A  natural  feeling  of 
awe  would  arrest  one  of  the  character  of  St 
John.  He  had  already  seen  enough  to  fill  his 
soul  with  anxious  thoughts. 

6.  Then  cometh  Simon  Peter"]     Simon  Peter 
therefore  also  cometh,  while  St  John  still 
lingers  outside. 

went  into']  at  once  without  a  look  or  a 
pause. 

and  seeth  the  linen  clothes  lie . . .]  and  h  e  b  e  - 
holdeth  the  linen  cloths  (and  v.  7)  lying. 
The  abrupt  change  of  tense  marks  a  break  in 
the  progress  of  the  thought.  The  entrance  is 
courageously  made:  then  follows  the  experi- 
ence. The  word  beholdeth  (tffwpfl,  see  12, 
14)  expresses  the  earnest  intent  gaze  of  the 
apostle  as  his  eye  passes  from  point  to  point. 

7.  the  napkin]     Comp.  xi.  44. 

about  (upon)  his  head"]  The  absence  of 
the  name  is  noticeable.  The  mind  of  the 
writer  is  filled  with  the  thought  of  Christ. 
Compare  v.  15. 

wrapped  together  in  a  place  by  itself]  Lite- 
rally, apart  in  one  place.  There  were  no  traces 
of  haste.  The  deserted  tomb  bore  the  marks 
of  perfect  calm.  The  grave-clothes  had  been 
carefully  removed,  which  would  be  a  work  of 
time  and  difficulty,  and  laid  in  two  separate 
places.  It  was  clear  therefore  that  the  body 
had  not  been  stolen  by  enemies;  it  was  scarcely 
less  clear  that  it  had  not  been  taken  away  by 
friends. 

8.  Then   (Therefore)   went  in  also  that 
(the)  other...']      He  no  longer  shrank  from 
entering  the  grave  which  had  been  now  cer- 
tainly found  empty.     He  went  in  ...  and  saw 
(eiSe)  and  believed.     All  is  gathered  in  one 
sentence  without  break  or  change  of  form 
(contrast  -y.  6).    He  "saw"  what  St  Peter 
had  seen,  the  clear  signs  of  the  removal  of  the 
body  of  the  Lord,  and  "believed." 

The  exact  interpretation  of  the  word  "be- 
lieved" is  difficult.  It  is  not  likely  that  it 
means  simply  "believed  that  the  body  had 
been  removed  as  Mary  Magdalene  reported." 
Such  a  conclusion  was  rather  a  matter  of 
natural  and  immediate  inference  from  what 
he  saw.  The  use  of  the  word  absolutely  ra- 
ther points  to  the  calm  patient  acceptance  of 
a  mystery  as  yet  in  part  inexplicable  with  full 


confidence  in  the  divine  love.  The  threefold 
sign  of  the  stone  removed,  the  empty  sepul- 
chre, the  grave-clothes  leisurely  arranged,  in- 
dicated something  still  to  be  more  fully  shewn, 
and  the  apostle  waited  in  trustful  expectation 
for  the  interpretation.  Perhaps  the  word  may 
have  even  a  fuller  sense,  and  imply  that  St 
John  believed  in  some  way  that  the  Lord  was 
alive.  There  is  thus  a  sharp  contrast  between 
"believed"  and  "knew"  (comp.  vi.  69,  note). 
In  such  a  case  there  ought  to  have  been  no 
scope  for  faith ;  the  fact  should  have  been  one 
of  knowledge.  If  the  apostles  had  really 
entered  into  the  meaning  of  the  Scriptures 
they  would  have  known  that  the  Life,  the 
Resurrection,  of  Christ  was  a  divine  necessity 
for  which  death  was  a  condition.  But  St 
John,  like  the  other  disciples  ("they  knew 
not"),  had  failed  to  read  the  lesson  of  the 
Old  Testament,  even  by  the  help  of  the  Lord's 
teaching.  Now  he  is  in  some  sense  separated 
from  them  (he  believed ...  they  knew  not). 

9.  For  as  yet ...]  Comp.  Luke  xxiv.  ai; 
Mark  xvi.  14.  The  belief  in  the  Resurrection 
was  produced  in  spite  of  the  most  complete 
unreadiness  on  the  part  of  the  disciples  to  ac- 
cept it.  So  far  from  being  based  on  a  pre- 
viotis  interpretation  of  scripture,  the  fact 
itself  first  illuminated  the  sense  of  scripture. 
Comp.  Luke  xxiv.  35,  45.  The  chief  priests 
knew  of  the  Lord's  words  as  to  His  rising 
again,  and  in  their  fear  took  measures  to 
counteract  them  (Matt,  xxvii.  63  ff.,  see  note), 
while  the  disciples  in  their  love  failed  to 
recall  the  same  words  for  their  consolation. 
This  contrast  is  a  revelation  of  character,  and 
will  be  recognised  as  profoundly  true,  if  ac- 
count be  taken  of  the  different  conceptions 
which  unbelievers  and  disciples  had  of  the 
Person  and  of  the  Death  and  of  the  Resurrec- 
tion of  Christ. 

the  scripture"]  The  reference  is  probably  to 
Ps.  xvi.  10.  Comp.  Acts  ii.  34  ff.,  xiii.  35. 
The  Evangelist  speaks  of  some  express  testi- 
mony (rj  ypafyri,  comp.  xvii.  13,  note),  and 
not  of  the  general  contents  of  scripture  (KO.TO. 
ras  ypa0as,  i  Cor.  xv.  3  f.). 

must]  This  divine  necessity  (SsI)  is  shewn 
to  run  through  the  last  unexpected  events  of 
the  Lord's  earthly  life;  Matt.  xxvi.  54; 
Mark  viii.  31;  Luke  ix.  aa,  xvii.  35,  xxii. 
37,  xxiv.  7,  36,  44,  (46);  John  iii.  14,  xii. 
34,  note;  Acts  i.  16.  See  also  11.4  (Spa),  note. 


V.   10 — 1 5.] 


ST.  JOHN.    XX. 


291 


10  Then  the  disciples  went  away 
again  unto  their  own  home. 

1 1  fl  But  Mary  stood  without  at 
the  sepulchre  weeping :   and  as  she 
wept,  she  stooped  down,  and  looked 
into  the  sepulchre, 

12  And  seeth  two  angels  in  white 
sitting,  the  one  at  the  head,  and  the 
other  at  the  feet,  where  the  body  of 
Jesus  had  lain. 

13  And  they  say  unto  her,  Wo- 


man, why  weepest  thou  ?  She  saith 
unto  them,  Because  they  have  taken 
away  my  Lord,  and  I  know  not 
where  they  have  laid  him. 

14  And  when  she  had  thus  said, 
she  turned  herself  back,  and  saw  Je- 
sus standing,  and  knew  not  that  it 
was  Jesus. 

15  Jesus  saith  unto  her,  Woman, 
why    weepest   thou  ?   whom    seekest 
thou  ?    She,  supposing  him  to  be  the 


2.    The  revelation  to  personal  love.     The  Lord 
transfigures  devotion  (vv.  10 — 18). 

The  details  of  this  section  are  peculiar  to 
St  John.  The  bare  fact  is  mentioned,  Mark 
xvi.  9.  It  is  significant  that  the  first  mani- 
festation of  the  Risen  Lord  was  granted  to 
the  patient  watching  of  love.  In  this  sense, 
Prov.  viii.  17  found  fulfilment.  The  late 
tradition  (Sedul.  «  Carm.  Pasch.'  V.  361  ff.) 
which  represents  the  Lord  as  appearing  first 
to  His  mother  rests  on  no  authority. 

10.  Then  the  disciples  went  away  ...]     The 
disciples  therefore...,  as  feeling  that  nothing 
more  could  be  learnt  upon  the  spot. 

The  angels  which  had  been  seen  by  the 
women  did  not  appear  to  the  apostles.  Such 
manifestations  necessarily  follow  the  laws  of 
a  spiritual  economy.  Comp.  -v.  u. 

11.  But  Mary]  whose  return  has  not  been 
noticed,    remained  when    the    apostles  went 
away :   "  A  stronger  affection  riveted  to  the 
spot  one  of  a  weaker  nature"  (Aug.).     Yet 
she  did  not  venture  to  enter  the  sepulchre, 
even  after  the  apostles  had  done  so.      She 
continued  standing  (florist)  at  the  sepul- 
chre without,  i.  35,  note. 

and  (so)  as  she  wept,  she  stooped  down,  and 
looked...'}  just  as  St  John  had  done :  -v.  5. 

12.  And  see th... the  one  (one)  at  the  head, 
and  the   other   (one)   at  the  feet}    like  the 
cherubim  on  the  mercy-seat,  between  which 
the  "  Lord  of  hosts  dwelt,"  Exod.  xxv.  22 ; 
i  S.  iv.  4 ;   2  S.  vi.  2  ;  Ps.  Ixxx.  i,  xcix.  i. 

seeth]  toeholdeth.  Both  here  and  in 
v.  14  the  word  (0fwpel)  suggests  the  idea 
of  a  silent  contemplation  for  a  time. 

two  angels'}  Comp.  v.  10,  note.  This  is 
the  only  place  where  angels  are  mentioned  in 
the  narrative  of  the  Evangelist.  Comp.  i.  52, 
xii.  29  (v.  4  is  an  early  interpolation). 

in  white'}  Matt,  xxviii.  3  ;  Mark  xvi.  5  ; 
Acts  i.  10.  The  same  elliptical  phrase  is  used 
Rev.  iii.  4.  Comp.  Matt.  xvii.  2,  and 
parallels,  Rev.  iii.  5,  18,  iv.  4,  vi.  n,  vii. 
9,  13,  xix.  14. 

13.  they  say  unto  her}   The  pronoun  (eVti- 
voi)  which   is   inserted   here,  like  the   name 

New  Test. — VOL.  II. 


which  is  inserted  in  v.  15,  marks  the  pause 
during  which  Mary  regarded  those  before  her 
without  speaking. 

Mary  repeats,  with  two  significant  varia- 
tions, the  words  which  she  had  addressed  to 
the  apostles  (v.  2).  It  is  easy  to  understand 
how  they  were  repeated  in  her  heart  again 
and  again  as  the  sum  of  all  her  thoughts ;  but 
she  now  says  My  Lord  (not  the  Lord),  and  / 
know  (not  we  know)',  the  relation  and  the 
loss  are,  in  this  case,  regarded  as  personal, 
and  not  as  general.  The  familiar  boldness  of 
the  words,  spoken  without  special  excitement 
or  alarm,  shews  how  the  whole  soul  of  the 
speaker  was  absorbed  in  one  object. 

The  extreme  simplicity  of  the  narrative, 
it  may  be  added,  reflects  something  of  the 
solemn  majesty  of  the  scene.  The  sentences 
follow  without  any  connecting  particles  till 
•v.  19.  (Comp.  c.  xv.) 

14.  When  (omit  And)  she  had  thus  said, 
she  turned...']  as  unwilling  to  continue  a  con- 
versation which  promised  no  help.   The  vision 
of  angels  makes  no  impression  upon  her.    We 
can  imagine  also  that  she  became  conscious 
of  another  Presence,  as  we  often  feel  the  ap- 
proach of  a  visitor  without  distinctly  seeing 
or  hearing  him.     It  may  be  too  that  the 
angels  looking  towards  the  Lord  shewed  some 
sign  of  His  coming. 

and  saw.., ,]  and  beholdeth...  Comp.  w. 
6,  12. 

knew  not]  She  was  pre-occupied  with  her 
own  reflections.  We  see  that  only  which  we 
have  the  inward  power  of  seeing.  Till  Mary 
was  placed  in  something  of  spiritual  harmony 
with  the  Lord  she  could  not  recognise  Him. 
Comp.  Luke  xxiv.  16;  Matt,  xxviii.  17;  ch. 
xxi.  4. 

15.  The  first  words  of  the  Lord,  His  first 
recorded  words  after  the  Resurrection,  are  a 
repetition  of  the  angel's  words,  but  with  an 
important  addition.     He  partly  interprets  the 
grief    of    the    mourner    oy    asking,    Whom 
seekest  thou?    She  has  lost  some  one  (not 
something;  i.  38). 

the  gardener]  and  therefore  a  fnend,  Matt, 
xxvii.  60;  ch.  xix.  41  f.  The  conjecture 


292 


IT.  JOHN.    X 


[v.  1 6,  17. 


gardener,  saith  unto  him,  Sir,  ifthou  She  turned   herself,   and    saith    unto 

have  borne  him  hence,  tell  me  where  him,    Rabboni  ;    which    is    to    say, 

thou  hast  laid  him,  and  I  will  take  » *----- 
him  away. 


Master. 

„ .  17    Jesus   saith   unto  her,   Touch 

1 6    Jesus    saith    unto  her,  Mary,     me  not ;  for  I  am  not  yet  ascended 


was  natural,  both  from  the  place  and  from 
the  time. 

if  thou  (emphatic;  "if  thou  and  not  our 
enemies,")  have  (hast)  borne  Him... Him.., 
Him]  Mary  makes  no  answer  to  the  inquiry. 
Her  heart  is  so  full  of  the  Person  to  whom  it 
referred  that  she  assumes  that  He  is  known 
to  her  questioner:  "palam omnibus esse credit, 
quod  a  suo  corde  nee  ad  momentum  recedere 
potest"  (Bern.  '  In  Cant.'  vn.  8).  The  trait  is 
one  of  those  direct  reflections  of  life  which 
mark  St  John's  Gospel. 

and  /...]  •  Love  makes  her  strength  appear 
to  be  sufficient. 

16.  We  must  suppose  a  short  pause, 
during  which  Mary  resumes  her  former  posi- 
tion, and  receiving  no  answer,  becomes  lost  in 
her  grief  again.  While  she  is  thus  lost  Jesus 
"calleth  her  by  name,"  Mary  (Mapia/n);  and 
in  that  direct  personal  address  awakens  the 
true  self  (Luke  viii.  a  ;  Mark  xvi.  9).  What 
the  word  of  common  interest  (woman')  could 
not  do,  the  word  of  individual  sympathy  does 
at  once  (comp.  ch.  x.  3 ). 

She  turned]  once  again  (as  v.  14),  but  this 
time  with  a  clear  answer  of  reverent  recogni- 
tion, and  saith  unto  him,  in  Hebrew,  Rab- 
boni, Master  (Teacher).  Yet  the  title,  while 
it  reveals  her  devotion,  reveals  also  the  im- 
perfection of  her  faith  (contrast  -v.  a8). 

in  Hebrew]  The  words  must  be  added 
to  the  text.  The  exact  term  in  the  original 
text  ('EjSpatori')  is  found  only  in  St  John's 
Gospel  and  in  the  Apocalypse.  The  notice  of 
this  detail  for  Greek  readers  seems  to  mark 
clearly  what  was  the  language  of  the  most 
intimate  intercourse  of  the  Lord  and  His  dis- 
ciples. Comp.  Acts  xxii.  2,  xxvi.  14. 

Rabboni  (Rabbuni)]  The  word  occurs 
also  in  Mark  x.  5 1.  It  is  strictly  "  my  Master," 
but,  as  in  Rabbi,  the  pronominal  affix  ceased 
to  have  any  very  distinct  force.  Here  only  is 
the  term  "  Master"  applied  to  the  Lord  after 
the  Resurrection.  The  exact  term  (^131,  or 
^•13!)  is  used  as  a  title  of  respect  in  the  Tar- 
gums  (Gen.  xxiii.  15).  The  interpretation 
"  Master  "  (StSdo-KaXe),  which  is  added  by  the 
Evangelist,  fixes  the  meaning,  and  excludes 
the  higher  sense  of  "the  divine  Lord"  (J13"! 
KC9U),  which  has  been  sometimes  given  to  it, 
as  if  it  expressed  a  recognition  of  the  Lord's 
higher  Nature.  The  preservation  of  the  form 
is  one  of  those  little  touches  which  stamp  the 
Evangelist  as  a  Jew  of  Palestine  (Delitzsch, 
'Ztschr.  f.  luther.  Theol.'  1878,  s.  7).  It  is 
siid  that  the  form  preserved  in  the  original 


text  (Rabbuni),  which  has  been  lost  in  the 
Vulgate  and  A.  V.  (Rabboni),  is  "  Galilasan  " 
(Bbttcher,  '  Lehrb.'  §  64) :  if  this  be  so,  the 
trait  is  more  significant. 

17.  Touch  me  not ;  for  I  am...']  The  words 
imply,  what  a  few  copies  here  state  by  an 
interpolated  clause,  that  Mary  started  up  and 
ran  to  Christ,  perhaps  to  clasp  His  feet 
(comp.  Matt,  xxviii.  9),  and  the  exact  form 
(fifj  anrov)  implies  further  that  she  was 
already  clinging  to  Him  when  He  spoke. 
Thus  she  expressed  in  word  and  act  the 
strength  and  the  failure  of  her  love,  which  the 
Lord  disciplined  and  raised  by  His  answer. 
The  reason  by  which  the  Lord  checked  this 
expression  of  devotion  can  be  differently  ap- 
prehended. The  "for"  may  refer  (i)  to  the 
whole  sentence  which  follows  (7  am  not... your 
God),  or  (a)  only  to  the  first  clause  (/  am 
not  ...Father).  In  the  first  case  the  imminent, 
though  not  realised,  Ascension  of  the  Lord 
would  be  regarded  as  forbidding  the  old  forms 
of  earthly  intercourse.  In  the  second  case  the 
Ascension  would  be  presented  as  the  beginning 
and  condition  of  a  new  union.  The  latter 
seems  to  be  unquestionably  the  true  view,  and 
falls  in  with  the  moral  circumstances  of  the 
incident.  Mary  substituted  a  knowledge  of 
the  humanity  of  Christ  for  a  knowledge  of  His 
whole  Person:  "Quod  vides  hoc  solum  me 
esse  putas :  noli  me  tangere  "  (Aug.  '  In  Joh.' 
xxvi.  3).  She  thought  that  she  could  now 
enjoy  His  restored  Presence  as  she  then  ap- 
prehended it.  She  assumed  that  the  return 
to  the  old  life  exhausted  the  extent  of  her 
Master's  victory  over  death.  Therefore  in 
His  reply  Christ  said:  "Do  not  cling  to  me, 
as  if  in  that  which  falls  under  the  senses  you 
can  know  me  as  I  am ;  for  there  is  yet  some- 
thing beyond  the  outward  restoration  to  earth 
which  must  be  realised,  before  that  fellow- 
ship towards  which  you  reach  can  be 
established  as  abiding.  /  am  not  yet  ascended 
to  the  Father.  When  that  last  triumph  is 
accomplished,  then  you  will  be  able  to  enjoy 
the  communion  which  is  as  yet  impossible 
('  Sic  tangitur  ab  iis  a  quibus  bene  tangitur, 
ascenders  ad  Patrem,  manens  cum  Patre, 
asqualis  Patri.'  Aug.  /.  c.).  Meanwhile,  this 
is  the  reward  of  thy  love,  that  thou  shalt  bear 
the  message  of  the  coming  and  more  glorious 
change  to  those  to  whom  thou  didst  bear  the 
tidings  of  what  seemed  to  be  thy  loss  and 
theirs."  Comp.  Bern.  'Semi,  in  Cant.'  xxxin. 
9  f.  The  spiritual  temper  of  Mary  will  be 
seen  to  be  the  exact  opposite  of  that  of 


v.  1 8,  19.] 


ST.  JOHN.    XX. 


to  my  Father :  but  go  to' my  brethren, 
and  say  unto  them,  I  ascend  unto 
my  Father,  and  your  Father  j  and  to 
my  God,  and  your  God. 


293 


the  disciples  that  she  had  seen  the 
Lord,  and  that  he  had  spoken  these 
things  unto  her. 
19  V  'Then 


Q  l\/r         i\/r      7  i  *"       '         L  nen     tne    same    da7    at 

.  Mary  Magdalene  came  and  told     evening,  being  the  first  day  of  the 


the   same   day   at f  Mark  id. 

"4- 


Thomas.  She  is  satisfied  with  the  earthly 
form  which  she  recognises.  Thomas,  having 
thought  that  the  restoration  of  the  earthly  life 
was  impossible,  rises  from  the  recognition  of 
the  earthly  form  to  the  fullest  acknowledg- 
ment of  the  divine :  v.  28. 

Touch]  The  idea  appears  to  be  that  of 
"  holding,"  in  the  desire  to  retain,  and  not 
of  "  touching "  with  a  view  to  ascertain  the 
corporeal  reality  of  the  Presence.  Under 
other  circumstances  the  Lord  invited  the 
disciples  to  "handle"  His  Person;  Luke 
xxiv.  39,  v.  27  ;  comp.  i  John  i.  i. 

my  Father]  The  most  ancient  authorities 
omit  the  pronoun,  reading  the  Father.  The 
general  conception  of  Fatherhood  is  given 
first,  and  this  is  afterwards  defined  and  dis- 
tinguished. 

but  go  to  my  brethren..]  The  new  title 
(Matt,  xxviii.  10)  follows  from  the  use  of 
the  words  "the  Father."  Spiritual  relation- 
ships now  take  the  place  of  natural  relation- 
ships. Comp.  xix.  26,  note ;  Matt.  xii.  48  f. 
The  title  occurs  very  significantly  in  the 
record  of  the  first  action  of  the  Christian 
society:  Acts  i.  15  (in  the  midst  of  the 
brethren). 

I  ascend...']  Not  "  I  shall  ascend,"  but  "  I 
am  ascending."  In  one  sense  the  change  sym- 
boli/.ed  by  the  visible  Ascension  was  being 
wrought  for  the  apostles  during  the  forty 
days,  as  they  gradually  became  familiarised 
with  the  phenomena  of  Christ's  higher  Life. 

The  message  which  Mary  was  charged  to 
bear  was  one  of  promise  as  well  as  of  ful- 
filment. Christ  did  not  say  "I  have  risen 
again,"  as  though  the  disciples  could  as  yet 
understand  the  meaning  of  the  words,  but  "  I 
ascend."  The  end  was  not  to  be  grasped  yet. 
The  Resurrection  was  a  beginning  as  well  as 
a  fulfilment. 

unto  my  Father,  and  your  Father]  He  who 
is  the  Father  is  Father  of  Christ  and  Father 
of  men  in  different  ways;  of  Christ  by  nature, 
of  men  by  grace.  And  just  as  the  Lord 
separated  Himself  from  men  while  He  af- 
firmed His  true  Humanity  by  taking  to 
Himself  the  title  of  "the  Son  of  Man,"  so 
here,  while  He  affirms  the  true  divine  son- 
ship  of  believers,  He  separates  their  sonship 
from  His  own.  Comp.  Hebr.  ii.  n;  Rom. 
viii.  29. 

my  God,  and  your  God]  In  His  perfect 
humanity  Christ  speaks  of  the  Father  as  His 
God:  Matt,  xxvii.  46.  Comp.  Rev.  iii.  2,  12 
(not  ii.  7). 

In  the  epistles  of  St  Paul  the  compound 


title  "  the  God  and  Father  of  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ"  is  not  unfrequent:  Rom.  xv.  6; 
^  Cor.  i.  3,  xi.  31 ;  Eph.  i.  3.  Comp.  i  Cor. 
xv.  24. 

18.  came  and  told]  cometh  and  telleth. 
The  exact  form  of  expression  is  remarkable : 
"Cometh  telling"  (epA;6Tat...ayyeXXouo-a),  and 
not  "  having  come  (or  coming)  telleth."    The 
emphasis    is    thrown  on  Mary's    immediate 
departure  on  her  mission.     For  this  purpose 
she  was  ready  to  leave  the  Lord  at  once.     In 
the    best    authorities    her   words  are  partly 
direct    and   partly   oblique:     She. ..telleth,    I 
nave  seen  the  Lord;  and  how  that  he  said 
these  things  unto  her. 

3.    The  revelation  to  fearful  disciples.    The  Lord 

gives  peace  and  authority  to  His  society  (vv. 

19— *3> 

The  details  of  this  section  are  peculiar  to 
St  John — the  closed  doors,  the  fear  of  the 
Jews,  the  absence  of  St  Thomas,  the  mission, 
the  promise ;  but  the  fact  of  the  appearance  to 
the  assembled  disciples  on  the  evening  of  the 
first  Easter  day  is  recorded  by  St  Luke,  xxiv. 
36,  and  St  Mark,  xvi.  14  (dvaKfifievots). 

The  clauses  in  St  Luke  which  correspond 
most  closely  with  St  John  (Luke  xxiv.  36  b, 
40)  appear  to  have  been  very  early  [apostolic] 
additions  to  his  original  text. 

19.  Then  the  same  day  at  evening,   being 
the  first  day..]     When  therefore  it  was 
evening  on  that  day,  the  first  day... 
The  form  of  expression  is  singularly  full  and 
emphatic. 

When  therefore...]  The  appearance  to 
Mary  Magdalene  was  (so  to  speak)  neces- 
sarily supplemented  by  an  appearance  to  the 
Church.  The  several  revelations  to  individuals 
(Luke  xxiv.  31,  34)  prepared  the  way  for  this 
manifestation  to  the  body ;  and  gave  occasion 
for  the  gathering  of  the  disciples.  It  could 
not  but  be  that  the  tidings,  which  must  have 
been  spread  through  the  company  of  believers, 
should  cause  many  to  come  together,  and 
perhaps  to  the  "  upper  room "  where  the 
Last  Supper  was  held.  Comp.  Acts  i.  13. 

on  that  day]  that  memorable  day,  the 
birthday  of  Christian  life.  Comp.  i.  39  (40). 
v.  9,  xi.  53,  (xiv.  20,  xvi.  23,  26),  xix.  27,  31, 
xxi.  3 ;  Mark  iv.  35.  The  phrase  corresponds 
with  that  year;  xi.  49,  note. 

evening]  Comp.  Luke  xxiv.  29,  33,  36. 
The  hour  was  evidently  late,  about  8  p.m. 
Time  must  be  allowed  for  the  return  of  the 
disciples  from  Emmaus,  who  were  not  likely 

U  2 


294 


ST.  JOHN.    XX. 


[v.  2O 22. 


week,  when  the  doors  were  shut 
where  the  disciples  were  assembled 
for  fear  of  the  Jews,  came  Jesus  and 
stood  in  the  midst,  and  saith  unto 
them,  Peace  be  unto  you. 

20  And  when  he  had  so  said,  he 
shewed  unto  them  bis  hands  and  his 


side.     Then  were  the  disciples  glad, 
when  they  saw  the  Lord. 

21  Then  said  Jesus  to  them  again, 
Peace  be  unto  you  :  as  my  Father  hath 
sent  me,  even  so  send  I  you. 

22  And  when    he   had  said    this, 
he    breathed    on     them,     and     saith 


to  leave  Jerusalem  till  after  the  evening  prayer 
(Acts  iii.  i). 

when  the  doors  were  shut]  Comp.  «z>.  26. 
The  clause  can  only  have  been  added  to  mark 
the  miraculousness  of  the  Lord's  appearance. 
He  came  not  in  any  ordinary,  natural  way 
(comp.  Luke  xxiv.  31).  It  is  vain  to  specu- 
late as  to  the  manner  in  which  He  came. 
All  that  is  set  before  us  is  that  He  was  not 
bound  by  the  present  conditions  of  material 
existence  which  we  observe.  The  Evangelist, 
it  must  be  added,  simply  states  the  facts.  He 
does  not,  as  some  later  commentators,  repre- 
sent the  Lord  as  coming  through  the  closed 
doors,  or  entering  in  any  definite  manner. 

where  the  disciples  were  (omit  assembled^] 
"the  eleven  and  they  that  were  with  them" 
in  the  words  of  St  Luke  (xxiv.  33).  Though 
St  Thomas  was  absent,  the  apostles  as  a  body 
("  the  eleven  ")  were  assembled. 

for  fear  of  the  Jews']  Comp.  vii.  13.  This 
clause  explains  the  careful  closing  of  the  room. 
Rumours  of  the  Resurrection  had  been  spread, 
and  it  was  as  yet  uncertain  what  policy  the 
popular  leaders  would  adopt. 

Peace  be  unto  you']  This  was  the  ordinary 
salutation  (comp.  Luke  x.  5),  which  is  still  in 
use,  but  here  it  was  employed  with  a  peculiar 
force.  The  disciples  were  troubled,  alarmed, 
fearful  (comp".  Luke  xxiv.  37),  and  the  Risen 
Lord  by  His  Presence  announced  confidence 
and  victory.  Compare  Gen.  xliii.  23  and  ch. 
xiv.  27,  the  last  words  spoken  (and  perhaps 
spoken  in  the  same  room)  before  the  Lord 
"  went  out"  to  His  Passion. 

20.  when  he  had  so  said   (said    this), 
he  shewed  unto  them  his  hands  and  his  side'] 
Literally,  according  to  the  most  ancient  text, 
both    His    hands    and   His   side   unto   them. 
There  is  a  solemn  pathos  in  the  full  form  of 
description.     St   Luke  notices    "  His   hands 
and  His  feet  "  (xxiv.  40).     St  John  had  spe- 
cially recorded  the  piercing  of  the  side,  and 
hence  he  naturally  recalled  that  wound. 

Then  were  the  disciples']  The  disciples 
therefore  -were  glad...  At  first  "they 
believed  not  for  joy "  (Luke  xxiv.  41) ;  but 
the  joy  of  kindled  hope  became  only  fuller 
when  it  was  changed  into  the  joy  of  convic- 
tion ;  when  they  saw  (iSwres,  comp.  xvi.  16) 
the  Lord,  and  knew  beyond  all  doubt  (20) 
that  it  was  He  Himself. 

the  Lord]  v.  2. 

21.  Tfjen  said  Jesus   (Jesus  therefore 


said)  to  them  again...']  The  necessary  pre- 
paration was  now  completed.  When  doubt 
was  overcome  the  new  work  was  announced. 
The  first  "Peace"  was  the  restoration  of 
personal  confidence:  the  second  "  Peace"  was 
the  preparation  for  work.  Both  however  are 
equally  extended  to  all  present. 

as  my  Father  (the  Father)  hath  sent  me... ,] 
The  mission  of  Christ  is  here  regarded  not  in 
the  point  of  its  historical  fulfilment  (sent), 
but  in  the  permanence  of  its  effects  (hath  sent). 
The  form  of  the  fulfilment  of  Christ's  mission 
was  now  to  be  changed,  but  the  mission 
itself  was  still  continued  and  still  effective. 
The  apostles  were  commissioned  to  carry  on 
Christ's  work,  and  not  to  begin  a  new  one. 
Their  office  was  an  application  of  His  office 
according  to  the  needs  of  men.  See  Additional 
Note.  - 

22.  breathed  on  them]  Comp.  Gen.  ii.  7 
(LXX.).  The  same  image  which  was  used 
to  describe  the  communication  of  the  natural 
life,  is  here  used  to  express  the  communica- 
tion of  the  new,  spiritual,  life  of  re-created 
humanity. 

The  "breath"  (rrvevfia)  is  an  emblem  of 
the  Spirit,  iii.  8 ;  and  by  "  breathing,"  as 
Augustine  observes,  the  Lord  shewed  that  the 
Spirit  was  not  the  Spirit  of  the  Father  only 
but  also  His  own. 

The  act  is  described  as  one  (eVc^uo-jjo-e) 
and  not  repeated.  The  gift  was  once  for  all, 
not  to  individuals  but  to  the  abiding  body. 

on  them. ..unto  them]  There  is  nothing  to 
limit  the  pronoun  to  "the  ten."  It  appears 
from  Luke  xxiv.  33,  that  there  was  a  general 
gathering  of  the  believers  in  Jerusalem  (those 
with  them:  in  -v.  24  "the  twelve"  are  evi- 
dently distinguished  from  "the  disciples"). 
There  is  a  Jewish  legend  that  when  Moses 
laid  his  hand  on  Joshua,  God  said,  "  In  this 
world  only  individuals  possess  the  gift  of 
prophecy,  but  in  'the  world  to  come'  (the 
Messianic  age)  all  Israelites  shall  be  seers: 
Joel  iii.  i"  ('Midrash  Tanchuma,'  65  c, 
quoted  by  Wiinsche). 

Receive]  Literally,  Take(\d$tTt).  The  choice 
of  word  seems  to  mark  the  personal  action  of 
man  in  this  reception.  He  is  not  wholly 
passive  even  in  relation  to  the  divine  gift. 
The  same  word  is  used  of  "life"  (x.  17  f.) 
and  "words"  (xii.  48).  The  phrase  recurs 
Acts  viii.  15,  17,  19,  (x.  47,  eX.  TO  TT.  TO  d.), 


V.    23.] 


ST.  JOHN.    XX. 


295 


unto   them,    Receive    ye    the    Holy    they  are   remitted  unto  them;   and 
'Matt.  18.          StjTTr,  whose  soever  sins  ye  retain,  they  arc 

23      Whose  soever  sins  ye  remit,     retained. 


the  Holy  Ghost}  Or  rather,  in  order  to  ex- 
press the  absence  of  the  article,  a  gift  of  the 
Holy  Ghost  (comp.  vii.  39),  even  the  power  of 
the  new  life  proceeding  from  the  Person  of  the 
Risen  Christ.  The  presence  of  this  new  life 
f  humanity  in  the  disciples  communicated  to 
them  by  Christ  was  the  necessary  condition  for 
the  descent  of  the  Holy  Spirit  on  the  day  of 
Pentecost.  The  Spirit  which  the  Lord  im- 
parted to  them  was  His  Spirit,  or,  as  it  may  be 
expressed,  the  Holy  Spirit  as  dwelling  in  Him. 
By  this  He  first  quickened  them,  and  then  sent, 
according  to  His  promise,  the  Paraclete  to  be 
with  them,  and  to  supply  all  power  for  the 
exercise  of  their  different  functions.  The 
relation  of  the  Paschal  to  the  Pentecostal  gift 
is  therefore  the  relation  of  quickening  to 
endowing.  The  one  answers  to  the  power  of 
the  Resurrection,  and  the  other  to  the  power 
of  the  Ascension  (Godet) ;  the  one  to  victory 
and  the  other  to  sovereignty.  The  charac- 
teristic effect  of  the  Pentecostal  gift  was  shewn 
in  the  exercise  of  supremacy  potentially  uni- 
versal. The  characteristic  effect  of  the  Paschal 
gift  was  shewn  in  the  new  faith  by  which  the 
disciples  were  gathered  into  a  living  society 
(comp.  Luke  xxiv.  45).  All  those  interpre- 
tations of  the  words  which  limit  them  to  a 
particular  gift,  as  of  working  miracles,  or  of 
knowledge,  or  the  like,  fall  completely  short 
of  the  meaning  which  points  to  an  endowment 
not  occasional  but  perpetual.  To  regard  the 
words  and  act  as  a  promise  only  and  a  symbol 
of  the  future  gift  is  wholly  arbitrary  and 
unnatural. 

23.  The  pronouns  in  this  case  are  un- 
emphatic.  The  main  thought  which  the 
words  convey  is  that  of  the  reality  of  the 
power  of  absolution  from  sin  granted  to  the 
Church,  and  not  of  the  particular  organiza- 
tion through  which  the  power  is  administered. 
There  is  nothing  in  the  context,  as  has  been 
seen,  to  shew  that  the  gift  was  confined  to 
any  particular  group  (as  the  apostles)  among 
the  whole  company  present.  The  commission 
therefore  must  be  regarded  properly  as  the 
commission  of  the  Christian  society  and  not 
as  that  of  the  Christian  ministry.  (Comp. 
Matt.  v.  13,  14.)  The  great  mystery  of  the 
world,  absolutely  insoluble  by  thought,  is 
that  of  sin ;  the  mission  of  Christ  was  to 
bring  salvation  from  sin,  and  the  work  of  His 
Church  is  to  apply  to  all  that  which  He  has 
gained.  Christ  risen  was  Himself  the  sign  of 
the  completed  overthrow  of  death,  the  end  of 
sin,  and  the  impartment  of  His  Life  necessarily 
carried  with  it  the  fruit  of  His  conquest. 
Thus  the  promise  is  in  one  sense  an  interpre- 


tation of  the  gift.  The  gift  of  the  Holy  Spirit 
finds  its  application  in  the  communication 
or  withholding  of  the  powers  of  the  new- 
Life. 

The  promise,  as  being  made  not  to  one 
but  to  the  society,  carries  with  it  of  necessity, 
though  this  is  not  distinctly  expressed,  the 
character  of  perpetuity;  the  society  never 
dies  (comp.  v.  21).  In  this  respect  the  pro- 
mise differs  essentially  from  that  to  St  Peter 
(Matt.  xvi.  1 8  f.,  see  note),  which  was  dis- 
tinctly personal.  And  the  scope  of  the 
promise  differs  from  that  formerly  given  to 
the  society  (Matt,  xviii.  18  f.,  see  note), 
which  concerns  the  enactment  of  ordinances 
and  not  the  administration  of  that  which  is 
purely  spiritual.  At  the  same  time  this  pro- 
mise carries  that  forward  to  a  higher  region. 
As  that  promise  gave  the  power  of  laying 
down  the  terms  of  fellowship,  so  this  gives  a 
living  and  abiding  power  to  declare  the  fact 
and  the  conditions  of  forgiveness.  The  con- 
ditions, as  interpreted  by  the  apostolic  prac- 
tice, no  less  than  by  the  circumstances  of  the 
case,  refer  to  character  (comp.  Luke  xxiv. 
47).  The  gift,  and  the  refusal  of  the  gift, 
are  regarded  in  relation  to  classes  and  not  in 
relation  to  individuals.  The  use  of  the  plural 
appears  in  some  degree  to  indicate  this  (uv 
Tivnv,  auToir) ;  and  still  more  the  necessity  of 
giving  to  "  retain  "  an  application  correspond- 
ing to  that  of  "remit."  It  is  impossible  to 
contemplate  an  absolute  individual  exercise  of 
the  power  of  "retaining;"  so  far  it  is  contrary 
to  the  scope  of  the  passage  to  seek  in  it  a 
direct  authority  for  the  absolute  individual 
exercise  of  the  "remitting."  At  the  same 
time  the  exercise  of  the  power  must  be  placed 
in  the  closest  connexion  with  the  faculty  of 
spiritual  discernment  consequent  upon  the 
gift  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  Comp.  i  John  ii. 
18  ff. 

remit]  This  is  the  only  place  in  St  John's 
Gospel  where  the  word  occurs  in  this  con- 
nexion. Comp.  i  John  i.  9,  ii.  iz.  The  use 
is  frequent  in  the  Synoptists. 

remitted. .  .retained]  The  use  of  the  perfect  in 
these  two  words  (dtfrfcovrai,  according  to  the 
most  probable  reading,  and  K(Kpdrr)VTai)  ex- 
presses the  absolute  efficacy  of  the  power. 
No  interval  separates  the  act  from  the  issue. 
There  is  perfect  harmony,  perfect  coincidence, 
between  the  divine  voice  through  the  society 
and  the  divine  will. 

retain]  hold  fast,  so  that  they  may  not  pass 
away  from  him  to  whom  they  attach.  The 
word  (icpaTc  1v)  is  used  several  times  in  the 
Apocalypse  of  "holding  fast  doctrine"  and 
the  like  (ii.  13  ff.,  25,  iii.  n). 


296 


ST.  JOHN.    XX. 


[v.  24—27. 


24  fl  But   Thomas,   one   of  the 
twelve,  called  Didymus,  was  not  with 
them  when  Jesus  came. 

25  The  other  disciples  therefore 
said   unto   him,  We  have  seen  the 
Lord.     But  he  said  unto  them,  Ex- 
cept I  shall  see  in  his  hands  the  print 
of  the  nails,  and  put  my  finger  into 
the  print  of  the  nails,  and  thrust  my 
hand  into  his  side,  I  will  not  believe. 


26  IT  And  after  eight  days  again 
his  disciples  were  within,  and  Tho- 
mas with  them :   then    came   Jesus, 
the   doors  being  shut,  and   stood   in 
the  midst,  and  said,  Peace  be  unto  you. 

27  Then   saith    he   to   Thomas, 
Reach  hither  thy  finger,  and  behold 
my  hands  j  and  reach  hither  thy  hand, 
and  thrust  it  into  my  side :  and  be 
not  faithless,  but  believing. 


4.  The  revelation  to  the  anxious  questioner. 
The  Lord  gives  conviction  by  sight  and  bless- 
ing to  faith  (vv.  24 — 29). 

This  section  is  entirely  peculiar  to  St  John. 

24.  Thomas']     Comp.  xi.  16,  note. 
the  twelve}      Comp.  vi.  67,  note. 

was  not  with  them}  The  cause  of  the  ab- 
sence of  St  Thomas  is  not  expressed  or  hinted 
at.  It  is  easy  to  imagine  that  one  of  his 
temperament  (see  xi.  16)  would  prefer  to  wait 
in  solitude  for  some  light  upon  the  mystery 
of  the  Passion. 

25.  The   other   disciples   therefore...']    The 
assurance  of  joy  was  of  necessity  conveyed  to 
him  who  had   not  received  it ;    and  it  was 
given  in  its  completest  form,  We  have  seen  the 
Lord,  where  the  absence  of  a  pronoun  in  the 
original  throws  the  stress  upon  the  verb. 

The  reply  of  St  Thomas  reveals  how  he 
had  dwelt  upon  the  terrible  details  of  the 
Passion.  The  wounds  of  the  Lord  are  for 
him  still  gaping,  as  he  had  seen  them.  He 
must  be  able  to  reconcile  that  reality  of  death 
with  life  before  he  can  believe.  Just  as  before 
(xi.  1 6)  he  sets  the  most  extreme  case  before 
himself  and  will  face  that.  It  is  further  to  be 
remarked  that  the  Lord  had  offered  the  test 
of  touch  to  the  disciples  on  the  former 
occasion  (Luke  xxiv.  39,  40).  It  is  likely 
therefore  that  St  Thomas  shaped  his  words 
according  to  what  they  had  told  him  (v.  20, 
hands,  side).  The  correspondence  is  full  of 
interest. 

print... print]  The  reading  place  for  print 
(TOTTOV  for  rvirov)  in  the  second  instance  is 
nothing  more  than  an  early  and  natural  mis- 
take. The  repetition  of  the  same  word  is 
significant ;  and  the  A.  V.  has  obliterated 
another  example  of  the  same  use  by  substitut- 
ing, here  and  in  v.  27,  thrust  thy  hand  for  put 
(/3a\a>)  thy  hand  in  the  second  clause. 

I  twill  not  believe}  The  emphatic  denial  (ov 
pr)  TrtoTfvtrco,  comp.  vi.  37)  corresponds  with 
the  temper  which  hopes  at  once  and  fears 
intensely.  "Thou  fool  (Raca),"  is  a  Jewish 
saying,  "  if  thou  hadst  not  seen  thou  wouldest 
not  have  believed:  thou  art  a  mocker"  ('Baba 
Bathra,'  75  a,  quoted  by  Wtinsche). 

26.  after  eight    days  ...~\      During    this 


interval,  as  far  as  appears,  the  disciples  were 
left  to  ponder  over  and  take  into  their  hearts 
the  facts  of  Easter  Day.  No  fresh  manifesta- 
tions seem  to  have  been  made  to  them.  At 
length  therefore  they  were  free,  as  the  Festival 
and  the  Sabbath  were  over,  to  go  to  Galilee.. 
Yet  it  was  natural  for  them  to  look  for  some 
fresh  token  of  hope  on  the  first  weekly  return 
of  the  day  of  the  Resurrection.  Nothing  is 
said  of  the  time  of  their  gathering.  It  may 
have  been  in  the  evening  (i.e.  the  beginning 
of  the  Jewish  day),  when  they  were  preparing 
for  their  departure  from  Jerusalem  on  the 
morrow.  However  this  may  have  been  Tho- 
mas, in  spite  of  his  unsatisfied  misgivings,  had 
not  left  their  company.  He  shewed  faith  in 
act  if  not  in  thought.  On  the  other  hand  the 
ten  had  not  excluded  him,  though  uncon- 
vinced, from  their  society. 

again  . . .  within  . . .]  The  words  imply  that 
the  gathering  was  held  in  the  same  place 
and  under  the  same  circumstances  as  before. 
Yet  it  is  perhaps  not  without  meaning  that  the 
words  "  for  fear  of  the  Jews"  (v.  19)  are  not 
repeated.  The  power  of  the  new  life  had 
freed  them  from  this,  though  their  doors  were 
closed.  The  phrase  "his  disciples"  (v.  19 
"the  disciples"),  wjien  the  Lord's  name 
has  not  preceded,  will  be  noticed.  Comp.  xix. 
4,  note. 

then  came  Jesus']  The  original  unconnected 
phrase  is  far  more  solemn :  Jesus  cometh. 

27.  Then  saith  he  ...]  By  recalling  St 
Thomas'  own  words  the  Lord  shews  that  He 
was  present  at  the  very  time  when  St  Thomas 
was  questioning  His  Resurrection. 

behold}  see  (iSf,  v.  25).  One  look  was 
enough. 

be  not  ...]  Rather,  "become  not."  Belief 
and  unbelief  both  grow.  St  Thomas  "  was  " 
not,  but  he  "  was  on  the  way  to  be,"  faithless. 
And  yet  further  the  tense  of  the  verb  (^77 
yiVov)  marks  the  process  as  continually  going 
on.  The  transformation  is  regarded  as  present 
and  not  as  a  future  result. 

The  exact  correspondence  of  the  two  words 
"faithless,"  "believing,"  in  the  original  (ani- 
(TTOS,  TrtoToj)  cannot  be  adequately  rendered 
in  English:  "unbelieving"  ...  "believing," 
and  "faithless"  ...  "faithful,"  both  fall  short 
of  the  idea. 


v.  28—31.] 


ST.  JOHN.    XX. 


297 


28  And  Thomas  answered  and  said 
unto  him,  My  Lord  and  my  God. 

29  Jesus  saith  unto  him,  Thomas, 
because  thou  hast  seen  me,  thou  hast 
believed  :  blessed  are  they  that  have 
not  seen,  and  yet  have  believed. 

30  f  '  And  many  other  signs  truly 


did  Jesus  in  the  presence  of  his.  dis- 
ciples, which  are  not  written  in  this 
book : 

31  But  these  are  written,  that  ye 
might  believe  that  Jesus  is  the  Christ, 
the  Son  of  God  ;  and  that  believing 
ye  might  have  life  through  his  name. 


28.  Everything  combines  to  shew  that  St 
Thomas  did  not  employ  the  test  which  he 
had  himself  proposed  (e.g.  hast  seen,  not  hast 

felt).  The  presence  of  the  Lord  enabled  him 
to  feel  at  once  that  what  he  had  unconsciously 
desired  was  something  more  than  could  be 
assured  to  him  by  mere  sensible  testing.  He 
recognised  the  Lord,  but  that  was  not  all. 
So  far  the  criterion  which  he  imagined  might 
have  brought  conviction.  But  he  knew  also 
that  his  Lord  was  more  than  man.  Having  set 
before  himself  distinctly  the  extent  of  his  hope 
he  was  better  able  than  others  to  perceive  how 
the  revelation  of  the  Lord  went  beyond  it.  In 
his  example  it  is  seen  that  faith  is  not  mea- 
sured by  sight,  while  it  is  the  interpretation  of 
actual  phenomena. 

And  (omit)  Thomas.. .  My  Lord  and  my  God~\ 
The  words  are  beyond  question  addressed  to 
Christ  (saith  unto  him),  and  cannot  but  be 
understood  as  a  confession  of  belief  as  to  His 
Person  (comp.  'Syn.  CEc.'  v.  Can.  iz,  De 
tribus  capitulis')  expressed  in  the  form  of  an 
impassioned  address.  The  discipline  of  self- 
questioning,  followed  by  the  revelation  of  ten- 
der compassion  and  divine  knowledge,  enabled 
St  Thomas  to  rise  to  the  loftiest  view  of 
the  Lord  given  in  the  Gospels.  His  sublime, 
instantaneous  confession,  won  from  doubt, 
closes  historically  the  progress  of  faith  which 
St  John  traces.  At  first  (ch.  i.  i)  the  Evan- 
gelist declared  his  own  faith :  at  the  end  he 
shews  that  this  faith  was  gained  in  the  actual 
intercourse  of  the  disciples  with  Christ.  The 
record  of  this  confession  therefore  forms  the 
appropriate  close  to  his  narrative;  and  the 
words  which  follow  shew  that  the  Lord  ac- 
cepted the  declaration  of  His  Divinity  as  the 
true  expression  of  faith.  He  never  speaks  of 
Himself  directly  as  God  (comp.  v.  18),  but 
the  aim  of  His  revelation  was  to  lead  men  to 
see  God  in  Him. 

29.  Thomas,  because  ...]       Omit  Thomas. 
There  is  a  power  and  clearness  in  the  con- 
fession which  rests  on  thought  and  vision,  but 
the  Lord  shews  a  happier  triumph.     The  first 
clause  of  His  reply  is  half  interrogative,  half 
exclamatory  (comp.  xvi.  31).     Then  follows 
the  great  promise  for  all  ages,  based  on  the 
experience  of  the  first  week  of  the  proclama- 
tion  of  the  good  tidings:    Blessed  are  they 
that  B&W  not  and  yet  believed,  believed  not 
simply  from  the  word  of  others  but   from 
actual  experience,  which  told  them  that  Christ 


was  risen,  because  He  was  indeed  with  them. 
Report,  like  sight,  is  the  occasion,  and  not  the 
final  stay  of  faith.  The  change  of  tense  in  the 
participle  (irtnicrTevKas  ...  i8oi/r«s)  evidently 
marks  the  statement  as  realised  already  in 
the  Christian  society.  There  must  have  been 
many  disciples  who  had  only  heard  of  the 
appearances  on  Easter  Day,  and  of  these 
some  at  least  had  believed.  Their  "happi- 
ness "  (paKaptoi,  comp.  Matt.  v.  3  ff.)  lay  in 
the  fact  that  at  once  they  were  in  sympathy 
with  the  facts  of  the  unseen  order. 

This  last  and  greatest  of  the  Beatitudes  is 
the  peculiar  heritage  of  the  later  Church. 
Comp.  i  Pet.  i.  6  ff. 

The  close  and  purpose  of  the  record  (vv.  30,  31). 

30.  The  particle  of  connexion  in  this  verse 
is  difficult  to  express  (TroXAa  fj.tv  ovv  ...  TO.VTO. 
fie  ...).     The  Evangelist  seems  to  say,  looking 
back  upon  the  representative  events  which  he 
had  related,  crowned  by  the  events  of  the 
Resurrection :    "So  then  (o*v),  as  naturally 
might   be  expected  by  any  reader  who  has 
followed  the   course  of  my   narrative,  many 
other  signs  did  Jesus  ...  but  out  of  the  whole 
sum  these  are  written  ..."    (For  the  construc- 
tion see  Mark  xvi.  19  f.;  Luke  iii.  18  f.;  Acts 
viii.  4  f.,  and  often ;   the  pc v  answers  to  de 
in  v.  31,  and  the  ovv  marks  the  transition.) 
The  "  signs"  referred  to  cannot  be  limited  to 
those  of  the  Risen  Christ,  though  these  illumi- 
nated and    interpreted  the  remainder.     The 
clause  "  in  the  presence  of  His  disciples,"  how- 
ever, belongs  primarily  to  these,  inasmuch  as 
they  were  confined  to  the  experience  of  be- 
lievers.    The  statement  is  of  primary  impor- 
tance in  connexion  with  the  scope  of  the 
Gospel.      It  was  not  St  John's  purpose  to 
write  a  "  Life"  of  the  Lord.     His  work  was 
a  Gospel  and  not  a  biography. 

31.  that  ye    might. ..ye    might   have    life 
through']  that  ye  na&y...j>e  may  have  life  In... 
The  object  of  the  Gospel  is  described  under 
its  two  main  aspects,  intellectual  and  moral. 
It  was  designed  to  produce  a  two-fold  con- 
viction, and  through  this  the  enjoyment  of 
a  life-giving   faith:   these  things  are  written 
in  order  that  readers  may  believe,  that  Jesus 

perfect  man — is  the  Christ,  the  fulfiller  of 

the  hopes  and  promises  of  Israel  (comp.  Matt, 
i.  1 6),  and  also  the  Son  of  God  (comp.  Luke 
iii.  23,  38),  the  fulfiller  of  the  destiny  of 
mankind;   and  then,  in  virtue  of  this  belief, 


298 


ST.  JOHN.    XX. 


held  as  a  present  power,  may  have  life  in  His 
name,  that  is,  in  fellowship  with  Him  as 
revealed  in  the  fulness  of  His  double  nature. 
This  declaration  of  the  purpose  of  the  Gospel 
corresponds  most  closely  with  the  Apostle's 
declaration  of  the  purpose  of  his  Epistle, 
i  John  i.  3,  4.  In  both  cases  a  historic  mes- 
sage is  made  the  spring  of  the  highest  blessing 
of  "  life,"  of  divine  "  fellowship." 
have  life]  Comp.  i  John  v.  13.  The 


general  relation  between  the  Christology  of 
the  Gospel  and  of  the  first  Epistle  of  St  John 
is  of  the  highest  interest  and  significance. 
In  the  Gospel  the  Evangelist  shews  step  by 
step  that  the  historic  Jesus  was  the  Christ, 
the  Son  of  God  (opposed  to  mere  "  flesh  ")  ; 
in  the  Epistle  he  re-affirms  that  the  Christ, 
the  Son  of  God,  was  true  man  (opposed  to 
mere  "  spirit :"  i  John  iv.  a).  The  corres- 
pondences and  differences  are  equally  striking. 


ADDITIONAL   NOTE  on  CHAP.  xx.  21. 


In  this  verse  the  tenses  of  the  verbs  (diri- 
crraXKe  [not  aTre'oretXe]  and  Tre/xTrco)  (I.),  and 
the  difference  of  the  verbs  themselves  (ajro- 
crreXXo) — Tre/iTrw),  require  to  be  noticed  (II.). 

I.  The  mission  of  Christ  is  sometimes  (i) 
contemplated  in  the  one  specific  fact  of  the  In- 
carnation (dn-eWeiXe  tfor.)  ;  sometimes  (2)  it  is 
contemplated  in  its  abiding  issues  (an(a-Ta\Kf, 
perf.~).     A  study  of  the  passages  in  which  the 
two  forms  are  severally  used  will  bring  out 
their  exact  meaning. 

1.  In  the  following    passages  the  aorist 
(an-e'crreiXf)  is  used;  iii.   17,  34,  viii.  42  (in 
combination  with  the  perfect  fXrjXvdd),  x.  36, 
xi.  42,  xvii.  3,  8  (with  (grj\dov),  18  (with  dn-e- 
c-TeiXa  of  the  disciples),  21,  23,  25.     In  these 
passages  there  is  no  variation  of  reading.     In 
the  following  passages  dnVoretXe  is  unques- 
tionably the  true  reading,  though  the  variant 
dTT((TTa\Kf  occurs  in  some  early  authorities : 
v.   38  (with  TnoretWf),  vi.  29   (with  tea  TTI- 
oTfi'jjre),  vi.  37  (with  £a>),  vii.  29  (with  ei/w); 
i  John  iv.  10. 

In  all  these  cases  it  will  be  found  that  the 
exact  force  of  the  teaching  lies  in  the  actual 
fact  of  Christ's  mission. 

2.  The  perfect  (aTreVT-aXccf)  is   far  more 
rare.     It    occurs  without    any  variation    in 
i   John  iv.   14   (with   redta^fda  and  /uaprv- 
poC/nei/).     It  is  also  unquestionably  the  true 
reading  in  v.  36,  xx.  21 ;  i  John  iv.  9,  though 
the  variant  djre'oreiXe  is  found  in  these  pas- 
sages. 

The  use  of  the  perfect  elsewhere  is  suffi- 
ciently frequent  to  shew  that  it  preserves  its 
proper  sense,  and  describes  a  mission  which 
continues  in  its  present  effects.  Comp.  ch. 
v.  33,  Luke  iv.  18;  Acts  vii.  35  (read  drre- 
o-Ta\Kfi>  a-iiv  £eipi')i  lx-  J7>  x-  2O?  xv-  *7»  xvi- 
3652  Cor.  xu.  17  (in  connexion  with  tVXeo- 
vfKTrjcra,  crvvarrfcrrfiXa). 

The  combined  use  of  the  aorist  and  perfect 
in  i  John  iv.  9  if.  is  singularly  instructive. 

II.  The  contrast  between  the  verbs  (aVo- 
ore'XXci),  7rf'/i7r6>)  in  the  two   clauses  is   ob- 
viously significant.     Both  verbs  are  used  of 
the  mission  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  mission  of 
believers,  but  with  distinct  meanings.     The 
former    (aTrooreXXw)   corresponds   with    the 


idea  of  our  own  words  "  despatch  "  and  "  en- 
voy," and  conveys  the  accessory  notions  of  a 
special  commission,  and  so  far  of  a  delegated 
authority  in  the  person  sent.  The  simple  verb 
7r€/i7rw  marks  nothing  more  than  the  imme- 
diate relation  of  the  sender  to  the  sent. 

The  passages  in  which  aTroore'XXco  is  used 
by  St  John  of  the  Mission  of  the  Son  have 
been  already  quoted 

It  is  used  of  the  mission  of  the  disciples : 
iv.  38,  xvii.  18.  Comp.  Matt.  x.  5,  16,  xxi. 
34,  36,  xxiii.  37;  Mark  vi.  7;  Luke  ix.  2, 
xxii.  35. 

The  force  of  the  word  is  illustrated  by  the 
other  passages  in  which  it  is  found:  i.  6, 
19,  24,  iii.  28,  v.  33,  vii.  32,  xi.  3.  These 
passages  help  to  bring  out  the  meaning  of  the 
phrase  in  xviii.  24,  by  which  it  is  implied  that 
the  Lord  was  "  despatched "  to  Caiaphas  as 
already  bearing  His  condemnation,  and  stamped 
with  the  mark  of  Annas. 

The  usage  of  Tre'/wro  in  St  John  as  applied 
to  the  Mission  of  the  Son  is  distinguished 
grammatically  from  that  of  dTrooTfXXw. 
'AirooreXXw  is  always  used  in  finite  tenses, 
and  TT€fj,7ro)  is  always  used  in  the  participial 
form  (e.g.  6  Tre/r^ay  /xe>  o  Trarfjp  6  Tre/ii^ay), 
though  o  airoa-T(i\as  is  found  elsewhere: 
Matt.  x.  40 ;  Mark  ix.  37  ;  Luke  ix.  48,  x.  16. 

H(pira>  is  used  of  disciples  here  and  in  ch. 
xiii.  20.  It  is  also  used  of  the  Spirit,  xiv.  26, 
xvi.  7. 

The  two  words  appear  in  close  connexion, 
i.  19,  22,  24,  iv.  34,  38  (a  contrast  to  this 
passage),  v.  36,  37,  38,  yi.  29,  38,  44,  57>  v»- 
28,  29.  In  chapters  xii. — xvi.  Tiffarm  only  is 
used;  in  ch.  xvii.  only  aTroareXXa),  and  so 
also  in  Ep.  i. 

The  general  result  of  the  examination  of 
these  facts  seems  to  be  that  in  this  charge  the 
Lord  presents  His  own  Mission  as  the  one 
abiding  Mission  of  the  Father ;  this  He  fulfils 
through  His  church.  His  disciples  receive  no 
new  commission,  but  carry  out  His.  Comp. 
Matt,  xxviii.  20 ;  Hebr.  iii.  i.  They  are  not 
(in  this  respect)  His  envoys,  but  in  a  second- 
ary degree  envoys  of  the  Father.  Comp. 
2  Cor.  v.  20 ;  Col.  i.  24.  Their  work  too 
begins  with  the  reception  of  the  new  life  (/  am 
sending,  not  /  will  send-  Compare  I  ascend). 


V.    I,   2. 


ST.  JOHN.   XXI. 


299 


CHAPTER  XXI. 


I  Christ  appearing  again  to  his  disciples  was 
known  of  them  by  the  great  draught  of  fishes. 
12  He  dineth  with  them:  15  earnestly  com- 
mandeth  Peter  to  feed  his  lambs  and  sheep  : 
18  foretelkth  him  of  his  death:  22  rebuk- 
eth  his  curiosity  touching  John.  25  The 
conclusion. 


A  FTER  these  things  Jesus  shewed 
JC\.  himself  again  to  the  disciples  at 
the  sea  of  Tiberias  ;  and  on  this  wise 
shewed  he  himself. 

2  There  were  together  Simon 
Peter,  and  Thomas  called  Didymus, 
and  Nathanael  of  Cana  in  Galilee, 


EPILOGUE,  ch.  xxi. 

This  chapter  is  evidently  an  appendix  to 
the  Gospel,  which  is  completed  by  ch.  xx. 
It  is  impossible  to  suppose  that  it  was  the 
original  design  of  the  Evangelist  to  add  the 
incidents  of  ch.  xxi.  after  ch.  xx.  30  f.,  which 
verses  form  a  solemn  close  to  his  record  of  the 
great  history  of  the  conflict  of  faith  and  unbe- 
lief in  the  life  of  Christ.  And  the  general  scope 
)f  the  contents  of  this  chapter  is  distinct  from 
the  development  of  the  plan  which  is  declared 
to  be  completed  in  ch.  xx.  The  manifestation 
of  the  Lord  which  is  given  in  detail  in  it  is 
not  designed  to  create  faith  in  the  fact  of  His 
Resurrection,  but  to  illustrate  His  action  in 
the  Society;  He  guides  and  supports  and 
assigns  their  parts  to  His  disciples. 

On  the  other  hand  it  is  equally  clear  that  xxi. 
1—23  was  written  by  the  author  of  the  Gospel. 
The  style  and  the  general  character  of  the  lan- 
guage alike  lead  to  this  conclusion;  and  there 
is  no  evidence  to  shew  that  the  Gospel  was 
published  before  the  appendix  was  added  to  it. 

The  occasion  of  the  addition  is  probably  to 
be  found  in  the  circulation  of  the  saying  of 
the  Lord  as  to  St  John  (xxi.  23).  The  clear 
exposition  of  this  saying  carried  with  it  natu- 
rally a  recital  of  the  circumstances  under 
which  it  was  spoken. 

The  contents  of  the  chapter  are  peculiar  to 
St  John. 

The  narrative  falls  into  two  main  divisions : 

I.  The  Lord  and  the  body  of  disciples.  Their 
work :  His  gift  (xxi.  i — 14). 

II.  The  Lord  and  individual  disciples.     His 
determination  of  their  work  (xxi.  15 — 23). 
The  two  last  verses  (24,  25)  contain  an 

identification  of  the  writer  of  the  Gospel,  and 
a  renewed  testimony  (comp.  xx.  30)  to  the 
infinite  multiplicity  of  Christ's  works. 

r.  THE  LORD  AND  THE  BODY  OF  DIS- 
CIPLES (i — 14).  This  section  falls  into  two 
parts: 

i.  The  work  of  the  disciples  first  wrought 
of  their  own  pleasure  (i — 3),  and  then  in 
obedience  to  the  Lord's  directions  (4 — u). 

ii.    The  Lord's  gift  of  sustenance  (12 — 14). 

i.    The  Work  of  the  Disciples  (i — n). 

CHAP.  XXI.  1.  After  these  things'}  Comp. 
v.  i,  vi.  i.  Such  an  indefinite  mark  of  time  is 
not  unsuitable  to  the  character  of  this  nar- 
rative as  an  appendix  to  the  original  plan  of 
the  Gospel. 


shewed  himself]  Rather,  manifested  him- 
self. The  same  word  ($ai/«poa>)  is  used  of 
the  appearances  of  the  Lord  after  the  Resur- 
rection in  the  conclusion  of  St  Mark's  Gospel, 
xvi.  12,  14.  The  active  form,  which  occurs 
in  this  verse  only  (contrast  i).  14),  marks  the 
appearance  as  depending  on  the  Lord's  will. 
He  was  so  pleased  to  reveal  Himself.  Comp. 
ii.  ii,  vii.  4.  This  special  manifestation  of 
the  Risen  Christ  is  part  of  the  whole  "mani- 
festation" through  the  Incarnation  (ch.  i.  31 ; 
i  John  i.  2,  in.  5,  8;  comp.  i  Tim.  iii.  16; 
i  Pet.  i.  20)  which  is  consummated  at  the 
Return  (i  John  ii.  28,  iii.  2 ;  comp.  Col.  iii. 
4;  i  Pet.  v.  4). 

again]  The  word  does  not  exclude  the 
idea  of  other  intervening  manifestations,  but 
places  the  narrative  which  follows  as  parallel 
with  the  former  narratives  in  being  a  mani- 
festation to  "the  disciples"  (xx.  19,  24  f.), 
that  is,  in  all  probability,  the  apostles,  the 
disciples  in  the  narrower  sense,  though  "the 
twelve  "  were  not  all  assembled  on  this  occa- 
sion, but  at  most  "seven"  only.  See  note 

On  13.  2. 

at  the  sea  of  Tiberias]  Comp.  vi.  i.  This 
name  does  not  occur  elsewhere  in  the  Gospels. 
The  return  of  the  disciples  to  Galilee  is  in- 
dicated in  Matt,  xxviii.  7  ;  Mark  xvi.  7.  Be- 
fore the  Ascension  they  came  again  to  Jeru- 
salem and  continued  there  till  after  Pentecost 
(Acts  i.  4).  The  words  in  Luke  xxiv.  44  ff. 
appear  to  be  a  summary  of  teaching  at  differ- 
ent times  during  the  forty  days.  It  is  im- 
portant to  observe  that  St  John  takes  account 
of  both  groups  of  appearances  of  the  Risen 
Lord.  St  Matthew  only  notices  the  appear- 
ance to  "  the  eleven  "  in  Galilee,  and  St  Luke 
only  appearances  at  Jerusalem. 

and  on  this  wise  shewed  he  himself]  More 
exactly,  andln.6  manifested  himself  on  this 
wise.  The  repetition  of  a  prominent  word 
is  characteristic  of  St  John's  style.  The 
Evangelist  states  the  fact  first,  and  then,  as  it 
were  after  a  pause,  goes  back  to  recall  the 
details  of  it.  Comp.  xiii.  i  ff. 

2.  There  were  together]  The  enumeration 
which  follows  seems  to  shew  that  all  present 
belonged  to  the  same  neighbourhood. 

Thomas]  In  Acts  i.  13,  Thomas  is  joined 
with  Philip,  so  that  he  may  have  been  of 
Bethsaida  (i.  44). 

Nathanael]  See  i.  45.  The  addition  "  of 
Cana"  throws  light  upon  the  connexion  of 


ST.  JOHN.    XXI. 


!>•  3—7- 


and  the   sons  of  Zebedee,   and  two 
other  of  his  disciples. 

3  Simon  Peter  saith  unto  them,  I 
go  a  fishing.     They  say  unto   him, 
We  also  go  with  thee.     They  went 
forth,  and  entered  into  a  ship  imme- 
diately ;  and  that  night  they  caught 
nothing. 

4  But  when  the  morning  was  now 
come,  Jesus  stood  on  the  shore  :  but 
the  disciples  knew  not  that  it  was  Jesus. 


5  Then  Jesus   saith    unto   them, 

'  Children,  have  ye  any  meat  ?    They  "9r' 

J    L-  XT  Slrs- 

answered  him,  JNo. 

6  And  he  said   unto  them,   Cast 
the  net  on  the  right  side  of  the  ship, 
and  ye  shall  find.     They  cast  there- 
fore, and  now  they  were  not  able  to 
draw  it  for  the  multitude  of  fishes. 

7  Therefore   that  disciple  whom 
Jesus  loved  saith   unto   Peter,   It  is 
the  Lord.     Now  when  Simon  Peter 


i.  45  ff.  and  ii.  i  ff.,  where  the  detail  is  not 
given. 

the  sons  of  Zebedee]  Matt.  xx.  20,  xxvi. 
37,  xxvii.  56. 

two  other]  The  record  of  the  first  chapter 
suggests  that  these  two  may  have  been  An- 
drew (i.  41)  and  Philip  (i.  43  ff.).  Yet  it  is 
more  probable  that  these  two  were  "disciples  " 
in  the  wider  sense,  and  that  St  John  places 
himself  and  his  brother  last  among  the  apostles. 
Under  any  circumstances  the  position  of  "the 
sons  of  Zebedee"  in  the  enumeration  is  not 
that  which  any  other  writer  than  St  John 
would  have  given  to  them. 

3.  Simon  Peter]    Even  here  St  Peter  takes 
the  lead  in  action.    The  disciples  seem  to  have 
continued  their  ordinary  work,  waiting  calmly 
for  the   sign   which   should   determine   their 
future.    Comp.  Luke  xxii.  36;  a  Thess.  iii.  8; 
Acts  xviii.  3. 

We  also  go~]    Literally,  come. 

They  went  forttS]  from  the  house,  probably 
at  Capernaum  or  Bethsaida,  in  which  they 
were  now  staying. 

a  ship  (the  shipy]  Omit  immediately. 
Comp.  vi.  17  ff.  In  the  first  place  where 
the  word  occurs  (vi.  17)  there  is  no  article 
according  to  the  true  reading.  Here  "the 
ship "  is  mentioned  as  part  of  the  ordinary 
equipment  for  the  fisher's  work.  It  may  be 
naturally  supposed  that  when  St  Peter  "  left 
all"  (Luke  v.  n)  those  who  retained  posses- 
sion of  his  property  respected  his  right  when 
he  reclaimed  it.  The  word  "immediately" 
must  be  omitted. 

In  that  night]  The  emphatic  pronoun 
(eV  fKfivrj  rff  v.)  perhaps  implies  that  the  want 
of  success  was  unusual  with  them.  The 
night  was  the  most  favourable  time  for  fishing. 
Comp.  Luke  v.  5. 

4.  when  the  morning  was  now  come]    The 
true  reading  (yivop.fvrjs  for  yevonevns)  gives 
the  more  vivid  picture:  when  the  day  was 
now  breaking.     The  exact  time  is  signifi- 
cant for  the  interpretation  of  the  incident. 

stood... on... ,]  Came,  as  the  phrase  implies 
(eorr;  etv),  from  some  unknown  quarter,  and 
stood  on  the  beach  (otytaAo's).  See  Acts 


xxvii.  39  f.,  xxi.  5 ;  Matt.  xiii.  2,  48.  Comp.  xx. 
19,  26.  Interpreters  at  all  times  have  pointed 
to  the  significant  contrast  in  the  positions  of 
the  Lord  and  the  disciples,  He  on  the  firm 
ground,  they  on  the  restless  waters. 

but  (rather  howbeit)...£«ray  not..."]  The 
clause  is  added  as  something  strange  (jifvrM, 
iv.  27,  xii.  42).  It  is  vain  to  give  any  simply 
natural  explanation  of  the  failure  of  the  dis- 
ciples to  recognise  Christ.  After  the  Resur- 
rection He  was  known  as  He  pleased,  and  not 
necessarily  at  once  (ch.  xx.  14  ff. ;  Luke  xxiv. 
31).  Yet  it  is  easy  to  understand  that  the 
disciples  were  preoccupied  with  their  work, 
as  Mary  Magdalene  with  her  sorrow  (xx.  14, 
an  exact  parallel),  so  that  the  vision  of  the 
divine  was  obscured. 

5.  Then  Jesus    (Jesus  therefore)...]   as 
desiring   to   bring  them  to  a  knowledge  of 
Himself.     The  words  might  be  taken  as  the 
question  of  one  who  wished  to  buy  what  they 
had. 

Children]  The  original  word  (7701810)  marks 
the  difference  of  age  or  position,  and  not  the 
tie  of  relationship  (rtnvia,  ch.  xiii.  33).  Comp. 
i  John  ii.  13,  18  (7704810)  with  i  John  ii.  r, 
12  (true  reading  rtKi/t'o),  28,  iii.  7,  18,  iv. 
4,  v.  21).  Here  it  is  probably  no  more  than 
a  familiar  address.  The  form  of  the  question 
in  the  original  (ju»frt)  suggests  a  negative 
answer.  See  iv.  29. 

meat]  Probably  something  to  eat  with 
bread  (7rpo<r0ayioi>,  which  answers  to  the 
Attic  o\|/w).  This  was  commonly  fish,  so 
that  the  synonymous  word  (o^rapiov)  came  to 
be  used  for  fish  (ch.  vi.  9  f.). 

6.  on  the  right  side]     The  definiteness  of 
the  command  (contrast  Luke  v.  4)  explains 
the  readiness  with  which  it  was  obeyed. 

to  draw  it]  up  into  the  boat  (f\Kvcrai),  as 
contrasted  with  the  "dragging"  (o-vptiv)  it 
after  the  boat.  In  the  end  it  was  "drawn" 
up  to  the  land  (v.  n).  Wilson  speaks  of  the 
fish  in  the  lake  as  being  seen  "in  dense  masses" 
('  Recovery  of  Jerusalem,'  p.  341). 

7.  Therefore  that  disciple...']     He  was  able 
to  read  in  a  moment  by  a  certain  sympathy 
with  Christ  the  meaning  of  the  sign.     In  this 


v.  8— IT.] 


ST.  JOHN.    XXI. 


301 


heard  that  it  was  the  Lord,  he  girt 
his  fisher's  coat  unto  him,  (for  he 
was  naked,)  and  did  cast  himself  into 
the  sea. 

8  And   the   other  disciples  came 
in  a  little  ship ;  (for  they  were  not 
far   from  land,   but  as   it  were  two 
hundred    cubits,)    dragging    the   net 
with   fishes. 

9  As  soon  then  as  they  were  come 


to  land,  they  saw  a  fire  of  coals  there, 
and  fish  laid  thereon,  and  bread. 

10  Jesus  saith  unto  them,   Bring 
of   the    fish    which    ye    have    now 
caught. 

11  Simon    Peter   went    up,    and 
drew  the  net  to  land  full  of  great 
fishes,  an  hundred  and  fifty  and  three  : 
and  for  all  there  were  so  many,  yet 
was  not  the  net  broken. 


power  of  insight  Christ's  love  to  him  was  illus- 
trated, so  that  the  title  becomes,  as  it  were, 
a  thanksgiving.  See  ch.  xiii.  23. 

Now  when  Simon  Peter  heard..."]  Simon 
Peter  therefore  having  heard...  The  reve- 
lation came  to  him  from  without,  and  no 
longer  from  within  (Matt.  xvi.  17),  but  he  at 
once  acted  upon  it.  He  could  not  wait  for 
the  slow  progress  of  the  boat,  but  with  swift 
resolve  "cast  himself  into  the  sea"  (contrast 
.Matt.  xiv.  28  ff.),  having  first  "girt  his  coat 
((irtvdvrns,  an  upper  garment.  See  LXX. 
i  S.  xviii.  4,  "robe;"  2  S.  xiii.  18;  the 
word  was  adopted  in  later  Hebrew  for  the 
"  frock"  of  labourers)  about  him,"  with  in- 
stinctive reverence  for  the  presence  of  his 
Master.  While  engaged  in  his  work  he  was 
"  naked,"  that  is,  probably,  stripped  of  all  but 
his  light  under-garment  (comp.  i  S.  xix.  24  ; 
Isai.  xx.  2 ;  Amos  ii.  16),  though  at  present  the 
word  applies  literally  to  Galilaean  fishermen ; 
but  these  poor  men,  who  have  no  boats, 
occupy  a  different  position  from  the  apostles 
(Tristram,  '  Land  of  Israel,'  pp.  425  ff.  ed.  3). 

8.  in  a  little  ship]  in  the  boat  (TO  77X01- 
aptoi/).    The  change  of  word  may  point  to  the 
use  of  some  smaller  vessel  which  was  attached 
to  the  "  ship,"  as  the  words  are  distinguished 
in  vi.  22 ;  or  it  may  be  a  more  exact  description 
of  the  vessel. 

for  they...']  The  clause  explains  how  they 
could  easily  do  what  is  described,  and  soon 
gain  the  shore.  The  distance  was  about  a 
hundred  yards. 

9.  As   soon   then   as  ...they   saw...']     So 
•when. ../Ay  see...     They  hasten  to  meet 
the  Lord  before  they  have  secured  their  prize 
(v.  10).     The  fire  of  coals,  i.e.  of  charcoal 
(dvdpaKia,  xviii.  18),  the/jA  (tyrfptpv),  and 
the  bread  (loaf,  apros),  are  spoken  of  in  such 
a  way  as  to  suggest  the  thought  that  they 
were    provided    supernaturally.      The  Lord 
provides  as  He  will,  through  human  labour 
naturally,  or  otherwise. 

fish. ..bread...-]     Rather,  a  fish.. .a  loaf 
Compare  v.   13,   the  fob. ..the    loaf...    The 
thought  of  unity  seems  to  be  distinctly  pre- 
sented (i  Cor.  x.  17). 

10.  The  command  was  probably  given  in 


order  to  mark  the  gifts  of  the  Lord  as  gifts  to 
be  used.  Perhaps  the  use  of  tydpiov  (fish  as 
food)  here  as  contrasted  with  l^Bvs  (fish 
generally)  in  the  next  verse  emphasizes  the  idea. 

11.  Simon  Peter  therefore  went  up] 
Peter  at  once — again  first  in  action — enters 
the  vessel  to  which  the  net  was  fastened,  and 
then  draws  it  up  after  him  on  to  the  land. 

an  hundred  and  ffty   and   three]     Jerome 
quotes  an  opinion  that  there  were  so  many 
kinds  of  fish,  and  adds  that  one  of  each  kind 
was  taken  to  shew  the  universality  of  the  work 
of  the  apostles  ('In  Ezech.'  xlvii.  9).      For 
other  interpretations  see  Additional  Note.  The 
record  of  the  exact  number  probably  marks 
nothing  more  than  the  care  with  which  the 
disciples  reckoned  their  wonderful  draught. 
The  significant  differences  between  the  cir- 
cumstances   of   the  miraculous   draught   of 
fishes  at  the  beginning  of  the  Lord's  ministry 
(Luke    v.    i    ff.),    and    of  this    after    the 
Resurrection,    have    frequently    been    noted. 
Augustine  draws  them  out  very  well.     The 
one  miracle,  he  says,  was  the  symbol  of  the 
Church  at  present,  the  other  of  the  Church 
perfected ;  in  the  one  we  have  good  and  bad, 
in  the  other  good  only ;  there  Christ  also  is 
on  the  water,  here  He  is  on  the  land ;  there 
the  draught    is  left  in  the  boats,  here  it  is 
landed  on  the  beach ;   there  the  nets  are  let 
down  as  it  might  be,  here  in  a  special  part ; 
there  the  nets  are  rending,  here  they  are  not 
broken ;   there  the  boats  are  on  the  point  of 
sinking  with    their  load,  here  they  are  not 
laden ;  there  the  fish  are  not  numbered,  here 
the  number  is  exactly  given  ('In  Joh.'  cxxn. 
7).     It  seems  impossible  not  to  acknowledge 
that  there  is  a  spiritual  meaning  in  these  varia- 
tions of  the  two  narratives  which  consistently 
converge  to  distinct  ends. 

ii.  The  Lord's  Gift  (12—14)- 
The  completion  of  the  apostles1  work,  hal- 
lowed now  by  the  offering  of  first-fruits,  is 
followed  by  the  bestowal  of  the  Lord's  bless- 
ing. As  He  had  made  their  labour  fruitful, 
so  now  He  gives  them  of  His  Own.  The 
absence  of  connecting  particles  in  the  true 
text  of  vv.  12  f.  gives  a  peculiar  solemnity  to 
the  description. 


\O2 


ST.  JOHN.    XXI. 


[v.  12—15. 


12  Jesus  saith  unto  them,  Come 
and  dine.     And  none  of  the  disciples 
durst  ask  him,  Who  art  thou  ?  know- 
ing that  it  was  the  Lord. 

13  Jesus  then  cometh,  and  taketh 
bread,  and  giveth  them,  and  fish  like- 


wise. 


14  This   is  now  the  third    time 
that  Jesus  shewed  himself  to  his  dis- 
ciples, after  that  he  was  risen  from 
the  dead. 

15  11   So  when   they  had    dined, 
Jesus  saith  to  Simon  Peter,  Simon, 
son  of  Jonas,  lovest  thou  me  more 


12.  dine]     Rather,    breakfast    (apiarr^- 
<rarf).  The  &PUTTOV  was  the  morning  meal,  as 
contrasted  with  the  afternoon  meal  (dfinvofV 
Comp.  Luke  xiv.   12.     In  St  Matthew  xxii. 
4  ff.,  the  guests  invited  to  "  the  breakfast " 
refuse  the  invitation  and  go  away  to  their 
day's  work. 

The  Lord  seems  to  have  been  still  standing 
at  some  little  distance  when  He  gave  the  invi- 
tation. The  disciples  held  back  in  awe.  They 
"  knew  that  it  was  the  Lord;"  and  still  it  is 
evident  that  He  was  in  some  way  changed. 

And  none  ...  ask~\  Omit  And.  The  original 
word  for  ask  (t^crdaai)  describes  precise  and 
careful  inquiry  and  examination,  Matt.  ii.  8, 
x.  ii.  There  is  a  conviction  of  reality  which 
(in  a  sense)  precludes  certain  forms  of  inves- 
tigation as  unfitting. 

13.  Jesus  then...']     Omit  then.      As  the 
disciples  hang  back  "Jesus  cometh,"  and  gives 
to  them  of  "the  bread"  and  "the  fish"  which 
He  had  Himself  provided.    The  articles  in  the 
original  (rov  aprov,  TO  fyapiov)  point  back  to 
•v.  9.     Nothing  is  said  either  as  to  the  use  of 
the  fish  caught  (i>.  10)  or  of  the  Lord  Himself 
sharing  the  meal.    He  appears  only  as  the  Giver 
of  the  food  which  He  brings,  and  this  fact 
probably  explains  the  absence  of  the  custom- 
ary " blessings"  or  "thanksgiving"  (vi.  ii; 
Luke  xxiv.  30). 

14.  This  is  now  ...]    2  Pet.  iii.  i.    Comp. 
•v.  i.    The  "third"  time  most  probably  refers 
to  manifestations    to   "  the  disciples "    in  a 
body.     St  John  himself  relates  three  appear- 
ances before  this,   the  first  being  to   Mary 
Magdalene,  xx.  1 1  fF.   Perhaps  the  form  of  ex- 
pression (this  is  no--w  [rj8n]  ...)  may  be  chosen 
with  a  view  to  distinguish  this  appearance, 
which  was  not  preserved  in  the  popular  tradi- 
tion, from  the  later  appearances  which  were 
preserved  in  it.     It  is  possible  also  that  "the 
third    time"     may    describe    "groups"   or 
"  days  "  of  appearances ;  the  appearances  on 
the  first  day  being  reckoned  as  one  appear- 
ance ;   but    the    exact   interpretation  of  the 
words  seems  to  be  more  natural. 

ii.  THE  LORD  AND  INDIVIDUAL  DISCIPLES 
(15—23). 

This  section  also  falls  into  two  parts: 

i.      The  work  of  St  Peter:  to  act  (15 — 19). 

ii.     The  work  of  St  John:  to  wait  (20 — 23). 

shewed  himself]  was  manifested.  See 
v.  i  n. 


The  contents  are  peculiar  to  St  John, 
i.     The  work  of  St   Peter.     The  apostolic 

charge  (15 — 17);   the  personal  issue  (18, 

19). 

15.  So  <when  they  had  dined  (break- 
fasted)...] After  the  common  meal  the 
personal  charge  followed  naturally. 

saith  to  Simon  Peter,  Simon,  son  of  Jonas 
(John,  and  so  *vv.  16,  17;  see  i.  42,  note)] 
The  contrast  of  the  names  is  significant.  The 
address  of  the  Lord,  thrice  repeated,  recalls 
the  first  words  addressed  to  St  Peter  (i.  42), 
when  he  received  the  surname  Cephas  (Peter). 
At  the  same  time  it  must  be  observed  that  the 
Lord  never  addresses  St  Peter  by  his  new 
surname ;  nor  does  St  Paul  speak  of  him  by 
the  Greek  form  of  it  (Peter)  according  to  the 
true  text,  but  only  as  Cephas.  On  the  other 
hand,  the  surname  is  commonly  used  either 
alone  or  with  Simon  in  the  narrative  of  the 
Gospels,  and  always  in  the  Greek  form.  This 
varying  usage,  which  exactly  corresponds  with 
the  circumstances  under  which  the  title  was 
substituted  for  the  original  name,  is  a  striking 
indication  of  the  exactness  of  the  records,  and 
specially  of  the  exactness  of  the  record  of  the 
Lord's  words  (Matt.  xvi.  17,  xvii.  25  ;  Mark 
xiv.  37 ;  Luke  xxii.  31 ;  comp.  Acts  x.  5  fF.). 

son  of  Jonas  (John)]  The  mention  of  St 
Peter's  natural  descent  here  (comp.  i.  42  ;  Matt, 
xvi.  17)  appears  to  direct  attention  in  the  first 
place  to  the  man  in  the  fulness  of  his  natural 
character,  as  distinguished  from  the  apostle. 

lovest  thou  me  more  than  these  f]  i.e.  more 
than  these,  thy  fellow-disciples,  love  me.  The 
reference  is  probably  to  St  Peter's  words  (ch. 
xiii.  37  ;  Matt.  xxvi.  33),  in  which  he  had 
claimed  for  himself  the  possession  of  supreme 
devotion  (comp.  xv.  12  fF.).  In  the  record  of 
St  Matthew  (I.e.)  this  profession  is  placed  in 
immediate  connexion  with  the  Lord's  promise 
of  an  appearance  in  Galilee  after  His  Resur- 
rection, which  gives  peculiar  force  to  the 
question.  It  is  unnatural  to  suppose  that 
"  these  "  is  neuter,  and  that  the  Lord  refers  to 
the  instruments  or  fruits  of  the  fisher's  craft. 

lovest  (aycm-a?,  Vulg.  diligis)~]  It  will  be 
noticed  that  the  foundation  of  the  apostolic 
office  is  laid  in  love  and  not  in  belief.  Love 
(ayan-j;)  in  its  true  form  includes  Faith  (comp. 
i  Cor.  xiii.  13). 

Tea,  Lord...']  St  Peter  in  his  answer  affirms 
his  personal  attachment  to  the  Lord,  appeal- 
ing to  the  Lord's  own  knowledge;  but  his 


v.  1 6— 1 8.] 


ST.  JOHN.    XXI. 


than  these  ?  He  saith  unto  him,  Yea, 
Lord ;  thou  knowest  that  I  love  thee. 
He  saith  unto  him,  Feed  my  lambs. 

1 6  He  saith  to  him  again  the 
second  time,  Simon,  son  of  Jonas, 
lovest  thou  me  ?  He  saith  unto  him, 
Yea,  Lord ;  thou  knowest  that  I 
love  thee.  He  saith  unto  him,  Feed 
my  sheep. 


303 


17  He  saith  unto  him  the  third 
time,  Simon,  son  of  Jonas,  lovest  thou 
me  ?    Peter  was  grieved  because   he 
said  unto  him  the  third  time,  Lovest 
thou  me?     And   he  said  unto  him, 
Lord,  thou  knowest  all  things ;  thou 
knowest  that  I  love  thee.    Jesus  saith 
unto  him,  Feed  my  sheep. 

1 8  Verily,  verily,  I  say  unto  thee, 


profession  differs  in  two  important  points 
from  the  question  proposed.  He  does  not 
assume  any  superiority  over  others  (more  than 
these) :  and  he  lays  claim  only  to  the  feeling 
of  natural  love  (0iXo5  o-f,  Vulg.  amo  te),  of 
which  he  could  be  sure.  He  does  not  venture 
to  say  that  he  has  attained  to  that  higher  love 
(ayanav)  which  was  to  be  the  spring  of  the 
Christian  life  (ch.  xiii.  34,  xiv.  15,  21,  28, 
&c.).  Moreover  now  he  says  nothing  of  the 
future,  nothing  of  the  manifestation  of  his  love 
(xiii.  37).  Comp.  Bernard,  'Serm.  de  div.' 
xxix.  fin. 

thou  (emphatic)  knowest]  Experience  had 
taught  St  Peter  to  distrust  his  own  judgment 
of  himself.  Even  when  the  fact  is  one  of 
immediate  consciousness  he  rests  his  assertion 
on  the  Lord's  direct  insight. 

Feed  my  lambs~\  In  response  to  the  sincere 
confession  the  Lord  imposes  a  charge  which 
shews  that  He  accepts  the  apostle's  answer. 
The  privilege  and  the  work  of  love  are  identical. 
The  image  is  now  changed.  The  fisher's  work 
is  followed  by  the  shepherd's  work.  Those 
who  are  brought  together  and  taken  out  of 
u  the  many  waters  "  need  to  be  fed  and  tended. 
This  office  of  the  shepherd  with  which  St 
Peter  is  entrusted  is  regarded  under  three 
different  aspects.  The  first  portrayed  here  is 
the  simplest  and  humblest.  The  little  ones  in 
Christ's  flock  need  support,  which  they  cannot 
obtain  of  themselves ;  this  the  apostle  is  charged 
to  give»thein. 

Feed]  The  original  word  (/Soovcfii/),  which 
occurs  again  in  v.  17,  is  found  elsewhere  in 
the  New  Testament  only  of  swine  (Matt.  viii. 
30,  33;  Mark  v.  n,  14;  Luke  viii.  32,  34, 
xv.  15).  As  distinguished  from  the  word 
which  follows  (v.  16,  7rot;«ii'w»>)  it  expresses 
the  providing  with  food. 

16.  A  short  pause,  as  we  must  suppose, 
followed ;  and  then  the  question  was  repeated 
a  second  time,  but  so  that  the  thought  of 
comparison  is  omitted:  Simon,  son  of  John, 
lovest  (ayrntqs)  thou  me?  St  Peter's  answer 
is  identically  the  same  as  before.  He  still 
shrinks  from  taking  to  himself  the  loftier  word. 
In  reply  the  Lord  lays  upon  him  a  new  part 
of  the  shepherd's  duty:  Tend— be  shepherd 
of— wy  sheep.  The  lambs  require  to  be  fed  ; 
the  sheep  require  to  be  guided.  The  watchful 


care^and  rule  to  be  exercised  over  the  matiirer 
Christians  calls  for  greater  skill  and  tenderness 
than  the  feeding  of  the  young  and  simple. 

Feed]  Tend'  (noipaive),  Acts  xx.  28; 
I  Pet.  v.  2 ;  Matt.  ii.  6.  Comp.  Rev.  ii.  27, 
&c. ;  Jude  12.  The  Vulgate  does  not  distin- 
guish feed  and  tend  (pasce,  pasce). 

17.  lovest  thou  ($tAfts,  Vulg.  amas)  me~\ 
When  the  Lord  puts  the  question  "the  third 
time,"  He  adopts  the  word  which  St  Peter 
had  used.  Just  as  the  idea  of  comparison 
was  given  up  before,  so  now  the  idea  of  the 
loftiest  love  is  given  up.  It  is  as  if  the  Lord 
would  test  the  truth  of  the  feeling  which  St 
Peter  claimed. 

The  three  questions  could  not  but  recall  the 
three  denials ;  and  the  form  of  this  last  ques- 
tion could  not  but  vividly  bring  back  the 
thought  of  the  failure  of  personal  devotion  at 
the  moment  of  trial.  So  Peter  was  grieved 
not  only  that  the  question  was  put  again,  but 
that  this  third  time  the  phrase  was  changed ; 
that  the  question  was  not  only  put  once  again, 
but  at  the  same  time  put  so  as  to  raise  a  doubt 
whether  he  could  indeed  rightly  claim  that 
modified  love  which  he  had  professed.  His 
"grief"  lay  in  the  deep  sense  that  such  a 
doubt  might  well  be  suggested  by  the  past, 
even  if  it  were  at  the  time  ungrounded.  Men 
might  reasonably  distrust  his  profession  of 
sincerity  after  his  fall,  but  he  appealed  to  the 
Lord  (Thou  (o~v)  knowest..?). 

The  answer  of  St  Peter  meets  the  points 
in  the  changed  question.  He  leaves  out  the 
affirmation  (Tea,  Lord)  of  his  former  reply 
and  throws  himself  wholly  on  the  Lord, 
upon  His  absolute  knowledge,  and  upon  His 
special  knowledge.  Lord,  Thou  knowest  (oiSar) 
all  things,  and  at  this  moment  Thou  seest 
(yttxaa-Kf «)  that  I  love  Thee.  The  knowledge 
to  which  he  appeals  is  not  only  that  of  di- 
vine intuition,  but  of  immediate  observation. 
Comp.  ii.  25,  note.  The  Vulgate  again  fails 
to  distinguish  the  two  words. 

In  reply  the  Lord  completed  His  commis- 
sion, Feed  (fioornf)  my  sheep.  The  mature  no 
less  than  the  young  Christians  require  their 
appropriate  sustenance.  Provision  must  be 
made  for  their  support  as  well  as  for  their 
guidance.  And  this  is  the  last  and  most 
difficult  part  of  the  pastor's  office. 


304 


ST.  JOHN.   XXI. 


[v.  19. 


When  thou  wast  young,  thou  girdedst 
thyself,  and  walkedst  whither  thou 
wouldest :  but  when  thou  shalt  be 
old,  thou  shalt  stretch  forth  thy  hands, 


and  another  shall  gird  thee,  and  carry 
thee  whither  thou  wouldest  not. 

19    This    spake  he,    signifying  by 
what  death   he  should   glorify   God. 


my  lambs. ..my  sheep. ..my  sheep. ..]  It  will 
be  noticed  that  the  Lord  retains  His  own 
right  to  those  who  are  committed  to  the 
apostle's  care.  Comp.  i  Pet.  v.  2  f.  Augustine 
paraphrases  admirably :  "  Si  me  diligis,  non 
te  pascere  cogita,  sed  oves  meas  sicut  meas 
pasce,  non  sicut  tuas;  gloriam  meam  in  eis 
quaere,  non  tuam,  dominium  meum  non 
tuum..."  ('In  Joh.'  cxxni.  5). 

18.  The  threefold  apostolic  charge  resting 
on  the  assurance  of  personal  love  was  given. 
The  revelation  of  the  personal  issues  of  that 
love  followed.     There  was  a  most  true  sense 
in  which  the  bold  declaration  of  the  apostle 
(xiii.  37)  was  destined  to  find  a  literal  fulfil- 
ment: Verify,  -verify,  I  say  to  thee 

Verily,  •verily'}  The  Risen  Christ  uses  once 
more  His  familiar  formula. 

When  thou  wast  young  (t/ewTtpoy,  Vulg. 
junior,  lit.  younger)']  The  earlier  outward 
freedom  of  St  Peter  in  his  youth  is  con- 
trasted with  his  final  complete  outward  bon- 
dage. At  the  moment  he  stood  between  the 
two  states.  Perhaps  the  thought  of  a  con- 
verse growth  of  spiritual  freedom  underlies 
the  image. 

when  thou  shalt  be  old}  The  martyrdom 
of  St  Peter  is  placed  in  the  year  A.D.  64,  and 
he  seems  to  have  been  already  of  middle  age 
(Matt.  viii.  14). 

stretch  forth  thy  hands']  as  helpless  and  seek- 
ing help. 

gird  thee}  bind  thee  as  a  condemned 
criminal. 

whither  thou  wouldest  not}  The  way  to  a 
violent  death  must  always  be  terrible,  because 
unnatural ;  and  that  exactly  in  proportion  as 
the  violation  of  nature  by  such  an  end  is 
realised.  Comp.  xii.  27. 

19.  This  spake  he  (Now  this  he  spake) 
signifying  (comp.  xii.  33,   xviii.  32)  by  what 
(what  ^manner   of)  death...']     The  cruci- 
fixion  of  St   Peter  at  Rome  is  attested  by 
Tertullian    ('Scorp.'    15)   and  later  writers. 
Origen  further  stated  that  he  was  crucified 
with  his  head  downwards  at  his  own  request 
(Euseb.  'H.  E.'  in.    i).     Though  the  lan- 
guage of  the  Lord  has  very  commonly  been 
adapted  to  the  details  of  crucifixion,  it  does 
not  appear  that  it  points  directly  to  anything 
more  than  martyrdom,  when  "  another  girded 
him,"  and  he  was  taken  "  whither  he  would 
not."     The  "stretching  forth  the  hands"  can 
hardly  be  referred  primarily  to  the  position  on 
the  cross,  since  this  detail  is  placed  first. 

he  should  glorify  God'}  Literally,  he  shall 
glorify.  The  construction  in  xviii.  32  is 


different.  The  Evangelist  throws  himself  back 
to  the  time  when  the  death  of  St  Peter  was 
as  yet  future.  As  martyrdom  was  a  "  glorify- 
ing God,"  so  conversely  the  martyr  himself 
was  said  to  be  "glorified"  by  his  death. 
Comp.  vii.  39,  xii.  43,  and  Suicer  s.  v.  g0- 

£a£fiv. 

Follow  me}  The  end  of  martyrdom  having 
now  been  shewn,  the  Lord  repeated  the  com- 
mand given  before  under  different  circum- 
stances to  others  (i.  43 ;  Matt.  viii.  22,  ix.  9, 
xix.  21),  "  Follow  me."  What  had  been 
impossible  before  the  apostle's  fall  became 
possible  for  him  now  (xiii.  36  ff.). 

The  command  itself,  as  given  before  and 
after  the  Resurrection,  has  necessarily  differ- 
ent though  analogous  meanings.  During  the 
Lord's  earthly  life  following  Him  implied  the 
abandonment  of  previous  occupations  (Matt, 
ix.  9)  and  duties  (Matt.  viii.  22);  attendance 
upon  Him  even  when  He  entered  on  strange 
and  mysterious  paths  ;  participation  in  disgrace 
and  danger  (Matt.  x.  38).  Now  to  "follow 
Christ "  required  further  the  perception  of 
His  course ;  the  spiritual  discernment  by 
which  His  movements  can  still  be  discovered  ; 
and  yet  further  the  readiness  to  accept  martyr- 
dom as  the  end. 

These  different  thoughts  appear  to  have  a 
place  in  the  words  follow  me,  but  the  com- 
mand had  also,  as  appears  from  the  next  verse 
(following),  a  literal  meaning  also,  though  it  is 
impossible  to  decide  for  what  purpose  the 
Lord  called  St  Peter  away  from  the  other 
disciples. 

Augustine's  comment  on  the,  promise  of 
the  glory  of  future  martyrdom  to  the  penitent 
and  restored  apostle  is  pregnant  with  thought : 
"  Hunc  invenit  exitum  ille  negator  et  amator ; 
prsesumendo  elatus,  negando  prostratus,  flendo 
purgatus,  confitendo  probatus,  patiendo  co- 
ronatus;  hunc  invenit  exitum  ut  pro  ejus 
nomine  perfecta  dilectione  moreretur,  cum 
quo  se  moriturum  perversa  festinatione  pro- 
miserat.  Faciat  ejus  resurrectione  firmatus, 
quod  immature  pollicebatur  infirmus.  Hoc 
enim  oportebat  ut  prius  Christus  pro  Petri 
salute,  deinde  Petrus  pro  Christi  praedicatione 
moreretur.  Prasposterum  fuit  quod  audere 
cceperat  humana  temeritas,  cum  istum  dis- 
posuisset  ordinem  veritas.  Animam  suam  se 
positurum  pro  Christo  Petrus  putabat,  pro 
liberatore  liberandus;  cum  Christus  venisset 
animam  suam  positurus  pro  suis  ovibus  in 
quibus  erat  et  Petrus ;  quod  ecce  jam  factum 
est...Jam  pretio  pro  te  fuso,  nunc  est  [Petre] 
ut  sequaris  emptorem,  et  sequaris  omnino 
usque  ad  mortem  crucis"  ('In  Joh.'  cxxni. 


v.  20- 


"3.J 


ST.  JOHN.    XXI. 


"  cbap.  13. 
23.  <i  20.  2. 


And  when   he   had   spoken   this,  he 
saith  unto  him,  Follow  me. 

20  Then    Peter,    turning    about, 
seeth  the  disciple  "whom  Jesus  loved 
following;  which  also  leaned  on  his 
breast    at    supper,    and    said,    Lord, 
which  is  he  that  betrayeth  thee  ? 

21  Peter  seeing  him  saith  to  Jesus, 
Lord,  and  what  shall  this  man  do? 


305 


22  Jesus  saith  unto  him,  If  I  will 
that  he  tarry  till  I  come,  what  is  that 
to  thee  ?  follow  thou  me. 

23  Then  went  this  saying  abroad 
among  the  brethren,   that   that  dis- 
ciple should  not  die  :  yet  Jesus  said 
not  unto  him,  He  shall  not  die ;  but, 
If  I  will  that  he  tarry  till  I  come, 
what  is  that  to  thee  ? 


4).     It  is  impossible  to  translate  adequately 
this  epigrammatic  African  Latin. 

ii.     The  work  of  St  John. 

20.  Peter  (omit  Then),  turning  about]   The 
command  of  the  Lord  appears  to  have  been 
accompanied  by  some  symbolic  action.     As 
St  Peter   literally   obeyed  the  call   thus   ex- 
pressed under  a  figure,  and  moved  away  from 
the  group  of  the  apostles,  something  attracted 
his  attention,  and  he  "  turned  about "  to  the 
direction  indicated  (fm<rrpa<ptis,  Mark  v.  30). 
The  whole  picture  is  full  of  life. 

the  disciple...']     Comp.  xiii.  23,  note. 

twhich  also  leaned  (leaned  back). ..the 
supper]  The  reference  is  to  the  special  act  of 
the  apostle  (avcirto-tv),  and  not  to  the  position 
which  he  occupied  at  the  table  (rjv  dvaKfifjifvos, 
xiii.  23).  The  notice  is  added  here  to  explain 
the  close  connexion  of  St  John  with  St  Peter, 
and  the  confidence  with  which  St  John  ven- 
tured to  follow  even  without  a  special  invita- 
tion. 

21.  Peter  therefore...]      No    question 
could  be  more  natural.    The  fact  that  St  John 
was  following  was  itself  an  unspoken  question 
as  to  the  future,  an  asking  of  the  Lord's  will. 

Lord,  and.,.]  The  original  is  singularly 
brief  and  pregnant,  "  Lord,  and  this  man, 
what?"  (Kuptr,  OVTOS  8e  TI;  Vulg.  Domine, 
hie  autem  quid  ?)  What  of  him  ?  What  shall 
he  suffer  or  do  ?  what  shall  be  his  lot  ? 

22.  In   the  Lord's  answer  the  emphasis 
is  laid  upon  the  pronouns  "him"  and  "thou" 
(tav  avrov  6.. .(TV  poi  a/c.).     The  thought  is  of 
the  individual  offices  of  disciples.     St  Peter's 
fortune  corresponded  with  his  work,  and  so 
too  St  John's. 

If  I  will  (comp.  xvii.  24,  note)  that...'}  The 
hypothetical  form  of  the  sentence  veils  the 
divine  counsel.  Experience  has  shewn  what 
that  was. 

abide  till  I  come]  The  exact  force  of  the 
original  is  rather  "while  I  am  coming"  (7<us 
tpyonai).  The  "coming"  is  not  regarded  as 
a  definite  point  in  future  time,  but  rather  as  a 
fact  which  is  in  slow  and  continuous  realisa- 
tion. The  prominent  idea  is  of  the  interval 
to  be  passed  over  rather  than  of  the  end  to  be 
reached.  Comp.  ix.  4,  xii.  35  f. ;  Mark  vi.  45 
(dno\vfi) ;  i  Tim.  iv.  13 ;  Luke  xix.  13 


(eV  o>)  ;  Matt.  v.  25.  "Abiding"  is  the  cor- 
relative to  "following ;"  and  according  to  the 
manifold  significance  of  this  word  it  expresses 
the  calm  waiting  for  further  light,  the  patient 
resting  in  a  fixed  position,  the  continuance  in 
life. 

The  "  coming "  of  the  Lord  is  no  doubt 
primarily  "the  second  coming"  (napova-la, 
i  John  ii.  28) ;  but  at  the  same  time  the 
idea  of  Christ's  "coming"  includes  thoughts 
of  His  personal  coming  in  death  to  each 
believer.  And  yet  further  the  coming  of 
Christ  to  the  Society  is  not  absolutely  one. 
He  "came"  in  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem. 
Thus  St  John  did  tarry  till  the  great  "com- 
ing," nor  is  there  anything  fanciful  in  seeing 
an  allusion  to  the  course  of  the  history  of  the 
Church  under  the  image  of  the  history  of  the 
apostles.  The  type  of  doctrine  and  character 
represented  by  St  John  is  the  last  in  the  order 
of  development.  In  this  sense  he  abides  still. 
Comp.  xiv.  3,  note;  and  Rev.  ii.  5,  16,  iii.  ii, 
xvi.  15,  xxii.  7,  12,  20. 

what  is  that  to  thee  ?]  The  arrangement  of 
the  various  parts  in  the  whole  body  of  the 
Church  does  not  concern  men.  That  rests 
with  the  divine  will,  and  the  divine  will  is 
unfolded  in  the  course  of  life. 

23.  Then  went  this  saying...]  This  saying 
(word)  therefore  went ...  the  words  which 
the  Lord  had  spoken.  These  were  inexactly 
repeated,  and  taken  to  affirm  "that  that  dis- 
ciple dieth  not."  The  tradition  that  St  John 
was  sleeping  in  his  grave  at  Ephesus,  and  that 
the  moving  dust  witnessed  to  the  breathing  of 
the  saint  beneath,  survived  for  a  long  time. 
Augustine  mentions  it  doubtfully  "on  the 
authority  of  grave  men  "  ('  In  Joh.'  cxxi  v.  2). 
among  the  brethren]  This  use  of  the  phrase 
which  is  common  in  the  book  of  the  Acts 
(ix.  30,  &c.)  is  found  here  only  in  the  Gospels 
(comp.  ch.  xx.  17 ;  Luke  xxii.  32). 

yet  Jesus...]  The  manner  in  which  the 
error  is  corrected  seems  to  shew  clearly  that 
it  had  not  been  refuted  by  fact,  or,  in  other 
words,  that  this  Epilogue  to  the  Gospel  was 
written  by  St  John.  The  apostle,  still  alive 
and  looking  to  the  uncertainty  of  the  future, 
rests  on  the  simple  repetition  of  the  precise 
language  of  the  Lord.  He  does  not  claim  to 
know  all  that  He  meant ;  he  repeats  what  He 


\o6 


ST.  JOHN.    XXI. 


[v.  24,  25. 


*  chap.  20. 
30. 


24  This  is  the  disciple  which  tes-  things  which  Jesus  did,   the   which, 
tifieth    of   these    things,    and    wrote  if  they  should  be  written  every  one, 
these  things  :  and  we  know  that  his  I  suppose  that  even  the  world  itself 
testimony  is  true.  could    not   contain    the    books    that 

25  ^And  there  are  also  many  other  should  be  written.     Amen. 


said.     The  true  interpretation  of  the  words 
was  for  history. 

It  is  obvious  that  St  Peter  and  St  John 
occupy  in  this  narrative  representative  posi- 
tions both  as  to  their  work  and  as  to  the 
issue  of  their  work.  The  one  is  the  minister 
of  action  whose  service  is  consummated  by 
the  martyrdom  of  death:  the  other  is  the 
minister  of  thought  and  teaching  whose  ser- 
vice is  perfected  in  the  martyrdom  of  life. 
Augustine  ('  In  Joh.'  cxxiv.  3)  has  a  very 
interesting  comparison  of  the  two  charges, 
which  is  thus  summed  up :  "  Perfecta  me 
sequatur  actio,  informata  meae  passionis  ex- 
emplo:  inchoata  vero  contemplatio  maneat 
donee  venio,  perficienda  cum  venero."  See 
also  the  Preface  to  the  Commentary  of 
Rupert  of  Deutz. 

CONCLUDING  NOTES  :  vv.  24,  25. 

These  two  verses  appear  to  be  separate 
notes  attached  to  the  Gospel  before  its  pub- 
lication. The  form  of  -v.  24,  contrasted  with 
that  of  xix.  35,  shews  conclusively  that  it  is 
not  the  witness  of  the  Evangelist.  The  words 
were  probably  added  by  the  Ephesian  elders, 
to  whom  the  preceding  narrative  had  been 
given  both  orally  and  in  writing.  See  Intro- 
duction, p.  xxxv.  The  change  of  person  in 
v.  25  (/  suppose,  compared  with  <we  know) 
marks  a  change  of  authorship.  It  is  quite 
possible  that  this  verse  may  contain  words  of 
St  John  (comp.  xx.  30),  set  here  by  those 
who  had  heard  them. 


24.  testifietb... testimony]    beareth    wit- 
ness...witness.    The  witness  is  spoken  of  as 
present,  but  the  form  of  the  phrase  (o  /xaprvp&Sj/, 
contrast  o  ypd^as)  does   not   in   itself  shew 
conclusively  that  the  apostle  was  alive  at  the 
time  when  the  note  was  written  (comp.  i.  15), 
though  this  is  the  most  natural  interpretation 
(comp.  v.  32,  33). 

these  things']  The  phrase  may  be  referred 
to  the  whole  contents  of  the  Gospel  (xx.  31), 
or  be  limited  to  the  narrative  of  ch.  xxi. 

we  know]  The  plural  (contrast  xix.  35) 
taken  in  connexion  with  this  is  the  disciple  and 
/  suppose  (v.  25)  seems  to  be  undoubtedly  a 
true  plural,  and  not  a  usage  like  i  John  i.  i. 
Compare  Col.  iv.  3,  where  there  is  a  corres- 
ponding change  from  the  apostolic  group 
(Col.  i.  i)  to  St  Paul  himself. 

true]  true  in  fact  (dAq&js).  The  thought 
is  not  brought  out  here  as  in  xix.  35,  that  it 
satisfies  the  ideal  conditions  of  testimony 
(dXi7$ii/i7).  The  words  read  like  an  echo  of 
3  John  12. 

25.  /  suppose]     The  word  (oijuai)  is  rare 
intheN.T.  (comp.  Phil.  i.  17;  James  i.  7). 
From  the  form  of  the  sentence  (tav  •ypd^rat... 
Xo>pij<r(iv)  it  appears  that  the  recollection  of 
the  other  deeds  was  still  fresh,  so  that  the  record 
of  them  was  possible. 

could  not  contain]  The  bold  expression 
answers  to  a  deep  truth.  A  complete  account 
(every  one)  of  the  perfect  human  (Jesus)  life 
of  the  Lord  would  be  practically  infinite. 

Amen\  is  no  part  of  the  original  text. 


ADDITIONAL   NOTES   on   CHAP.  xxi. 


11.  The  precise  statement  of  the  number 
has  naturally  attracted  the  attention  of  commen- 
tators from  early  times,  and  the  interpretations 
which  have  been  assigned  to  it  do  more  than 
form  a  sample  of  ingenious  combinations.  They 
illustrate  a  method  of  viewing  Scripture  which, 
however  different  from  our  own,  was  at  one 
time  nearly  universal.  It  will  then  be  not 
without  use  and  interest  to  notice  one  or  two 
of  the  prominent  explanations  of  the  number 
which  have  been  offered. 

There  is,  as  far  as  I  have  noted,  no  expla- 
nation of  the  number  preserved  in  the  great 
ante-Nicene  fathers,  Clement,  Irenseus,  and 
Origen,  Tertullian  and  Cyprian.  But  Cyril 
of  Alexandria  (f444)  and  Augustine  (f43o) 
have  probably  preserved  earlier  interpretations 
in  their  own  comments. 

CYRIL  of  A  LEXANDRIA  (In loc.),  followed  by 


AMMONIUS  the  PRESBYTER  (Cramer  '  Cat.' 
in  /oc.),  Euthymius  (doubtfully)  andTheophy- 
lact  (ad  loc.),  regards  the  number  as  being 
significant  in  its  three  simple  elements : 
100  -i-  50  +  3.  The  TOO,  he  says,  represents 
the  fulness  of  the  Gentiles,  for  100  (=  10  x  10) 
is  "  the  fullest  number,"  and  as  such  it  is  used 
to  describe  the  Lord's  full  flock  (Matt,  xviii. 
12)  and  full  fertility  (Matt.  xiii.  8).  The  50 
represents  "  the  remnant  of  Israel  according  to 
election,"  which  falls  short  of  completeness 

(  50  =  —  ).  The  3  indicates  the  Holy  Trinity, 
to  whose  glory  all  alike  are  gathered. 

AUGUSTINE  ('in  Joh.  Tr.'  cxxn.)  adopts  a 
more  complicated  interpretation.  Ten,  he  says, 
is  the  number  of  the  Law.  But  the  Law 
without  grace  kills.  To  the  number  of  the 
Law  therefore  we  add  seven,  the  number  of 


ST.  JOHN.   XXI. 


307 


the  Spirit,  in  order  to  obtain  the  fulness  of  the 
divine  revelation  as  a  power  of  life.  But,  he 
then  adds,  the  sum  of  the  numbers  from  one 
to  seventeen  inclusive  is  one  hundred  and  fifty- 
three  (1+2+3  &c-  +I7  =  I53)«  So  that  the 
number  153  signifies  all  those  who  are  in- 
cluded in  the  saving  operation  of  divine  grace, 
which  makes  reconciliation  with  the  Law. 
Nor  is  this  all.  The  three  is  the  symbol  of 
the  Trinity ;  and  the  triple  fifty  brings  out  the 
idea  of  unity  in  the  Spirit,  who  is  revealed  in  a 
sevenfold  operation  (50  =  7  x  7  + 1). 

GREGORY  THE  GREAT  adopts  in  part  the 
symbolism  of  Augustine,  but  employs  it  even 
more  ingeniously.  The  Evangelist,  he  writes, 
would  not  have  given  the  exact  number  unless 
he  had  deemed  that  it  contained  a  mystery. 
All  action  under  the  Old  Testament  is  ruled 
by  the  Decalogue ;  and  under  the  New  Testa- 
ment by  the  seven  gifts  of  the  Spirit  (Isai.  xi. 
a).  Our  action,  therefore,  under  both  aspects 
can  be  represented  by  10  +  7.  But  it  is  by 
faith  in  the  Holy  Trinity  that  action  is  made 
effectual.  We  therefore  multiply  1 7  by  3  and 
obtain  the  number  51,  which  expresses  the 
idea  of  true  rest,  being  unity  added  to  the 
number  of  the  year  of  jubilee.  This  symbol 
of  rest  (51)  is  again  multiplied  by  three  and 
we  gain  the  result  153,  the  symbol  of  the  elect 
citizens  of  the  heavenly  country,  the  final 
heirs  of  rest  ('Horn.'  xxiv.  4). 

RUPERT  of  DEUTZ  ('In  Joh.'  xiv.)  regards 
the  three  numbers  as  representing  the  propor- 
tions of  three  different  classes  united  in  onefaith. 
The  "  hundred"  are  the  married,  who  are  the 
most  numerous,  the  "fifty"  the  widowed  or 
continent  who  are  less  numerous,  the  "  three," 
the  least  in  number,  are  the  virgins.  "  But," 
he  adds,  "there  is  much  that  has  been  profit- 
ably written  on  this  153  by  learned  divines, 
which  the  careful  reader  will  easily  find." 

BRUNO  ASTENSIS  (xith — xiith  cent.;  the 
homilies  were  wrongly  published  under  the 
name  of  Eusebius  of  Emesa)  adopts  a  simpler 


view.  "Three,"  he  says,  "  has  the  same  sig- 
nificance as  150  =  3  x  50.  There  are  three  parts 
of  the  world,  Asia,  Africa,  Europe.  There- 
fore 150  +  3  represents  the  sum  of  all  the 
faithful  throughout  the  world."  (In  loc.  [Horn. 
LXXI.]  Migne,  'Patrol.'  CXLV.  599.) 

It  may  be  worth  while  to  add,  if  such  in- 
terpretations seem  alien  from  our  way  of 
thinking,  that  Volkmar  has  recently  surpassed 
them  in  extravagance.  He  gravely  argues 
('Mose  Prophetic'  61  f.)  that  the  number  repre- 
sents Simeon  Bar  Jona  Kepha.  To  obtain  this 
result  he  is  obliged  to  leave  out  one  letter  in 
Kepha,  and  to  give  the  Hebrew  letters  values 
inconsistent  with  ancient  usage. 

NOTE  ON  THE  READINGS  IN  w.  15  ff. 

The  readings  in  the  three  charges  of  the 
Lord  are  somewhat  perplexed. 

15.  Bocn«  TO.  dpvia  pov.     So  NABLX  and 
almost  all :  Vulg.  agnos.    But  C*D  read  npo- 
/3ara,  and  old  Lat.  oves.     In  this  case  how- 
ever the  reading   cannot  be  doubtful.    The 
substitution  of  7rp6/3ara  shews  the  tendency 
of  scribes. 

16.  IIoiftaifF   Ta  TrpojSdria  ftov.     So  BC, 
"  some  old  copies." 

But  KADX  and  nearly  all  others  read  irpo- 
fiara.  Old  Lat.  oves.  Vulg.  agnos. 

The  reading  here  may  be  fairly  considered 
doubtful.  The  force  of  the  diminutive  is  seen 
below. 

17.  Booxe  TO.  7rpo/3drtd  ^.ov.     So  ABC. 
But   KDX  and  nearly  all  others  7rpd/3ara. 

Lat.  oves  (some  agnos").     A  dpvia. 

In  this  case  there  can  be  little  doubt  that 
TTpojSdrm  is  the  true  reading.  The  diminu- 
tive, which  is  a  form  of  tender  endearment, 
goes  naturally  with  /3o'o-«€.  In  the  second 
charge  there  is  no  special  fitness  in  the  dimi- 
nutive, though  the  use  of  the  diminutive 
throughout  has  an  appropriateness  to  the  cir- 
cumstances. 


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